Donetsk Forces Ready to Withdraw Artillery Wherever Kiev Observes Ceasefire

Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) militia is ready to start voluntary artillery withdrawal from the calm areas along the contact line, where Kiev forces adhere to the Minsk agreements, according to a deputy commander of DPR militia Eduard Basurin.

DONETSK, (Sputnik) — Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) militia is ready to withdraw artillery from the areas, where the ceasefire is observed by Kiev forces, a deputy commander of DPR militia Eduard Basurin said Tuesday.

"We are ready to start voluntary DPR artillery withdrawal from the calm areas along the contact line, where Kiev forces adhere to the Minsk agreements," Basurin told reporters.

Earlier in the day, a DPR leader's press secretary said that Kiev is still firing, so Donetsk has not pulled back its artillery.

The self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) began pulling back their heavy artillery Monday evening. The weapons will be returned to the frontline if Kiev restarts shelling, the LPR leader Igor Plotnitsky stressed.

Weaponry withdrawal at midnight on Tuesday was stipulated in the deal agreed on by the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany last week during negotiations in Minsk. Ukrainian Army has to withdraw weaponry from the existing line of contact, while the militias have to pull artillery back from the line agreed on last September. Ceasefire, constitutional changes in Ukraine and prisoner swaps are also included in the agreement.

Overall, the ceasefire is holding, in spite of particular violations, the conflicting sides said.