Ukraine-Russia Crisis: Blasts, Shelling Reported In Ukraine’s East, Putin Extends Help To Pro-Russian Separatists

Two blasts rocked Ukraine’s eastern regions in Luhansk province, fuelling fears that despite signs of a Russian drawdown the risk of a full-scale invasion still remains.

Part of a gas pipeline near Luhansk, which is now ruled by pro-Russian separatists, caught fire late on Friday following a blast. Russian news agencies TASS and Interfax reported that the explosion was strong but there were no casualties. It also reported that there was another blast 40 minutes later after the previous blast.

Earlier in the day, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) expressed concern citing the ceasefire violations in the eastern region of Ukraine.

The Russian news agency TASS further reported that two pro-Moscow separatist regions in eastern Ukraine were evacuating its citizens to Russia fearing more military action.

The two separatist regions – Donetsk and Luhansk – have set up their own governments – Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic – and are heavily-backed by Russia. Russian president Vladimir Putin announced that every refugee entering Moscow from Donbas and Luhansk regions will be paid  10,000 rubles or $130.