Is Russia about to launch a fresh offensive in eastern Ukraine?

US expresses concern as Russia 'sends ballistic missiles' to Ukraine border

Merkel told Russian President Vladimir Putin on during a phone call Thursday that Russia must reverse the buildup of troops in the area of eastern Ukraine to help achieve "a de-escalation of the situation", according to her spokeswoman, Ulrike Demmer. Instead of planning an invasion, Putin could be moving military hardware to the Ukranian border to intimidate Zelensky and thwart his attempt to join North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

"And if you ask opinions of several million people in the self-proclaimed republics, you will understand that such a membership in North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is deeply unacceptable for these people", said Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Ukraine is thought of as a weak state compared to Russia's enormous military machine, considered the world's second most powerful army.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have discussed growing hostilities in eastern Ukraine and bilateral military cooperation, the president's press service said Tuesday.

"Russia now has more troops than at any time since 2014", Psaki added, saying that five Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in the past week.

Tensions have soared in eastern Ukraine in recent weeks after Vladimir Putin dispatched tanks, helicopters and thousands of troops to the Ukrainian border.

Images released by Zelensky's office showed the 43-year-old leader in the trenches clad in a helmet and bulletproof vest, handing out awards to Ukrainian soldiers and shaking their hands.

Ukraine last week accused Russian Federation of massing thousands of military personnel on its northern and eastern borders as well as on the Crimean peninsula. "But NATO is only about membership".

An Ukrainian serviceman digs the ground of a trench as he stands at his post on the frontline on April 8 Credit AFP

Referring in his reply to Srebrenica, where about 8,000 Muslim men and boys were killed by Bosnian Serb forces during Bosnia's 1992-1995 war, he said: 'It all depends on the scale of the fire.

"If, as our president says, there is a Srebrenica there, we shall probably have to come to their defence", Mr Kozak said.

Mr Kozak suggested the rebels could hold their own for now against Ukrainian forces as they consisted of "battle-hardened units".

The ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine began in April 2014.

This sparked a major rift with Western nations, prompting the European Union and the U.S. to impose sanctions on Russian Federation.

Ukraine and western countries say Donbass separatists have been armed, led, funded and aided by Russians, including active Russian troops. Both sides have since accused each other of violating it.

Zelensky, who has urged North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to speed up his country's membership into the alliance to support Ukraine, said he had visited positions where "the largest number of violations" of a ceasefire had been recorded, the presidency said in a statement.

Ontario cabinet considering issuing stay-at-home order, sources say
Toronto Mayor John Tory said he asked for one additional day to give parents time to prepare, but Dr. That could be extended if the situation doesn't improve, TPH noted.

Related News:

06 April 2021

Fort Detrick police kill sailor who wounded two in off-base shooting
The names and ages of the victims and the suspect were not immediately disclosed, the spokesman said. "It's very tragic. Lando said the man who was killed on base was the same person who shot the two people at the business park.

06 April 2021

B.C. records almost 1,900 new COVID-19 cases in two days
There have been 16,637 county residents who have recovered from the coronavirus with the 86 recoveries recorded Monday. A telephone option is also available and people can register in person at their nearest Service BC location.

05 April 2021

Jordan's Prince Hamzah vows to defy 'house arrest' orders
In 2004, however, King Abdullah II replaced Prince Hamzah and later designated his eldest son as the Crown Prince of Jordan. On Twitter , Hamza's mother, Queen Noor called the incidents a "wicked slander".
07 April 2021

California To Fully Open Economy June 15
The mask mandate will remain in place, but businesses and other venues will be allowed to reopen without occupancy limits. The Santa Monica Pier welcomed outdoor visitors on Monday as Los Angeles County entered the less restrictive orange tier.

06 April 2021

Australia and New Zealand announce travel bubble starts from April
Returning New Zealand residents would be required to undergo 14 days in hotel quarantine, at their own expense. Ms Ardern called the bubble a "world-first" arrangement.

05 April 2021

Florida governor declares state of emergency amid fears of reservoir collapse
The Center for Biological Diversity national conservation group called for the US Environmental Protection Agency to step in. Hopes says that if the pond collapses, there is a risk it could destabilise the walls of other areas in the plant.
07 April 2021

Ontario to issue 4-week Stay-At-Home order starting Thursday
Ontario has issued a new stay-at-home order today to fight an alarming surge in COVID-19 cases fuelled by variants of the virus. Move would close all non-essential businesses to in-person shopping, restrict non-essential sections of big box stores.

06 April 2021

Newtownabbey: Petrol bombs and bricks launched at PSNI
Petrol bombs and bricks were thrown at officers in loyalist areas in Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus on Easter Sunday night. Fifteen officers were injured in Belfast, while 12 officers were hurt in Derry after being targeted by mainly young people.

05 April 2021

Former Jordanian Crown Prince 'under house arrest'
On Saturday, authorities in Jordan announced their decision to arrest 20 people, including high-profile officials. The army said it had cautioned Hamzah against damaging the country's security, but denied he had been arrested.
07 April 2021

Rockies to host MLB's All-Star Game amid controversy over Georgia voting law
Coors Field in Denver has been chosen to host this year's All-Star Game, sources told ESPN's Buster Olney on Monday. Almost 30% of the businesses in Atlanta are black-owned, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

07 April 2021

Welcome Uncle Sam To Global Tax Reform
According to Yellen, one of the outcome of an interconnected world has been a 30-year race to the bottom on corporate tax rates. The average corporate income tax rate across 117 nations is 23.85%, according to the Tax Foundation , a think tank.

06 April 2021

Eight New COVID-19 Cases Reported Locally
The P1 variant has also hit the Vancouver Canucks, with 21 players and coaches now affected and the team's season likely derailed. Locations run by the county, health systems and other vaccine providers can inoculate about 35,000 people a day.