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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Decision to demilitarize Ukraine's Shirokino, pull back medium weapons agreed — diplomat

Russia’s OSCE envoy Andrey Kelin expects that the plans will be finalized by the end of the month

© EPA/ANASTASIA VLASOVA

VIENNA, May 7. /TASS/. A decision has been made in principle to demilitarize the village of Shirokino and to pull back medium weapons having calibres under 100 mm has been agreed at the Contract Group level, Russia’s OSCE envoy Andrey Kelin told the media on Thursday.

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"The fundamental agreement does exist. Now the details are to be looked into," Kelin said.

He remarked that these tasks were identified as key ones for the military affairs subgroup within the Contract Group. The diplomat expects that the plans will be finalized by the end of the month.

"The military sub-group will be responsible for ceasefire, pullback of weapons, and inspections of the sites from where military hardware has been withdrawn," he said. "The ultimate goal is to achieve, at last, normalization around Shirokino and to prepare material for concluding an agreement on the pullout of weapons having calibres of 100 mm and less."

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OSCE Eastern Ukraine

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