Donetsk, Jun 7 – DAN. The Contact Group members have embarked on talks in Minsk today, said DPR envoy to the negotiations Denis Pushilin’s press secretary Viktoria Talakina.

"The meeting of the Contact Group has commenced."

The POW swap, observation of the ceasefire, the disengagement of forces in Stanitsa Luganskaya area amd withdrawal of weapons are on the agenda.

The talks begin as the situation in Donbass dramatically degrades: Ukrainian forces violated the ceasefire over 60 times within the last 24 hours; Donetsk axis has seen the most intense fire. At least eight civilians have been injured lately, one person killed.

In LPR, People's Militia today has repulsed an offensive by Kiev forces, who carried out intense artillery strikes on Zhelobok township and a number of other villages. *ot