September 18, 2014
On September 5, 2014 the Trilateral Contact Group of representatives of Ukraine, Russia and OSCE as well as representatives of Russia-backed militants from Donetsk and Luhansk signed a Protocol on joint steps aimed at implementation of the Peace Plan of President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.
At 6 pm on the same day, President of Ukraine ordered Ukrainian military to cease fire as was foreseen in the Protocol.
As of today, Ukraine implemented all provisions of the protocol, including the abiding the cease-fire and adoption of necessary laws in the Parliament. OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter commended Ukraine for the progress made in the implementation of the Minsk Protocol signed on 5 September.
Russia continues neglecting implementation of the protocol provisions.
I. The immediate bilateral ceasefire.
- Ukraine: Since the truce began Ukrainian forces have terminated full-scale military actions and have assiduously abided the ceasefire regime.
- Russia: Terrorists did not stop attacking our position for a single day. As of today, positions of the Ukrainian military have been shelled over 390times since the truce began. As a result 10 Ukrainian military have been killed and over 118 wounded.
II. OSCE monitoring and verification of the ceasefire.
- The OSCE has registered numerous cases of the cease-fire violation by the terrorists. Also the OSCE vehicle has been attacked.
III. Decentralization, including by the adoption of the Law “On temporary order of local self-government in separate districts of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.”
- Despite of ambiguous perception of the mentioned law in the Ukrainian society and opposition of certain political forces, the law on “special status” was adopted on September 16.
- Terrorists intensified their efforts to promote statehood of the self-proclaimed entities in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Immediately after the Trilateral Contact Group’s meeting in Minsk they declared that they intended to claim independence and separate from Ukraine. Moreover, they continued endeavors to develop state institutes, in particular, border guard units.
IV. Constant monitoring of the Ukrainian-Russian state border and the verification of the OSCE along with creation of security zone in the Ukraine and Russia state areas.
- Ukraine does its utmost to help implement the OSCE border monitoring. In the meantime, we facilitate technical procedures that enable using of unarmed aerial vehicles by the OSCE.
- Russia continues to supply manpower and military equipment to the terrorists through a number of border crossings that are currently out of control of the Ukrainian forces.
V. Immediate release of all hostages and illegally held persons.
- Russia has indeed released some illegally held Ukrainian military. However, terrorists still hold more than 800 Ukrainian servicemen and civilians hostages (потребує уточнення). Besides, we see no evidences that Russia is going to release Ukrainian illegally held political prisoners such as Nadia Savchenko and Oleg Sentsov.
VI. Adoption of the Law “On the prevention of persecution and punishment of persons in connection with the events that took place in separate districts of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine”.
- Ukrainian Parliament adopted this Law on September, 16.
VII. Further promotion of the inclusive national dialogue.
- Ukraine is consistently working on promoting inclusive national dialogue including through decision on early parliamentary elections. These elections will enable Donbass people become active actors of the political processes and democratic reforms in Ukraine through the representation in the National Parliament.
VIII. Improvement of humanitarian conditions in Donbas.
- Terrorists still hinder delivery of humanitarian aid to affected areas and residents. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission reported that an ICRC humanitarian convoy consisting of 10 trucks could not bring aid to Luhansk on September 6 as the bridge at the city’s outskirts was mined by terrorists.
IX. Early local elections according to the Law “on temporary order of local self-government in separate districts of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.”
- According to the new Law, the local elections in some districts of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions will take place on December 7.
X. Retreat unlawful armed groups, military equipment as well as militants and mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine.
- Russian regular troops and terrorists use a ceasefire respite to get reinforcements, reshuffle, take more advantageous positions and fortify them. They concentrate personnel and military equipment with an eye to take control of the towns of Mariupol and Debaltseve in the Donetsk region. Every day we register over a hundred of Russian armored personnel carriers, tens of tanks, Grad and Uragan multiple rocket launchers illegal entry in Ukraine.
XI. Adoption of the program of economic recovery for Donbas.
- Economic recovery of Donbas is a key precondition for normalization of the situation in Donbas. Ukrainian government is working on estimation of the total amount of economic and infrastructural damage in Donbas. However, this task is hampered by inability of access to the destroyed territories. In addition, this autumn we will hold the international donor conference on Donbas recovery.
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XII. Security guarantees to the members of consultations.
- It is obvious that Russia remains reluctant to enter the realm of international law and find a modality of peaceful coexistence with Ukraine.
In particular, we expect:
- withdrawn all its military assets and forces from Ukraine;
- secured re-establishment of Ukrainian control over its border;
- halted flows of personnel and weapons from its territory into eastern Ukraine;
- released all prisoners illegally detained in its territory;
- facilitated release of all hostages held by the illegally armed groups.
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