Donbas conflict not frozen - Ukrainian defense minister
KYIV. Dec 5 (Interfax) - Attacks and armed clashes take place in Donbas, so it is too early to talk about the freezing of the conflict, Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak said.
"It is impossible to say that the conflict is frozen, when our positions and populated localities were attacked 14,000 times and 400 civilians were killed this year alone. It is active. Both armed clashes and shooting occur," he said in an interview with Interfax and the television channel 1+1.
Kyiv is actively working to reinforce the army and boost its fighting capacity, Poltorak said.
"Today we have enough forces and equipment in the ATO zone, enough forces in training centers and ranges, where they are undergoing training and military team-building, to respond to threats, not only from the ATO sector," he said.
"New units and commands have already been formed in dangerous sectors," Poltorak said.
"Everything related to Russia is a dangerous sector, starting from Transdniestria, the Crimea, and eastern Ukraine, where infrastructure of Russian forces is being set up, new units and commands are being formed. We consider our neighbors in the West, Hungary and Poland, to be partners, who are helping us reform," he said.