Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said government forces would renew offensive operations against pro-Russian rebels and "free our lands" on Monday, hours after a ceasefire to make way for peace talks with the rebels had expired, according to The Associated Press.
Shortly after a four-way phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and German and French leaders, Poroshenko blamed the rebels for failing to keep to the truce or follow a peace plan he had outlined, the AP reported.
"We will attack and free our lands. The decision not to continue the ceasefire is our answer to terrorists, militants and marauders," Poroshenko said in a televised statement delivered in front of the blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flag, according to the AP.
The idea behind the truce announced June 20 was to give pro-Russian rebels a chance to disarm and to start a broader peace process including an amnesty and new elections, the AP reported. Poroshenko, a wealthy candy magnate elected May 25, had already extended the cease-fire from seven days.
The rebels did not disarm, and the cease-fire was continually violated, with both sides blaming each other, according to the AP. Rebels called the cease-fire fake and did not yield to Poroshenko's latest push to get them to turn over key border crossings with Russia and permit international monitoring.
"The unique chance to implement the peace plan was not realised. It happened because of the criminal actions of the militants. They publicly declared their unwillingness to support the peace plan as a whole, and in particular the ceasefire," Poroshenko added.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said on Monday 27 Ukrainian servicemen had been killed since the ceasefire began on June 20. The truce ended at 10 p.m., according to the AP.
Ahead of his announcement, Poroshenko had met with security chiefs, some of whom had called against a ceasefire extension because of military losses and fears that the rebels were using it as an opportunity to regroup and rearm, the AP reported.
