Ukrainian Hospital Hit Amid Escalating Fighting

A hospital was hit Monday in the eastern region of Donetsk, leaving six wounded, amid fierce combats between the Ukrainian military and rebel forces.

The clashes have continued after Kiev launched a full-scale offensive in the eastern, largely rebel-controlled region of the country, in order to recover lost territory, including the Donetsk international airport.

Russian authorities claim Moscow has proposed a peace plan to both Kiev and the pro-Russian seapartist rebel forces. The plan proposes withdrawing heavy artillery in order to reduce damage in residential areas and avoid civilian casualties. However, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko allegedly rejected the plan.

"It's the biggest, even strategic mistake of the Ukrainian authorities to bank on a military solution to the crisis in Ukrainian society and to all of south-east Ukraine's problems," said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin.

Meanwhile, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe called upon both sides to end the escalating violence.

Local media reports say Kiev is now regrouping and renewing its forces, sending new troops to replace the current battalions.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized the offensive, but said he was still hopeful that the Ukrainian president would reconsider his stance.

“All this alarms us. I hope common sense will prevail in Kiev, and President Poroshenko will not yield to attempts of ‘the party of war’ to break the Minsk agreements,” Lavrov said. 

Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine were set to hold a peace summit in Kazakhstan to discuss a new peace deal with representatives of the rebel forces. However, Kiev is demanding certain conditions be met before returning to peace talks.