Compliance with measures to strengthen ceasefire in Donbas allows to reduce number of shelling by 75% – Ukrainian delegation to TCG

KYIV. Jan 27 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Compliance by the sides to the conflict in Donbas with measures to strengthen the ceasefire has reduced the number of shelling recorded by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission by 75%, the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) reported following the results of the first meeting 2022.

“Following the work of the working group on security and the TCG, Ambassador [OSCE, Mikko] Kinnunen noted the positive result achieved as a result of the confirmation by the participants of the consultations on December 22, 2021 of the determination to comply with the measures to strengthen the ceasefire regime of July 22, 2020. Due to this, the total number of shelling, recorded by the OSCE SMM, decreased by almost 75%,” the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG said in a statement.

However, a complete cessation of ceasefire violations has reportedly not been achieved, leading to losses in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the destruction of civilian infrastructure.

In this regard, consultations were continued on the development of addenda to strengthen the measures of the ceasefire to the agreements on July 22, 2020. Attention was also paid to the need for practical implementation of the results of the Paris Summit in 2019 in terms of mine action.

As part of the work of the subgroup on humanitarian issues, Ukraine proposed four stages of the procedure for searching for missing persons, both in the controlled and in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian side also proposed the opening of the Schastia entry-exit checkpoint, however, such a proposal was not supported by the ORDLO with reference to the need for the simultaneous opening of the Schastia and Zolote entry-exit checkpoints.

As part of the work of the subgroup on socio-economic issues, the participants discussed additional payment options for people with limited mobility and a number of environmental issues such as water pollution, an additional visit of IAEA inspectors to ORDLO and the intensification of the work of a group of experts on mine flooding. The participants also discussed the possibility of processing blocks of issues for the restoration of socio-economic ties after the provision of a sustainable comprehensive ceasefire.

In addition, as reported, during the meeting of the TCG, representative of Russia Boris Gryzlov, answering questions from the Ukrainian side and commenting on the draft appeal of the Communist Party deputies to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the recognition of the self-proclaimed republics, noted that “this is only an appeal of 11 deputies, not even a faction, and the Russian Federation emphasizes its commitment to the Minsk Agreements as a whole.”