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Monitoring group may be deployed in Shirokino - DPR defence ministry

On July 1 the DPR announced unilateral demilitarisation of Shirokino. As of Saturday, all the DPR self-defence forces left the village, which was confirmed at the OSCE

MOSCOW, July 4. /TASS/. Representatives of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination (JCCC) discussed on Saturday the deployment of a new special monitoring team in the village of Shirokino, the Defence Ministry of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) told the Donetsk news agency.

The consultations were held in Shirokino with participation of Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) in Ukraine Alexander Hug.

"The participants in the meeting discussed deployment of a monitoring team, embracing representatives from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, observers from the Russian Federation and DPR military units at the JCCC alongside OSCE SMM inspectors, on the neutral zone in this residential locality," the DPR defence ministry said.

OSCE notes shifts in Shirokino demilitarisation

A lull in fighting can be seen in the village of Shirokino but much more progress is needed in de-escalation of the area, Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) in Ukraine Alexander Hug told reporters in the city of Donetsk on Saturday.

Since the beginning of April, the sides in the conflict have failed to reach an agreement on the Shirokino demilitarisation and only at present the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) can notice certain shifts in Shirokino, Hug said.

Earlier on Saturday, representatives of the OSCE and the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination (JCCC) visited Shirokino and noted that it had never been so quiet there before, he said.

Hug was hopeful that the JCCC generals would achieve de-escalation in the village while the OSCE would keep monitoring the situation and helping the sides to resolve the conflict.

On July 1 the DPR announced unilateral demilitarisation of Shirokino. As of Saturday, all the DPR self-defence forces left the village, which was confirmed at the OSCE.