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Ban on firing exercise near Donbass contact line comes into force

Russia’s envoy to the Contact Group Boris Gryzlov said firing exercise is banned within 15-kilometer zone on both sides of the contact line with the total width of 30 kilometers

KIEV, March 4. /TASS/. An agreement on banning firing exercise within 30 kilometers from the contact line in eastern Ukraine takes effect at midnight Kiev time on Friday.

The document was agreed by sides at the meeting of trilateral Contact Group on settling the Ukrainian crisis in the Belarusian capital Minsk on Wednesday.

Special representative of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Martin Sajdik said the agreement refers to all kinds of weapons of any caliber.

Sajdik also expressed hope that the move will help to ease tensions on the contact line.

Russia’s envoy to the Contact Group Boris Gryzlov said firing exercise is banned within 15-kilometer zone on both sides of the contact line with the total width of 30 kilometers.

Gryzlov stressed that participants of the Minsk talks made "another step towards strengthening security regime in line with measures on implementing the Minsk agreements." "Despite contradictions the sides found common ground."

Over the past 18 months, the Contact Group has declared the ceasefire in the conflict zone in Donbass several times. Despite the agreement on ceasefire confirmed by the Minsk agreements, the OSCE monitors register sporadic shootouts.