Germany warns of renewed escalation in Ukraine conflict

During a visit to Kazakhstan on Monday, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said there was a danger the military situation in rebel-held eastern Ukraine could again deteriorate.

His comments came after the eastern city of Donetsk on Sunday was hit by some of the heaviest shelling since a ceasefire agreement was signed in the Belarusian capital Minsk on September 5.

"Unfortunately, the situation is again serious," Steinmeier told reporters in the former Soviet republic's capital, Astana. "I now think that we must call upon all those involved in this conflict, as well as the Russian side, to return again to the terms of the Minsk protocol."

The truce agreement has been frequently violated by bombardments and battles around strategic hotspots, like the separatist stronghold of Donetsk. It has, however, prevented large-scale confrontations in other parts of the conflict zone. Journalists in Donetsk reported a significant escalation in heavy artillery fire from both government and rebel forces in the city over the weekend.

Some 4,000 people have died in the Ukraine conflict since April, according to figures from the United Nations.

Escalation in fighting

Fears of an escalation have also been fuelled by reports of a large convoy of armored trucks seen heading towards Donetsk.

Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said they had spotted some 40 armored trucks and tankers without markings or number plates moving westward towards the city late on Saturday. They said 19 of the vehicles were towing howitzers "and contained personnel in dark green uniforms without insignia."

Kyiv has seized on the reports, accusing Moscow of sending reinforcements to help the rebels. But Russia denies sending any troops into Ukraine.

The White House expressed concern over the armored column, warning that any attempt by the rebels to seize more territory would be a "blatant violation" of the ceasefire agreement.

"We are very concerned by intensified fighting in eastern Ukraine, as well as numerous reports... that Russian backed and supplied separatists are moving large convoys of heavy weapons and tanks to the front lines of the conflict," US National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said in a statement on Sunday.

The European Union's foreign policy coordinator, Federica Mogherini, described the sighting as a "very worrying development" and called on all sides to show restraint and continue working towards finding a peaceful solution.

Steinmeier is expected to discuss the situation when he meets with Mogherini in Berlin on Monday night.

nm/pfd (Reuters, dpa, AFP)