Kiev: removal of weapons will not be until the cease-fire – BBC Russian

• February 23, 2015

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The separatists are firing during the assault Debaltseve

Ukrainian army can not start a withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line in the east of the country as long as the separatists do not stop to fire its position, stated in Kiev.

The representative of the press center of the Ukrainian army raid against separatists in the Donbass Anatoly Stelmach told reporters that separatists continue to fire.

Both sides agreed this weekend that will take heavy weapons in the near future.

It is expected that the separatists will take weapons on Tuesday.

Minsk agreements provide that the parties will bring artillery and tanks beyond the range of fire for two weeks.

rocket fire during the conflict are both sides

Performing Minsk agreements reached under the mediation of France and Germany on February 12, was in jeopardy after separatists seized the strategically important city for them Debaltseve.

The UN estimates that nearly 5,700 people were killed and about 1.5 million have been forced to flee their homes since the conflict began in April last year.

Skirmishes

Under the terms of the Minsk Agreement, rocket launchers “Smerch” should be withdrawn at least 140 km from the contact line

Anatoly Stelmach also said that on Monday night separatists fired twice Ukrainian army positions in the Donetsk region.

The representative of the General Staff of Ukraine Vladislav Seleznev noted that “since the Ukrainian position still shelled, the withdrawal of the arms is not yet out of the question”.

In addition, Anatoly Stelmach blamed separatists in an attempt to storm last night Shirokino village, not far from Mariupol .

The representative of the separatists Eduard Basurin also confirmed the firefight near Shirokino, which resulted in a separatist was killed and two injured.

He added that before the attacks took place between the parties rather emotional exchange opinions on the radio, and government troops in the area “actively celebrated” the anniversary of the events on the Maidan.

Mariupol is considered the main purpose of the separatists, if they try to go on the offensive in this area.

Sami separatists on Monday celebrating the Day of Defender of the Fatherland Russia, which is not observed in Ukraine.

Basurin added that a prisoner of the separatists are still more than 100 soldiers of the Ukrainian army.

Most of them According to him, were captured during the attack on the Debaltseve.

The Government of Ukraine, NATO and Western leaders say that they have clear evidence that Russia supports the separatists, as the arms and fighters.

These charges are confirmed by independent experts. Despite this, Moscow still maintains that any Russian citizens who find themselves in the ranks of the separatists are “volunteers”.

Supply or not to deliver?

Under the rocket fire often fall into residential areas

Former British Defense Minister Liam Fox added his voice to the general chorus of those calling for a supply of combat arms of the Ukrainian army.

Despite the fact that this decision can be completed full-scale conflict, Liam Fox said, that the West must wake up and realize the threat from Russia.

“Are we ready for the dismemberment of Ukraine … and the fact that Russia will continue to bully countries in NATO’s periphery, until it in the end, will not be right on our border? “- asked Liam in an interview with BBC BBC.

His colleague in the Conservative Party, former Foreign Minister, William Hague, in an interview with the BBC Xi said: “We do not plan to supply weapons to Ukraine. We do not deliver weapons of any party, no matter what it may conflict”.