Militants of the self-proclaimed Lunansk People`s Republic (LPR) have again disrupted the disengagement of forces and military equipment near the village of Stanytsia Luhanska in occupied Donbas, eastern Ukraine, according to the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.
”Another attempt to count seven days when the fire is ceased to launch the disengagement of forces and equipment near Stanytsia Luhanska has again been disrupted by armed formations in separate areas of Luhansk region,” the ATO HQ said with reference to the Ukrainian members of the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) of the ceasefire in Donbas.
Late on Sunday, November 27, the JCCC`s Ukrainian members recorded new attacks by LPR militants in the area designated for the disengagement near Stanytsia Luhanska. The positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine there were shelled with the use of grenade launchers and small arms, the ATO HQ said.
The JCCC immediately informed the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine about the attacks.
According to the ATO HQ, the disengagement in the said area is being widely discussed by the public, it was on the agenda of recent peace talks in Minsk and Berlin.
However, despite the Ukrainian side`s readiness to complete the implementation of the Framework Decision taken by the Trilateral Contact Group on the disengagement of forces and military equipment in the area, the process has repeatedly been disrupted by ongoing attacks. As many as 59 militant attacks have been registered near Stanytsia Luhanska after the Framework Decision was signed on September 21, 2016.
After an attack on November 18, 2016, the Ukrainian side formally declared its readiness to carry out the disengagement on November 26, but Ukrainian positions were attacked on November 24 again. The November 27 attack has postponed the withdrawal of forces.
”The above said demonstrates that the leaders of the separate areas in Luhansk region continue ignoring the agreements and the Framework Decision made by the Trilateral Contact Croup and carry out explicit acts of provocation to disrupt the disengagement of forces and equipment near Stanytsia Luhanska,” the ATO HQ said.
As was informed, three areas in Donbas were designated for the disengagement of forces and military equipment pursuant to the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group. The forces were withdrawn from Zolote on October 1 and from Petrivske on October 7, the third area is Stanytsia Luhanska.
