MOSCOW (Sputnik) – According to the Russian minister, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko "decided to turn a blind eye to what volunteer battalions are going, or maybe suggested them that it is time to start shooting."
"The only plus that I see in this situation, is that the West begins to understand the true nature of the Ukrainian authorities, but it is being achieved with blood and many months-long, if not years-long, experiments," Lavrov told the NTV channel.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier that Moscow had reliable data that the Ukrainian independent armed groups, supported by the Ukrainian Armed Forces' artillery, were behind the attack on Avdiivka.
Earlier, Putin explained three reasons behind the escalation in eastern Ukraine.