Donetsk, Jul 23 - DAN. Ukraine has not completely met any of its commitments on settlement over the period of operation of peace accords, so the hope that it will implement new ceasefire control measures adopted by the Contact Group is slim, Donetsk People’s Republic politicians and activists told the Donetsk News Agency on Thursday.
On Wednesday, the Contact Group agreed a package of tighter control measures for the effective ceasefire. The relevant orders by the military leadership of the DPR, the LPR and Ukraine have to come into force on July 27 midnight.
“The strikes delivered at our Republic in the recent days do not instil confidence that Ukraine will fully meet these requirements,” DPR parliament chairman Vladimir Bidyovka said. “Nevertheless, I hope that it will be able to show political will and take the long-awaited steps towards making peace.”
Donetsk regards the adoption of additional ceasefire control measures as the Republic’s new diplomatic victory, all the more so because the settlement in the region is only possible through diplomacy. In his opinion, Kiev has to stop using any kinds of armaments and focus on direct dialogue. Other politicians interviewed by the Donetsk News Agency share this view.
“I want to believe that the Contact Group meeting over ceasefire will yield a real result, which can be seen not only in words or documents. The indefinite ceasefire has been in force since July 21, 2019, but to no effect up to date. Ukrainian armed formations continue to shell the Republic. Youths however, are still hoping that peace will come to Donbass and that Kiev will fully abide by the measures signed,” DPR parliamentarian, leader of the Young Republic social organisation Kirill Makarov noted.
“We very much hope that the long-awaited peace will come to our land. But we have to judge by deeds, as they say. Kiev’s deeds are the absolute reverse. Regrettably, Ukrainian authorities have never delivered on their promises over these six years, and with Zelensky (Vladimir Zelensky, Ukrainian president - eds Donetsk News Agency) the situation has not changed; certain points have even worsened,” DPR Public Chamber deputy chairwoman for economic issues Yekaterina Martyanova said.
The accords on comprehensive, indefinite and lasting ceasefire have been in effect in Donbass since July 21, 2019. They were reached at a meeting of the Minsk group on peaceful conflict settlement. The DPR counted the number of violations committed by Ukraine on the anniversary of the ceasefire. Over one year of the truce, Kiev’s armed formations violated the ceasefire nearly 3,900 times.*jk*pp