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Contact Group blasts Kiev’s failure to disengage forces in Petrovskoye, Zolotoye

The security subgroup discussed ceasefire violations and practical issues linked to granting a special status to Donbass and confirming it in Ukraine’s Constitution

© Alexander Reka/TASS

DONETSK, October 15. /TASS/. Participants of the Contact Group’s security subgroup for settling the crisis in eastern Ukraine discussed Kiev’s failure to fulfill earlier reached agreements on disengaging forces near Zolotoye and Petrovskoye in Donbass, the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

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Kiev derailed October 9 disengagement of forces on trumped-up pretext — Kremlin aide

"The security subgroup’s work was fully devoted to discussing Ukraine’s failure to meet its commitments on remedying violations at Petrovskoye-Bogdanovka and Zolotoye," said a statement published on the Foreign Ministry’s Telegram channel.

Participants of the security subgroup also discussed ceasefire violations. The political subgroup’s meeting focused on practical issues linked to granting a special status to Donbass and confirming it in Ukraine’s Constitution.

According to the DPR’s Foreign Ministry, Donbass and Kiev have absolutely different approaches to solving the accrued problems as part of the economic subgroup, thus preventing any significant progress. As of today, the Ukrainian side has neither outlined its stance on mechanisms for paying pensions nor on paying off the debt to the employees of railway companies and Vody Donbassa, a water supply facility.

Besides, Kiev’s negotiators stick to their "destructive line" in the humanitarian subgroup. Ukraine has also failed to solve formal issues related to arranging a new prisoner swap. The Donbass republics have again condemned unilateral steps on verifying detainees.

The Contact Group for settling the crisis in eastern Ukraine is currently holding a meeting in the Belarusian capital of Minsk.

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