The Ukrainian Armed Forces are ready to observe the ceasefire in Donbas from 00.00 on Saturday, December 23, but in the event of a threat to the life of the population or personnel military units are ready to use weapons, the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) headquarters has reported.

"The Ukrainian Armed Forces are ready to establish and observe the ceasefire regime from December 23, 2017," the Ukrainian side of the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) reported on the Facebook page of the press center of the ATO headquarters on Friday.

"At the same time, exclusively in the event of a threat to the life and health of the local population, the personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the ATO zone, provocative actions by illegal armed groups of ORLO and ORDO, and attempts to change the contact line, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are ready to use weapons at any moment," the report says.

As reported, at a meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk (Belarus) on December 20, 2017, it was decided to establish a comprehensive, stable and indefinite ceasefire from 00.00 on December 23, 2017 in connection with Christmas and New Year holidays.