DONETSK (Sputnik) — Authorities of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in eastern Ukraine are not planning to revise heavy weapons withdrawal schedule under Minsk peace accords despite ceasefire violations by Kiev-led forces, a senior DPR military commander said Thursday.
"Despite violations of the silence regime by the Ukrainian forces, the DPR authorities are not planning to revise ceasefire commitments and the heavy weaponry withdrawal schedule," Eduard Basurin, deputy commander of the DPR militia, told reporters at a news briefing in Donetsk.
26 February 2015, 15:00 GMT
Earlier on Thursday, Ukrainian military spokesman Anatoliy Stelmakh said that Kiev forces began the first stage of heavy weaponry withdrawal under the Minsk accord agreed on February 12. Previously, Kiev refused to begin a pullback citing unstable ceasefire regime between the warring sides.
On February 12, leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine hammered out a deal on Ukrainian reconciliation. The 13-point document outlines implementation of ceasefire between the sides on February 15 and withdrawal of heavy weaponry starting on the second day of silence regime.
