Donetsk, Nov 14 - DAN. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission reported successful completion of the first phase of measures to eliminate violations in the Petrovskoye-Bogdanovka security area, the Donetsk People’s Republic Office at the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination said on Thursday.

“According to the OSCE SMM report of November 13, the parties notified the Mission that they had withdrawn their forces and hardware from Petrovskoye-Bogadnovka security zone No 3,” the DPR Office said. “The monitors ... confirmed that the forces and hardware of the DPR People’s Militia and the Ukrainian armed had been pulled out of the security zone.”

The DPR and Ukraine also notifed the OSCE Mission about their readiness for the second phase of the measures, i.e. mine clearance and dismantling of fortifications.

On Wednesday, the DPR said that it was launching the second phase of measures to eliminate violations in the security zone in accordance with the schedule.*jk