Russia Slams Ukraine Call for UN Troops, Says Violates Deal

Russia rejected a proposal by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko  Thursday for the deployment of United Nations peacekeepers to help uphold a recent peace agreement in eastern Ukraine.

"I think it is a bit worrying because the Minsk accords were only signed on February 12 and these (agreements) contemplate a role for the Organisation for Co-operation and Security in Europe (OCSE), not for the U.N. or the EU," Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said.

The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France announced an agreement for a cease-fire last week. Under the terms of the agreement, the facilitation of reconciliation efforts process must be carried out by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

The Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council's secretary Oleksandr Turchynov had stated that Ukraine would discuss with the U.N. and the EU on the deployment of peacekeepers in the country.

The U.N. Security Council approved a measure Tuesday supporting the most recent Minsk agreements, calling on all parties for full implementation, including a comprehensive cease-fire in Ukraine.

The stipulations of the peace accord call for a withdrawal of heavy weapons within two weeks and the creation of a 50-70 kilometer-wide demilitarized zone in eastern Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France re-affirmed their support for the work of the OSCE mission in Ukraine, according to a Kremlin statement.

"The four leaders stressed the need to ensure the sustainability of the cease-fire, the implementation of practical steps to withdraw heavy weapons by the opposing sides as well as the speedy release of prisoners," the Kremlin said.

Meanwhile, intensive fighting continues with the Ukraine government saying Thursday that 13 of its troops were killed during Wednesday's withdrawal from Debaltseve in the eastern part of the country, with 82 others missing and 93 taken prisoner by pro-Russia separatist rebels seeking greater autonomy.

Since the fighting began in mid-April 2014, 5,665 people have been killed and 13,961 wounded as a result of the conflict.