Donetsk, Dec 18 – DAN. Russian officers have ceased their activity within the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination of the ceasefire, said DPR representative at the JCCC Ruslan Yakubov.
"As of today, Russian representatives ceased their activity as part of the JCCC. Russian officers in the JCCC acted as mediators between DPR and Ukraine, as Ukrainian side would not agree to the direct dialog under any circumstances, and today still abstains from it."
Yakubov said observation groups in Donetsk, its outskirts and in southern DPR had left their positions. Tomorrow Russian officers will leave Donbass.
The DPR is not certain how further coordination and control will be organized, as the Ukraine side doesn not agree to the direct dialog.
Earlier Russian Foreign Ministry said that Russian representation in the JCCC was no longer possible due to Kiev's actions. The ministry said Russian officers will leave Donbass on December 19.
The JCCC was established to monitor the implementation of commitments to fulfill the Minsk Agreements; to facilitate interaction between the conflicting sides; to interact with the OSCE SMM; to solve disputes concerning the implementation of the Minsk Agreements and facilitate their fulfillment; to participate in the negotiations over the implementation of the Minsk Agreements. *ot