MOSCOW, June 9. /TASS/. Ukraine, without explaining the reasons, refused to hold an extraordinary meeting of the Contact Group, which was initiated by the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics (DPR and LPR) in connection with renewed mass shellings by Ukraine’s Armed Forces, head of the DPR delegation at the peace talks Denis Pushilin said Thursday.
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"Even the time was appointed initially, but then, due to the Ukrainian side, unfortunately, the meeting was canceled. The reason why the Ukrainian side is refusing to do so is not named," the LuganskInformCenter news agency quoted Pushilin as saying.
He said that each side has the right to convene an extraordinary video conference or face-to-face contact of the Contact Group, and Ukraine has sabotaged such meetings more than once.
"Naturally, we have written a follow-up letter to gather at any convenient time - in the day or at night. But it should be done as soon as possible, before a face-to-face contact take place June 15, because the shelling inflicted serious damage, and caused casualties and deaths," Pushilin said.
The DPR delegation chief said that last night the Armed Forces of Ukraine (VSU) opened fire on Donetsk, Makeyevka, Yasinovataya and other inhabited localities from heavy guns. As a result of the shelling, one civilian was killed, another 15 wounded, including a three-year-old child.
In connection with that, DPR and LPR representatives at talks of the Contact Group Pushilin and Vladislav Deinego initiated an extraordinary meeting of the Contact Group on settlement of the situation in eastern Ukraine in the regime of a video conference.