Kiev forces, Luhansk separatists agree to ceasefire

Kiev, Dec 2 (IANS/EFE) The Ukrainian military and the leaders of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) have agreed to a total ceasefire starting Friday, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) announced Tuesday.

The armistice will come into effect along the line separating the positions of the government forces and the pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

"All agreed in principle to a total ceasefire along the entire line of contact between the Ukrainian Armed Forces and those under the control of the LPR to be effective Dec 5," the OSCE said in its official website.

The two sides have also agreed to begin withdrawing their heavy weapons Saturday.

Meanwhile, the pro-Russian separatists in the neighbouring eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk are scheduled to meet Tuesday with Ukrainian military representatives to try for a similar agreement, Ukraine's military press centre said.

Published in its online edition, the Ukrainskaya Pravda newspaper said that special attention will be given to Donetsk International Airport where government forces have been holding out for months against repeated rebel attacks.

Despite the ceasefire agreements between the government and separatists signed in September, the fighting has continued with civilian and combatant deaths reported daily.

Fighting also continues in the suburbs of Donetsk, a city that had a population of around one million before the outbreak of the conflict.

At least 4,317 people have died and 9,921 others have been wounded in the fighting, according to the latest report by the UN human rights mission in Ukraine.

--IANS/EFE

ab/bg