Blame Lies at Kiev's Door: Ceasefire Violations in Ukraine

In an interview with Press TV, prominent American journalist Jim W. Dean stressed that Kiev has repeatedly violated the Minsk II ceasefire agreement and practically all of the shooting cases were on Kiev's side.

"Virtually all of the shooting violations were on Kiev's side. What went on is when Kiev broke the ceasefire by firing on the Republics, they would reply, and then Kiev would file a report with the monitors that they had been attacked," Dean underscored.

Earlier this week US State Secretary John Kerry pointed the finger at Russia, stating that the presence of Russian convoys in eastern Ukraine demonstrated that Moscow is ignoring the Minsk II deal provisions.

While commenting on the statement of the US State Secretary who put the blame on Russia for the ceasefire violations in eastern Ukraine, the journalist noted that it looked like "the pot calling the kettle black."

He stressed that although "most violations were on Kiev's part" the US and European governments turn a blind eye to these cases; Western media sources also remain silent about Kiev's actions regardless of the fact they are obviously undermining the peace process in the region.

Jim W. Dean underscored that while the US State Department insists that Russia has accumulated heavy military equipment, including multiple rocket launchers and air defense systems, in eastern Ukraine, it has not presented any photographic, video evidence or communication intercepts to confirm its accusations.

Dean noted with a touch of irony that unless Russians have "stealth troops and stealth armor that just quietly and magically rolls across the border while the border guards are having their dinner, there aren't any military formations there."

Moscow denies the US' allegations and points to the fact that Washington is itself escalating tensions in Ukraine by sending arms to Kiev and holding joint military drills on edge of the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine.

Last week about 300 US paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade arrived in western Ukraine to take part in joint military exercises together with Ukrainian National Guard battalions.

Russian Ministry of Defense spokesman Igor Konashenkov called public attention to the fact that the drills have been shifted from the West to the Ukrainian eastern region, although it was initially announced that they would be conducted in Yavoriv district, Lviv region.

Remarkably, American paratroopers and Ukrainian servicemen are currently engaged in combat training in urban environments.