Publish Date: 20 February 2022 - 13:20

TEHRAN, Feb. 20 (MNA) – As the 2015 Minsk Protocol ceasefire is being violated, the increasing tensions in eastern parts of Ukraine is raising the fears of military conflict.

Tensions in eastern parts of Ukraine have increased recently and there are several reports of explosions in different regions of the country.

As a diplomatic source told Reuters that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) had recorded about 2,000 ceasefire violations between Ukrainian forces and the eastern autonomous region on Saturday, indicating an unprecedented rise in tensions, the local sources reported that horrific explosions were heard in the city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine.

Two other explosions have recently rocked Ukraine’s eastern separatist region of Luhansk, one hitting a gas pipeline.

Although the sources of the explosions are not known yet, the officials have stated that the explosions were acts of "sabotage".

The US and NATO were claiming that Russia will start the war in Ukraine but Moscow and the Officials of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics blame the Ukrainian forces, supported by the US and the West, for it.

Tensions between Russia and NATO have increased recently, as Kyiv and a number of the alliance’s members have expressed concerns about the alleged “concentration" of Russian troops near its borders with Ukraine.

Although Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is moving troops within its own territory and at its own discretion and this does not threaten anyone, Several western officials including US President Joe Biden claimed that the risk of the Russian invasion of Ukraine is very high.

The US and the West have not refrained from taking any action to escalate tensions, such as sending weapons to Ukraine and neighboring countries and their interference has increased the tensions in the area.

NATO countries have also sought to provide military support to Kyiv.

NATO has no obligation to defend Ukraine because the country is not a member of the coalition, but the group has made it clear that it stands by Kyiv and has repeatedly called on Moscow to reduce tensions.

Following the US and western allegations, several countries have withdrawn a number of their employees from their embassies in Kyiv and NATO temporarily closed its office in the Ukrainian capital.

Amid speculation of possible provocations, Moscow has repeatedly rejected any allegations of its planned aggression and warned that arming Kyiv could encourage it to use force against the Russian-speaking area of Donbas.

As Ukraine equips itself with military troops and weapons, Russia has stated that it will defend the Russian ethnic people living in eastern Ukraine and has called on Luhansk people to enter the Russian territory as soon as possible to protect civilians from any threats.

Political observers believe that Washington is trying to put pressure on Russia as the superpower of the East and its fierce rival, by politically exploiting the Ukraine crisis.

Report by Mohadetheh Pakravan
MP