Emergency announcement of the Head of the DPR in regard to the withdrawal of heavy armaments

Head of the DPR Aleksandr Zakharchenko made an emergency announcement in Donetsk on February 26 in regard to the withdrawal of heavy armaments from the line of contact. He recited to the journalists the text of the document submitted to the Head of the OSCE mission in the DPR. “In pursuance of the Declaration of 12.02.2015 and the “Package of measures concerning implementation of the Minsk Agreement” the Donetsk People’s Republic has withdrawn heavy armament to the agreed upon and registered by the given document distance”,  the document claims. Aleksandr Zakharchenko remarked that the DPR has withdrawn 90% of artillery, mortar-guns and heavy equipment. “The Ukrainian side evades the commitments formalized by part 2 of the “Package of measures concerning implementation of the Minsk Agreement” and has not started the withdrawal of heavy armaments agreed upon by the sides. The Donetsk People’s Republic offers to Ukrainian side an opportunity to start the withdrawal of heavy armaments envisaged by the “Package of measures concerning implementation of the Minsk Agreement” before 6 PM Kiev time and 7 PM of DPR time on 27.02.2015. In case of violation by the Ukrainian side of the Declaration of 12.02.2015 and the “Package of measures concerning implementation of the Minsk Agreement”  the Donetsk People’s Republic is forced to reserve the right to return the heavy armaments to the places of previous dislocation as of 12.02.2015”, the document says. “ The Donetsk People’s Republic lays all the responsibility for the wrecking of the plan of peaceful settlement of the conflict envisaged the Declaration of 12.02.2015 and the “Package of measures concerning implementation of the Minsk Agreement”  on the Ukrainian side”, says the document. Aleksandr Zakharchenko also informed the audience about the incessant attacks of Ukrainian forces at the Donetsk airport, Kirovskiy district of Donetsk, Gorlovka, Dokuchayevsk and Yelenovka. “If shelling and attacks do not stop, we reserve the right to consider the Minsk Agreement wrecked by the Ukrainian side. Military equipment will be returned   to their previous positions. All attempts to attack our settlements will be checked in the bud”, he stressed. According to the Head of the DPR, the leadership of the LPR will make the similar announcement.