Ukraine calls for sanctions against Russia for 1,000 cease-fire violations

KIEV, Ukraine, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- Ukrainian parliamentary speaker Oleksandr Turchynov called on Friday for stronger sanctions against Russia in response to repeated cease-fire violations in eastern Ukraine and the continued Russian occupation of Crimea.

"The ceasefire has been violated on more than 1,000 occasions only since the beginning of September. Our military continue to die as a result of this shelling and provocations, and there are a lot of civilian casualties," Turchynov told a gathering of European heads of Parliament on Friday in Kiev.

"Therefore, for the international community the question is not about lifting sanctions from Russia, but about strengthening them until the complete removal of Russian troops and Russian mercenaries from the east of Ukraine and the liberation of the Moscow-seized Crimea."

Turchynov appealed to his counterparts for their countries' support in strengthening sanctions, telling them "peace and safety in Europe... can be ensured only with the help of unity and common efforts of European peoples of all civilized countries of the continent."

He also encouraged representatives from Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden to participate in the international observer mission monitoring Ukraine's Oct. 26 parliamentary elections, adding his hope that "new opportunities for cooperation with parliaments of your states will open."