DONETSK. Aug 5 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian side is ready make another attempt to resolve the conflict in Donbas by military methods, the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) said.
"On one hand, everything is ready for an offensive on that side of the frontline. Our reconnaissance data point to that. But, on the other hand, from a political standpoint it will be disruption of the Minsk process on the part of Kyiv. Even more so, Kyiv's offensive will shut the Minsk process," DPR leader Alexander Zakharchenko told reporters.
Kyiv is ready both in military and political terms to once again try to resolve the conflict by military force, Zakharchenko said.
"This is aided by that obvious fact that Kyiv's international position is become increasingly problematic... And all this is happening amid a catastrophic decline in the economy and ordinary Ukrainians' standards of living," as well as a drop of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's rating, he said.
Given such a disadvantageous backdrop, resuming the war in Donbas may become the only way for the Ukrainian president to stay in power and avoid being held to account, he said.
The DPR, for its part, does not want fighting to restart, he said.
"But if Kyiv attacks us once again, the only thing I can say is that they should not complain afterwards, as they retreat towards Kyiv. There will be no Minsk-3 [agreement]", Zakharchenko said.