Disengagement in Donbas must be followed by withdrawal of foreign troops - Ukraine at OSCE

The disengagement of troops in Donbas must be followed by the withdrawal of foreign armed formations and mercenaries, the disarmament of all illegal groups, and the restoration of border control by the government of Ukraine.

Ukraine's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Yevhen Tsymbaliuk said this at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on Thursday, October 10, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"The disengagement must be followed by the implementation of other security provisions of the Minsk agreements that are the withdrawal of foreign armed formations and mercenaries, the disarmament of all illegal groups, as well as the reinstatement of border control by the government of Ukraine," he said.

The diplomat noted that the agreement on the disengagement of troops in Petrivske and Zolote on October 7 had been not fulfilled due to shelling attacks committed by Russian armed formations the day before. In view of this violation on the part of the Russian side, the beginning of the disengagement was postponed for seven days during which a truce should be observed in these areas, he said.

Tsymbaliuk emphasized that ensuring security, in particular, is a must for establishing necessary conditions for launching the electoral process and holding local elections in Russia-occupied parts of Donbas in full compliance with Ukrainian legislation and full accordance with OSCE standards.

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