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Luhansk republic envoy claims Kiev forces return withdrawn weaponry to contact line

Vladislav Deinego said that provocations by Ukrainian forces are mostly "connected with the actions of units not controlled by Kiev"

MOSCOW, November 6. /TASS/. Ukrainian Armed Forces have returned the weaponry withdrawn earlier to the contact line in Donbas, the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) envoy to the Contact Group Vladislav Deinego told Russian News Service on Friday.

"After withdrawing weaponry of less than 100mm caliber, Ukraine is returning the weaponry pulled out before to the contact line. Part of it was just hidden. We are registering movements of columns, including those with heavy weaponry, to the contact line. These columns do not cross the line for now but they are concentrated in close proximity to the security zone where they should not be stationed. We must understand that crossing the line is the issue of several meters," Deinego stressed.

He also said that shellings of DPR territory by Ukrainian forces have intensified. "In LPR we also have violations of ceasefire but systematically it happens near the Donetsk airport, Peski, Spartak and other settlements. Fire is opened mostly from small arms and grenade launchers, but heavy weaponry is also used sometimes though it should have been withdrawn back in winter," he explained.

Deinego said that provocations by Ukrainian forces are mostly "connected with the actions of units not controlled by Kiev." "However, this does not remove the responsibility from Ukraine," he added.

The supplement to the Package of measures on implementing the Minsk Agreements from 12 February 2015 was agreed upon on September 29 at the negotiations of the Contact Group in Minsk. The supplement envisages withdrawal of tanks, artillery weapons of less than 100mm caliber, and mortars of equal to or less than 120mm caliber to a distance of 15 kilometers from the contact line in Donbas.

The process of withdrawal that started on October 3 and is expected to be completed in 41 days is monitored by representatives of the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC). They send reports on the withdrawal progress to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission (SMM).

On Thursday, Ukrainian Armed Forces said they have launched the final stage of weaponry withdrawal - pulling out mortars of less than 120mm caliber. The self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics have also started withdrawing mortars.