MINSK. Dec 9 (Interfax) - The self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic envoy Denis Pushilin said that the seizure of populated areas in the 'grey zone' by Ukrainian government forces may lead to an escalation of the conflict.
"It is the most critical matter for us today. The issue was raised and we addressed Mr. Sajdik [Martin Sajdik, the OSCE special envoy in the Trilateral Contact Group for Ukraine], requesting him to deliver this [information] to the representatives of the 'Normandy format'. The Ukrainian armed forces seized a number of communities that were in the 'grey zone', in the safety zone," Pushilin said following the meeting of the Contact Group in Minsk on Tuesday.
The status quo was violated, he said.