Weaponry Withdrawal May Begin in Areas Where Hostilities Suspended - DPR

Deputy commander of Donetsk People's Republic said that the withdrawal of weapons from the line of contact may begin in the areas, where hostilities are already suspended.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The withdrawal of weapons from the line of contact may begin in eastern Ukraine's areas, where hostilities are already suspended, a deputy commander of Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) militia Eduard Basurin said Monday.

“The Minsk agreements stipulated that there should be no shootings at all. However, this is difficult to implement along all the line of contact. So, I suspect that in some areas, where the hostilities are suspended – from there the pullback to the different sides will begin,” Basurin told Rossiya-24 TV channel.

Basurin once again confirmed the militias’ readiness to withdraw heavy artillery if the ceasefire is observed.

The ceasefire between Kiev forces and independence supporters in eastern Ukraine was agreed at the February 12 Normandy format talks in Minsk between the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany and Russia. Under the deal, the warring sides agreed to complete the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the line of contact within two weeks starting from February 17.

The military confrontation in eastern Ukraine started in April 2014, and claimed lives of over 5,600 people, according to the United Nations.