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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Weapons under 100mm calibre pulled back from three settlements in eastern Ukraine

According to the DPR's Defense Ministry, this is a unilateral initiative of east Ukraine's two self-proclaimed republics to secure peace in the war-torn Donbas region as soon as possible

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© TASS/Mikhail Sokolov

© TASS/Mikhail Sokolov

© TASS/Mikhail Sokolov

© TASS/Mikhail Sokolov

© TASS/Mikhail Sokolov

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Germany welcomes DPR, LPR decision to withdraw weapons, though without OSCE confirmation

MOSCOW, July 20. /TASS/. Weapons of calibre less than 100mm will be pulled back on Monday from three settlements of the Donetsk People’s Republic. This is a unilateral initiative of east Ukraine's two self-proclaimed republics to secure peace in the war-torn Donbas region as soon as possible, the republic’s Defense Ministry reported.

"Today we are planning to withdraw hardware from Zaitsevo and Nikitovka as well as from Styla," Donetsk News Agency quoted a ministry official as saying.

On Saturday, the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk announced withdrawal of tanks and armoured vehicles equipped with weapons under 100mm calibre to a distance of at least three kilometers from the line of engagement.

On Sunday, 41 tanks and 84 infantry combat vehicles were pulled back to this distance. Military hardware of the Luhansk People’s Republic remains only in positions north of Donetsk and Debaltseve, sections of the line of engagement where the situation remains tense.

Possible withdrawal of such weapons had been discussed at Minsk talks on a settlement in Donbas but no agreement on the matter was reached with Kiev. The two republics have decided on unilateral withdrawal in the interests of a speedy peace settlement.

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Eastern Ukraine

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