A Catholic bishop from eastern Ukraine said tensions remain high despite an announced withdrawal of Russian forces.
“Nothing has changed — the great bulk of Russian forces are still here, as fighting flares intermittently and people still die,” said Bishop Stanislav Szyrokoradiuk of Odessa-Simferopol.
“The east and south of Ukraine are areas of greatest Russification in Ukraine and have always been the main object of Russian interest. So the situation remains insecure — no one knows what will happen.”
Diplomatic efforts to persuade Russia to scale back its buildup on Ukraine’s eastern border continue. Current estimates indicate Russia has more than 100,000 military personnel at the border.