Putin says to help resolve Ukraine crisis soon

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that his country will spare no efforts to facilitate an earliest end of the conflict in southeastern Ukraine.

"A large-scale humanitarian catastrophe is running riot in the southeast (Ukraine) as thousands of people have died and hundreds of thousands become refugees," Putin told a meeting with Russian lawmakers in Crimea's resort city of Yalta.

"We are closely following what is happening ... and we will do everything possible so that the conflict ends as soon as possible," Interfax news agency quoted him as saying.

Putin urged the parliamentarians to strengthen unity within Russian society, saying the country should not shield itself from the outside world.

Meanwhile, heavy mortar fire was reported in the center of Donetsk, a stronghold of insurgents in eastern Ukraine. 
Xinhua - china.org.cn
14/8/14
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