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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Donetsk Republic head signs decree to establish DPR Security Council

DONETSK, November 12. /TASS/. Head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Alexander Zakharchenko on Wednesday signed a decree to establish the DPR Security Council, the DPR press center reported.

The Council was established “to draft decisions of the DPR head on issues of DPR development strategy; to protect the vital interests of individuals, society and the state from internal and external threats; to conduct a unified state policy to ensure national security.”

Alexander Khodakovsky was appointed the DPR Security Council’s secretary.

Fierce clashes between troops loyal to Kiev and local militias in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions during Kiev’s military operation, conducted since mid-April, to regain control over the breakaway southeastern territories, which call themselves the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s republics, have killed over 4,000 people.

The parties to the Ukrainian conflict agreed on a ceasefire at talks mediated by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on September 5 in Belarusian capital Minsk. The ceasefire took effect the same day but has reportedly occasionally been violated.

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Eastern Ukraine

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