OSCE Hopes for Demilitarization of Shirokino in Eastern Ukraine

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission's chief urged the warring parties in Donbass to stop shelling "comprehensively and completely."

VIENNA (Sputnik) — Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) hopes that Shirokino village in the war-torn eastern Ukraine would be demilitarized, the mission's deputy chief monitor to Ukraine Alexander Hug said Saturday.

"OSCE’ Special Monitoring Mission showed its commitments to be present in that village [Shirokino]. We haven't been there for a long period. We have been back there since June 9. We have also managed to facilitate ceasefire that lasted over 60 hours in the village and demonstrated that the parties are actually able to halt fire," Hug told RIA Novosti.

He added that the sides should now express their willingness to stop shelling "comprehensively and completely."

Shirokino (Shyrokyne) is a village located in Ukraine's southeastern region of Donetsk. It was considered a neutral territory in the internal armed conflict which started in the area in April, 2014, before it was seized by Kiev forces at the beginning of February.

Last week, the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) of the OSCE observed the movement of heavy weapons in Donbass.

In mid-February, Kiev and the self-proclaimed republics of Lugansk and Donetsk signed a ceasefire agreement to bring an end to the armed conflict. However, both sides have since repeatedly accused each other of violating the deal.