KIEV, October 12 (RIA Novosti) - Contact group on Ukraine comprising representatives from Russia, Ukraine, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics (LPR and DPR) are currently holding talks on ceasefire monitoring, the press service representative of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Vladimir Polevoy told the press Sunday.
“The OSCE monitoring mission and the joint contact group on ceasefire monitoring and establishing the demarcation lines are currently working in eastern Ukraine. At the moment, constant talks of the joint commission are taking place with participation of Russian and Ukrainian military. DPR and LPR representatives are also taking part in this work,” Polevoy said during press briefing.
On Saturday, DPR Prime Minister Alexander Zakharchenko confirmed the agreement was signed, specifying that border demarcation between the Ukrainian forces and eastern Ukraine independence supporters would pass along the line of contact of September 19.
The conflict in Ukraine started in April, when Kiev authorities launched a military operation against independence supporters in the southeastern regions of the country.
On September 5, a ceasefire agreement was signed between the two conflicting sides during the meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine in the Belarusian capital, Minsk.
On September 19, a memorandum was drawn up by the Contact Group, specifying the ceasefire. The memorandum stipulated the creation of a 30-kilometer (18-mile) buffer zone, withdrawal of all heavy weapons from residential areas and the deployment of an OSCE monitoring mission in southeastern Ukraine.
