DONETSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd September, 2018) A large number of foreign soldiers as well as high-ranking army officers from the United States and Canada has arrived in east Ukraine to possibly help plan an offensive against the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, Daniil Bezsonov, the spokesman for the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) operational command, said on Sunday.
"Our intelligence noticed the arrival of a large number of foreign servicemen to the the 56th motorized infantry and 406th artillery brigades near Urzuf. The arrival of a group of high-ranking military officials from the US and Canadian armed forces to the headquarters of Operational Command East [of the Ukrainian army] was also noticed. We think it is possible that those who arrived may take part in planning and carrying out an offensive operation," Bezsonov told reporters.
The statement comes just two days after DPR leader Alexander Zakharchenko was killed by a bomb planted in a cafe in Donetsk.
Bezsonov warned that the arrival of foreign soldiers meant that Ukraine was preparing to escalate the Donbas conflict.
