Lavrov calls on Kerry to intercede for the suspension of military actions by Ukraine

‘The punishment operation in the southeast of Ukraine will plunge the country into a deadly conflict between brothers,’ Lavrov said in a telephone conversation with Kerry, as reported by Russian news agencies.

Lavrov, who accused Kiev of ‘declaring war on its own people,’ said that the cessation of the terrorism operation launched by Kiev and the retreat of the troops should be ‘immediately’.

Likewise, he urged Kerry to admonish Kiev to release the pro-Russian participants in protests, in line with the amnesty stipulated by the Geneva Agreements.

For its part, Ukraine today denounced a provocation by former members of the exiled government in neighboring Russia, while the Kremlin accused Kiev of having ‘blood in their hands’.