Defense Minister: We can't speak of disengagement in Donbas until gunfire there stops

15:30, 10.10.2019 1 min read

Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Zahorodniuk has said that there will be no disengagement of forces on the contact line in eastern Ukraine until gunfire ceases in the region.

"We can't speak of any disengagement until it becomes quiet, until gunfire ceases there and until we see that the disengagement of forces is taking place on both sides because it must be a symmetrical measure. In this case, we can go ahead with this process," Zahorodniuk told reporters in Kyiv on Thursday.

Provocations are constantly taking place in the area of the possible disengagement of forces, he said.

"Provocations are being staged there all the time. We need to see [the other side's] willingness to disengage forces," Zahorodniuk said.

The disengagement of forces is currently possible only in two localities, he said.

"We're speaking only of two populated localities at the moment. They are two sites one kilometer wide. They are Zolote and Petrivske. A technical analysis is being conducted at other sites. We are studying them now," he said.