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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Self-proclaimed republics don't recognize amendments to law on Donbas special status — DPR

DPR envoy to the Contact Group Denis Pushilin says the amendments are legally meaningless and politically void

© ITAR-TASS/Zurab Dzhavakhadze

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Donbas needs new law on special status — Luhansk republic envoy

MOSCOW, March 17. /TASS/. The self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) do not recognize amendments to the law on Donbas special status that have not been coordinated with them, DPR envoy to the Contact Group Denis Pushilin said on Tuesday.

"Uncoordinated amendments to the law made by [Ukrainian President Petro] Poroshenko are not recognized by the republics [DPR and LPR]," the Donetsk News Agency quoted Pushilin as saying.

"From our point of view, they [amendments] are legally meaningless and politically void," the envoy stressed. "And they directly violate the spirit and word of the Minsk agreements. The Minsk process is practically interrupted as its basis - the law on special status - is in fact cancelled by Poroshenko’s amendments. He [Poroshenko] does not respect the people of Donbas, he does not want peace," Pushilin said.

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UN: humanitarian situation in Donbas aggravated by Kiev’s restrictions

Self-proclaimed republics urge draft law approval

DPR and LPR authorities called on March 16 on Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada to approve the draft law on areas with special status in Donbas, DPR and LPR envoys in the Contact Group on Ukrainian peaceful settlement Denis Pushilin and Vladislav Deinego said.

"We express hope that the draft law will be approved by Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada as soon as possible," the Donetsk News Agency cited Pushilin and Deinego as saying. "’The party of war’ should not be able to use the adoption of the law for revising the ‘Law on Special Status’ and making amendments [to the law] that have not been coordinated with Donbass representatives," the envoys added.

"We stress that adopting the draft law without distorting the meaning of the Minsk package of measures will facilitate the process of peaceful settlement and create preconditions for mutual trust," Pushilin and Deinego said.

Law on Donbas special status

According to Article 4 of the package of measures on the implementation of the Minsk agreements, a law on areas in Donbass with special political and economic status must be adopted by the Verkovna Rada by March 14. However, the law has still not been adopted.

Heads of DPR and LPR Alexander Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitsky called on German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Fracois Hollande to exert pressure on the Ukrainian leadership so that Kiev complies with the Minsk agreements.

Overnight to Monday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko submitted a law on Donbas special status to the Verkhovna Rada. According to the document, the special status in Donbas will be implemented only after local elections. According to the official website of the Ukrainian parliament, Rada’s next plenary session will take place on March 17.

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Eastern Ukraine

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Two pilots of jet that crashed in southern Russia hospitalized

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

G7 leaders to decide on Russian assets use — Italian Deputy PM

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Water in Kurgan above dam, breaking records

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Over 40 nations want to join BRICS — Russian lawmaker

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Russian investigators start inquiry into financing of terrorism by US, NATO officials

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Press review: Ukraine, Israel vie for EU’s attention and Georgia passes controversial bill

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Nearly half of those present in UN Security Council hall walk out before Israel’s address

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Russian forces destroy Ukrainian command post, two S-300 missile launchers over day

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Russia handed over draft agreement to Ukraine on April 15, still no response — diplomat

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US blocks Security Council resolution granting full UN membership to Palestine

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Russia not to go for settlement on Ukraine based on 'Zelensky formula' — Lavrov

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US assured Israel that Iranian drones will be intercepted — US journalist Hersh

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Kiev lacks both troops and equipment near Chasov Yar in DPR, says retired general

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Armenia’s relations with Russia not at their highest — top diplomat

Ararat Mirzoyan also said that Yerevan is currently making efforts to expand cooperation with the European Union and the United States

Russia's revenues from oil exports remain high despite price ceiling — IMF

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Ukraine’s military loses positions near Avdeyevka, says DPR

Igor Kimakovsky said that Ukrainian forces suffered heavy casualties among personnel and military hardware, including Western equipment

Iran may target Israeli nuclear center in Dimona in case of Israel’s attack — TV

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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