The head of the DPR Pushilin called the actions of Kiev the only reason for the protracted conflict

Photo: Sergey Baturin / RIA Novosti

The only reason for the seven-year-long conflict in the Donbass is Kiev's desire to talk the situation over, Denis Pushilin, head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), said in an interview with RT.

“There is only one reason why it all dragged on for seven years, all these empty talks, all these empty attempts to squeeze Ukraine out of fulfilling its obligations, is the need to drag out time, to blather the situation. Alas, Ukraine is coping with this,” the head of the DPR said.

Pushilin also called the former President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko a war criminal and scoundrel, and noted that it was his political actions and decisions that led to the protracted conflict in the region.

Earlier, Pushilin revealed the number of Ukrainian troops near the line of contact in Donbass. According to him, Donetsk records about 150,000 military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (APU).