DONETSK, September 7 (RIA Novosti) – Militia forces of the self-proclaimed Donetsk (DPR) and Luhansk (LPR) People’s Republics intend to "hold on tight” to the Minsk ceasefire agreement, despite provocations by the Ukrainian security officials, DPR Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Purgin said Sunday.
"Despite provocations by the Ukrainian security officials, militia of the people's republics will adhere to Minsk agreements. The militia does not use and has no plans to use weapons. Leadership and citizens of the republics believe that the goals of their struggle can be achieved through peaceful means, through negotiations," Purgin said.
During the meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine in Minsk on Friday, the representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) agreed to a ceasefire between Kiev and independence supporters that started at 15:00 GMT the same day. The sides also agreed to the international monitoring of the truce’s implementation, the “all to all” prisoners of war exchange and humanitarian aid access to the combat zone.
Ukraine has been engulfed in violent internal conflict since mid-April, when Kiev began its military operation against independence supporters in the southeastern regions of the country. According to United Nations’ estimates, over 2,500 people have been killed and more than 6,000 wounded since the start of the offensive.
