Donetsk, Jul 27 – DAN. Additional measures to strengthen the ceasefire have come into force in Donbass for the first time.
The Additional Measures to Strengthen the Ceasefire were signed at the Contact Group meeting on July 22 to reinforce and control the indefinite ceasefire in effect since July 21, 2019, the latest in the series of more than 20 reconfirmation and announcements of the "silence regime".
The Package of Additional Measures includes:
a) Ban on offensive or reconnaissance operations, ban on using any aerial vehicles;
b) Ban on fire, including sniper fire;
c) Ban on deployment of heavy weapons to populated areas and adjacent territories, first of all, to civilian infrastructure, including schools, kindergartens, hospitals and public premises;
d) Effective implementation of disciplinary measures against violators of the ceasefire and notification the Contact Group Coordinator thereof, who further notifies all its participants.
e) Establishing and employing a coordination mechanism for reacting to ceasefire violations with assistance of the JCCC with its current membership.
f) Retaliatory fire in case of an offensive is allowed only in case it is opened on the order of appropriate command of the Ukrainian armed forces or LPR, DPR People's Militia after unsuccessful attempt to employ the above mentioned mechanism. The Contact Group shall be notified of such orders;
g) The above mentioned measures cannot be fully or partially disavowed by any other orders including classified orders.
The DPR People's Militia issued order to implement the measures effective from midnight July 27. The order was communicated to all the service members who signed the document confirming they acknowledge the package.
LPR has also issued the order and made sure that all the service members are aware of the package effective from July 27.
The situation on the contact line remains tense. Leaders of radical nationalists are blocking all the ceasefire attempts in the region.
The JFO HQ said that the Ukrainian armed forces are to adhere to the "silence regime" starting from July 27, the compliance will be monitored by seconded service members. *ot