Translated by Ollie Richardson

23:15:47
22/09/2016

Vz.ru

Ukrainian media has reported about the refusal of UAF commanders to fulfil the Minsk Agreements on the withdrawal of forces from the contact line.

As was noted in the programme of one of the Ukrainian TV channels, the withdrawal procedure is as follows: both parties should withdraw forces over one mirrored kilometre from the positions currently occupied. Thus, a neutral zone is formed of two kilometers in length and width.

However, due to the fact that the front line is non-uniform, allegedly not everywhere will be able to observe the negotiated format for the disengagement of forces.

“The company commander said: I can’t move back a kilometer, because I go to the valley, and they will move up – then we lose. It is necessary to look for other options,” said the Ukrainian negotiator Evgeny Marchuk, reports UNIAN.

The framework decision of the Contact Group on Ukraine about the disengagement of forces in Donbass was signed in Minsk on Wednesday. Also the proposal of the OSCE was agreed to on the three areas of withdrawal of forces and means, which was made by the (representative of the OSCE) Ambassador (Ertuğrul) Apakan at a meeting on 7th September, and then agreed by the representatives of People’s Republics

On Wednesday, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that the ceasefire in Donbass will take effect in the night from 14th to 15th September for a week. Since then, however, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have not stopped their attacks.

The latest ceasefire came into force at midnight on 1st September, Kiev time (same as GMT). The parties agreed to it at the meeting of the Contact Group in Minsk on August 26th. The ceasefire was timed with the beginning of the school year.

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