The Issue? Complete Nonsense

"[The two leaders] agreed that as soon as possible direct talks should take place between the Ukrainian government and separatists in the form of a video conference."
Steffen Seibert, spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel

"Putin expressed grave concern with the ongoing attacks from the Ukrainian armed forces, and emphasized that it is unacceptable when such attacks result in the shelling of Russian territory."
Dmitry Peskov, Putin spokesman

A Ukrainian serviceman patrols as the de-miners neutralise mines and other explosives in the village of Semenovka, near the eastern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk in the Donetsk region

It was agreed between the German and the Russian leaders that such a video conference should take place between Vladimir Putin and Petro Poroshenko. Ukrainian officials have denied that Ukrainian shells had fallen on Russian territory. Ukrainian forces "do not fire on the territory of a neighbouring country. They do not fire on residential areas", said Andriy Lysenko, spokesman for Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council.

But Russia claims repeatedly that settlements along with border with Ukraine have suffered hits by Ukrainian fire. This would be, of course, the very same border across which leaks weapons for the pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine, an indispensable supply route for the rebels incited to rebellion by Russia itself. Putin and Merkel appear to have reached a common conclusion; the situation in east Ukraine is "deteriorating".

Why that might be could conceivably be related to Moscow's covert activities. For example, the shooting down of a Ukrainian military transport, the Antonov-26 plane hit at an altitude of 6,500m (21,325 ft.). Targeted, says Ukraine by "a more powerful missile" than a mere shoulder-carried missile, and "probably fired" from Russia. While the crew survived, they are in the custody of the rebels, who are 'questioning' them.

The tail-section of the Ukraine military An-26 transport aircraft which was shot down close to the Russian border. Pro-Russian rebel groups have claimed responsibility for the attack

On this issue, Russia has no comment. NATO, however, reported a Russian troop build-up close to the Ukraine border, confirming that the alliance had observed a significant increase of Russian troops, increasing their number to some 12,000. This Russia denies, denies supporting and arming the separatists. In fact, inviting officials from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to monitor that very border.

President Petro Poroshenko's website clarifies that the An-26 was taking part in the "anti-terror operation" in the region. Should it be so, and proven that Russian forces did indeed shoot down a Ukrainian transport plane, it would represent a violent transgression, with one state delivering to the other an invitation to war. Ukraine must respond, must make an effort to prove what they infer. To do otherwise is to render proof of their military's powerlessness.

And then the ball is passed over to Ukraine's allies in Europe and the West should Ukraine be capable of proving what it attests, that Russia from within its own border deliberately shot down a Ukrainian military plane. What kind of repercussions then would surface from the West which has repeatedly declared its support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression? Failing Ukraine would be tantamount to betrayal.

But accelerating the already tense situation with a full-forward momentum of counter-aggression would also propel the world into yet another conflict which no one could even begin to contemplate. People living in Marynka on the outskirts of Donetsk moved into a local university when their homes came under bombardment Sunday night. Four people were left dead from artillery fire in Marynka on Friday. 

The Ukrainian air force, according to Ukrainian officials had carried out 16 sorties and five airstrikes on rebel positions, destroying rocket launchers and armoured vehicles, killing a number of rebels. While seven servicemen had been killed and 30 wounded in the last few days following on the loss of at least 19 Ukrainian soldiers in a rocket attack Friday morning.

"For every life of our soldiers, the militants will pay with tens and hundreds of their own. Not one terrorist will evade responsibility" vowed Mr. Poroshenko. Yet Moscow will evade responsibility for its act bordering on throwing the gauntlet of conflict at Ukraine, as though impervious to the consequences that could lead to an outright wider conflict.

Moscow had earlier threatened to use "surgical retaliatory strikes", as published in Kommersant. Nothing to it, however, according to Dmitry Peskov who dismissed the report stating: "I don't comment on this in any way. It's complete nonsense."