DPR Urges Kiev to Ensure Transparent Implementation of Weapons Pullout

DONETSK (Sputnik) — Authorities of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday called on Kiev to ensure transparent implementation of weapons withdrawal under the Minsk accords without any preconditions.

"We urge Ukraine to follow our example and carry out its commitments on the pullout of heavy artillery [from the line of contact] without any excuses or new demands, in a manner that is transparent for global community," deputy commander of the DPR militia, Eduard Basurin, said at a news briefing in Donetsk.

Earlier on Wednesday, an OSCE Monitoring Mission spokesman said the organization's Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine is unable to verify information that both opposing sides are withdrawing heavy artillery from the frontlines.

Ukrainian military stated the same day they have begun the second stage of withdrawing heavy artillery from the frontlines in the country’s east, with the first stage announced about a week ago.

The country's self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk said they had completed the withdrawal from the line of contact on Sunday.

Kiev and the militia agreed on a new and urgent peace deal in mid-February after numerous violations of a previous ceasefire deal, signed last September, vowing once again to withdraw heavy weaponry.