DAVOS, Switzerland — Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Wednesday that Russia had 9,000 troops on Ukrainian soil supporting separatist forces there and he called on Moscow to withdraw them.
In a speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Poroshenko said the Russian troops were backed by a range of heavy weapons, including tanks, heavy artillery and armored vehicles.
"If this is not aggression, what is aggression?" he asked.
Poroshenko said Moscow must comply with a peace plan agreed in Minsk, Belarus, last September between Ukraine, Russia and separatist leaders to end a conflict in which more than 4,800 people have died since it flared up last April.
"Our approach is very simple we have nothing to negotiate … We have the Minsk format and we need immediately just a cease-fire and the withdrawal of heavy artillery and weapons and tanks from the touchline," Poroshenko said.
"The solution is very simple — stop supplying weapons … withdraw the troops and close the border. Very simple peace plan. If you want to discuss something different, it means you are not for peace, you are for war," he said.
The Minsk plan provides for a cease-fire and the withdrawal of foreign fighters and military equipment from Ukraine. But the cease-fire has been very shaky from the start and hundreds of people have died since September in clashes Kiev says have involved regular Russian troops.
Moscow denies its forces are directly involved in the conflict.
Poroshenko also called on Russia to cooperate in closing their long, but porous, joint border.
To reinforce his message about what he branded "terrorist attacks" in Ukraine, he held up a large piece of yellow metal sheeting pockmarked with holes, saying it was part of a bus hit in a rebel missile attack.
Thirteen civilians died and many others were injured in the attack on the bus, which was struck when it passed a Ukrainian army checkpoint in Volnovakha on Jan. 13.
"I have here part of the Volnovakha bus with the hits of the fragments of the Russian missiles which are hitting my people. It is a symbol of the terrorist attack against my country," Poroshenko said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
