MINSK, September 20. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia’s ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Zurabov believes that the conflict in the country’s southeastern areas has begun to de-escalate.

“After the signing of the protocol in Minsk on September 5 there have been complaints about its ineffectiveness - some ceasefire violations were registered,” Zurabov said after a meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine. “Such incidents continued, although on a far smaller scale. All members of the Contact Group confirmed the correctness of the decision made earlier at the September 5 meeting in Minsk. The de-escalation of the conflict has begun and the scale of hostilities has reduced considerably, by 70% This measure has proved effective by and large.