MINSK, 23 November (BelTA) – The situation along the contact line in the Donbass area in Ukraine is grave. The OSCE's special representative in the trilateral contact group on resolving the conflict in Ukraine's east Martin Sajdik made the statement during a press conference in Minsk on 23 November, BelTA has learned.
“The situation remains tense along the contact line,” said Martin Sajdik. He mentioned that the existing agreements had been violated many times, including those relating to the ceasefire regime and the removal of heavy weapon systems.
According to the diplomat, casualties among civilians and military personnel in the region result from the use of heavy weapon systems. “These armaments are not supposed to be there. They were to have been removed in accordance with the Minsk agreements,” stressed Martin Sajdik. In his words, the effectiveness of fulfillment of the agreement on withdrawing heavy weapon systems leaves much to be desired across the board.
“Today close attention was paid to determining new sites for separating forces and assets,” said the OSCE special representative. Martin Sajdik said he hopes that the forces will be separated near Stanitsa Luganskaya within the next few days.
Apart from that, Martin Sajdik expressed concern over the unresolved problems relating to water and energy supply in Lugansk Oblast. In his words, the humanitarian subgroup looked into the situation during the session on 23 November.
