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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Ukraine's Luhansk republic militia report three ceasefire violations over 24 hours

The violations were registered between 6:00 a.m. on June 15 and 6:00 a.m. on June 17

© EPA/TASS/VAKHTANG BARKALYA

MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/. Ukrainian government forces have violated the current ceasefire in the country’s east three times over the last 24 hours, the militia of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic said on Wednesday.

"Three ceasefire violations were registered between 6:00 a.m. on June 15 and 6:00 a.m. on June 17," the LuganskInformCentre quoted a representative of the militia as saying.

Shelling was recorded near the settlements of Sokolniki, Zheltoye and Krasnyi Liman in the Slavyanoserbsky district, the representative said, adding that no casualties were reported.

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Officials in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk said on Tuesday that Kiev forces’ shelling hit Petrovsky and Kuybyshevsky districts there.

One person was wounded as a result, the city mayor’s office said, adding that shelling had destroyed a house in the Kuybyshevsky district. A powerful explosion had also occurred in the vicinity of a chemicals plant in the district on Tuesday, officials said.

Under terms of the peace deal agreed by leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France in the Belarusian capital Minsk on February 12, the ceasefire regime came into effect at midnight on February 15.

This was to be followed by withdrawal of heavy weapons from the line of military engagement by at least 15 kilometers (9 miles), prisoner release and agreement for international observers to monitor the truce.

Withdrawal was due to start no later than the second day after the truce came into effect, for completion within two weeks.

Buffer zones were to be established of at least 50 kilometers (30 miles) for artillery of 100mm calibre or more, 70 kilometers for multiple rocket launch systems and 140 kilometers for the heaviest rockets and missiles.

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