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Ukraine conflict: Poroshenko boosts military spending | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Ukraine's president has announced that almost $3bn will be spent on re-equipping the army after an "exhausting" campaign against pro-Russian rebels. | |
Petro Poroshenko said that a "constant military threat will hang over Ukraine" for the foreseeable future. | |
He was speaking ahead of a large military parade in the capital Kiev. | |
Meanwhile, fighting continues in eastern Ukraine, where more than 2,000 people have died in recent months. | |
Mr Poroshenko said the investment would be spread out over two years, from 2015-2017. | |
"The events of the last months have for us turned into a real war, albeit an undeclared one," he said in a televised speech on Ukrainian independence day. | |
"Over the last six months, a new Ukrainian army has been born in heavy and exhausting fighting," he said. | |
The military parade featured hundreds of marching servicemen and military hardware. Critics said it was inappropriate when Ukraine was at war. | |
Continued fighting | |
Pro-Russian rebels in the eastern city of Donetsk - the scene of the heaviest fighting - say they will hold their own parade and display captured soldiers. | Pro-Russian rebels in the eastern city of Donetsk - the scene of the heaviest fighting - say they will hold their own parade and display captured soldiers. |
More than 330,000 people have fled their homes because of fighting in eastern Ukraine. | |
The bodies of six civilians, including a child, were seen by an AFP correspondent in Donetsk on Saturday. | |
Prayers and wreaths | |
On Saturday Kiev marked the Day of the National Flag. Sunday's independence events include a parade involving military hardware and several hundred service personnel. | On Saturday Kiev marked the Day of the National Flag. Sunday's independence events include a parade involving military hardware and several hundred service personnel. |
A naval parade is also being held in the port of Odessa. | |
These are the first military parades since 2009, when the previous pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych, abolished them. | These are the first military parades since 2009, when the previous pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych, abolished them. |
Prayers were said and wreaths laid for those who fought on the Ukrainian government side, including those killed during protests against Mr Yanukovych in Kiev last winter. | |
Meanwhile, security officials quoted by Ukrainian media said that five people accused of planning attacks on bases for pro-government volunteers in the Kiev area, timed to coincide with the celebrations, had been arrested. | |
The events come a day after German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged both sides in the conflict to strive for a new ceasefire. | The events come a day after German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged both sides in the conflict to strive for a new ceasefire. |
She cautioned that Russia - already subjected to heavy EU and US sanctions over its alleged interference in Ukraine - could face further punitive measures. | |
Her visit to Kiev took place as lorries from an unauthorised Russian aid convoy which had crossed into eastern Ukraine returned to Russia. | Her visit to Kiev took place as lorries from an unauthorised Russian aid convoy which had crossed into eastern Ukraine returned to Russia. |
Western officials fear the trucks may have held military equipment to help the rebels, but Russia said they had delivered generators, food and drink. | Western officials fear the trucks may have held military equipment to help the rebels, but Russia said they had delivered generators, food and drink. |
The violence in the east erupted when pro-Russian separatists in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions declared independence from Kiev, after Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in March. | The violence in the east erupted when pro-Russian separatists in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions declared independence from Kiev, after Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in March. |
Key negotiations between President Poroshenko, Russian President Vladimir Putin and EU officials are due to take place in Minsk on Tuesday. | Key negotiations between President Poroshenko, Russian President Vladimir Putin and EU officials are due to take place in Minsk on Tuesday. |
Are you in Ukraine? Have you been affected by the unrest? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in Ukraine? Have you been affected by the unrest? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |