Ukrainian JCCC accuses enemy in Donbas of failure to implement forces disengagement agreement
The Ukrainian Armed Forces are ready to implement the framework agreement of the Trilateral Contact Group on disengagement of forces and equipment in Donbas; however, the heads of certain areas of the Luhansk region are disrupting it, as is evident from shelling of the positions of the Ukrainian troops with BM21 Grad multiple rocket launcher systems among other weapons near the populated locality of Krymske, the Ukrainian mission to the Joint Center for Coordination and Control (JCCC) said.
"Shelling of the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which took place in the early hours of November 1, made it impossible to take measures towards disengagement of forces in the area of Stanytsia Luhanska, which was scheduled for November 2. Repeated shelling of our positions in Stanytsia Luhanska in the evening of November 2 confirmed once again reluctance of the heads of certain areas of the Luhansk region to fulfill the assumed obligations. The armed groups shelled our positions with 82mm mortars (prohibited by the Minsk Agreements), AGS17 mortar launchers, PRG anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launchers, weapons of infantry fighting vehicles and small arms for approximately four hours," head of the Ukrainian mission to the JCCC Gen. Maj. Borys Kremenetsky said in a statement posted on the Facebook page of JCCC spokesman Taras Hren.
Kremenetsky said that further evidence of the failure of agreements is the fact of shelling of the Ukrainian troops' positions with BM21 Grad multiple rocket launcher systems near the populated locality of Krymske. A total of 30 rockets were fired from the vicinity of the populated locality of Smile.
He said that a working group of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's mission was informed about all cases of ceasefire violations.
Head of the Ukrainian mission to the JCCC said that in accordance with the framework decision of the Contact Group disengagement of forces is only possible after seven days of observance of ceasefire and the Ukrainian military is fulfilling the assumed obligations.
