Donetsk, Apr 7 – DAN. DPR forwarded a letter to OSCE asking the organization to pressure Ukraine into withdrawal of banned weapons from the contact line, said DPR envoy to the negotiations Denis Pushilin's press secretary Viktoria Talakina.

"DPR addressed the OSCE based on the facts listed in the letter (showing Ukraine's violations of the ceasefire) and asking to put pressure to achieve a consensus between the sides upon the withdrawal of banned weapons," she said.

"It is essential for the Republic that both sides withdraw banned weapons synchronically as set out by the Package of Measures and the Follow-Up."

Talakina said the letter focused on the ceasefire agreement achieved in Minsk on March 29 and on the agreement to pull out banned weapons on April 1, 2017 (according to DPR Operations Command information, it was violated by the Ukrainian side right on the first day).

"We don't trust Ukrainian claims that it has withdrawn everything. Such statements are absurd and it is proved by the OSCE SMM reports," Talakina maintained.

Pushilin earlier told journalists that DPR would raise the ceasefire violations issue once again at the meeting in Minsk on April 12.

On March 29 members of the Contact Group in Minsk agreed to a ceasefire in effect from midnight, April 1. Ukrainian forces violated the ceasefire seven times during the first night of the ceasefire. *ot