RUSSIALINK: “Ukraine does not seek escalation of situation in Donbas – NSDC secretary” – Interfax

KYIV. April 7 (Interfax) – Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksiy Danilov said, when commenting on the situation surrounding a buildup of Russian forces in the proximity of the border with Ukraine, that “there is a certain intensification of all processes” today, adding that Kyiv seeks to avert any escalation of the situation in Donbas.

“Let’s say that Russians have never removed their troops from there. Since hostilities began, they have always kept their troops there, and in large numbers. But, indeed, there is a certain intensification of all processes today,” Danilov said in an interview published in the LB.ua online newspaper on Wednesday morning, when asked whether the situation in Donbas may escalate any time soon.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is doing everything possible to prevent an escalation of the situation in the east of the country, he said.

“We, for our part, do not plan any escalation because we value the life of each of our soldiers and want all this to end as soon as possible. The president is doing everything he can,” Danilov said.

When asked what Ukraine is going to do next, Danilov said, “As far as we are concerned, the situation is quite simple: human life is the highest value. Volodymyr Oleksandrovych [Zelensky] has stressed that. We are definitely not going to engage in any provocative actions against the Russian Federation at this stage,” he said.

Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Col. Gen. Ruslan Khomchak said earlier that Russia is building up its forces in the proximity of the state border with Ukraine in the north, east and south.