Pro-Russian separatists withdraw heavy weapons from frontlines

Donetsk (Ukraine), Feb 25 (IANS/EFE) Pro-Russian separatist forces in eastern Ukraine announced Wednesday that the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the frontlines of the conflict zone is underway.

The move goes ahead despite the fact that the Ukrainian side has not yet begun to implement the same measure, which was stipulated in the latest rounds of the Minsk agreements signed by both parties.

The deputy defence minister and defence spokesman of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, Eduard Basurin, told the media that Kiev said it would not withdraw its heavy weapons until the end to all hostilities had been reached.

Earlier Wednesday, a rebel command spokesman announced that the separatist forces had started to withdraw self-propelled artillery from four sectors located on the perimeters of the cities of Kumachovo, Snezhnoye, Shajtiorsk and Novoazovsk, in eastern Ukraine.

On the other hand, Kiev dismissed the credibility of the separatists' heavy-artillery withdrawal, describing the move as a regrouping of rebel militias.

This major operation by pro-Russian separatists concerning the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the frontlines comes in accordance with article 2 of the Minsk II protocol signed in early February.

--IANS/EFE

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