UKRAINE’S Opposition Platform — For Life (OPZZh) party has accused the United States of fuelling regional tensions by forcing Kiev to take out loans and buy weapons at massively inflated prices.

“Who profits from tensions? [We are sure] the situation is beneficial for the countries that are fuelling them. And I would like to stress that no-one is making presents to us,” it said today.

“They make us buy those weapons, hastily and at a triple price. No-one ever disclosed how much we pay for that. They are forcing us [to sign] contracts, and we are taking loans to finance them,” the pro-Russian party continued.