Donbas on Ukraine Border, Government Forces and Pro-Russian Rebels Clash for Third Day

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Clashes between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatist rebels controlling the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine have reportedly continued for the third consecutive day. The fighting between the two sides is taking on the characteristics of a proxy war between Russia and the West, raising concerns about a prolonged conflict.

According to AFP and other sources on the 19th (local time), the Ukrainian government forces claimed that the pro-Russian separatist rebels controlling the Donbas area violated the ceasefire agreement 66 times in the previous 24 hours and violated it 70 times again on this day. The Ukrainian government forces reported that two of their soldiers were killed and four were injured due to rebel shelling on this day.

This is the first time that casualties have been publicly reported during the three days of ongoing clashes since the 17th. Meanwhile, Denis Monastyrsky, Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs, who was patrolling the conflict zone on this day, took cover after a mortar shell landed just a few hundred meters away.

However, the rebel side supported by Russia denied the claims through Russian state media, asserting that government forces shelled several villages in rebel-held areas. Amid ongoing clashes, the pro-Russian rebel organizations Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) each issued a "general military mobilization order" on this day, citing an increased possibility of war with government forces.

DPR leader Denis Pushilin stated in a video message that there were reports of a significantly increased risk of combat with government forces, saying, "I have signed the general military mobilization order. All reservists are urged to report to military recruitment offices." LPR leader Leonid Pasechnik also declared, "A general mobilization order is proclaimed within LPR territory." He further issued a decree stating that men aged 18 to 55 must not leave Luhansk Oblast, and that authorities may arbitrarily requisition vehicles and other private property.

Prior to this, DPR and LPR, without presenting concrete evidence, warned of an imminent government attack and ordered women, children, and others to evacuate across the border to Russia’s Rostov region. Both sides announced plans to evacuate approximately 700,000 people. On the 19th, just one day later, the DPR Emergency Situations Department reported that evacuations of Donetsk residents were underway, stating, "As of 6:30 a.m. today, a total of 6,603 people, including 2,436 children, have evacuated to Rostov, Russia." Russia is reported to have opened border checkpoints on the Ukrainian side and established refugee camps to accommodate these evacuees.

However, Ukraine and Western countries including the United States continue to suspect that the military actions occurring in the Donbas region are a "false flag operation" orchestrated by Russia to create a pretext for invading Ukraine, maintaining ongoing suspicions.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.