Rebel leader warns of new offensive against Ukrainian forces

Alexandr Zakharchenko, leader of independence-seeking insurgents in eastern Ukraine, on Friday said that the rebel forces are going to step up their offensive on Ukrainian positions to capture more government-controlled territories.

"We would advance the offensive through to the borders of Donetsk region, but if I see a threat anywhere else, it would be eliminated," Zakharchenko was quoted by local media as saying during his meeting with students in Donetsk.

The insurgent offensive is now underway near the towns of Majorsk, Avdeevka and Ocheretyno in Donetsk region and near several urban communities in the neighboring Lugansk region, Zakharchenko said.

In addition, the rebel leader said that insurgents are not going to initiate new peace talks with Kiev.

"For our part, there will be no more attempts to talk about the ceasefire," Zakharchenko said.

Over a dozen of cities and towns in Donetsk region and the same number in Lugansk region are now under the full control of insurgents, who have proclaimed "independence" from Kiev in April.

The latest round of peace talks on the eastern Ukraine conflict was held on Wednesday in Berlin between Ukrainian, Russian, German and French foreign ministers, who urged all sides involved in the confrontation to cease hostilities. Endi