The self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR), which controls parts of Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast, has stated that it would begin pulling weapons away from the front lines only after a complete cease-fire, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reports.
The leader of the rebels controlling the DNR, Aleksandr Zakharchenko, claims that the Ukrainian side continues to violate the cease-fire. According to him, small arms were fired in Donetsk and a civilian was wounded.
At the same time, the self-styled Luhansk People's Republic (LNR), which controls parts of Ukraine's Luhansk Oblast, has said that it would begin withdrawing weapons on October 3. The process will be completed in two stages: first, from October 3 to October 17; and second, from October 18 to November 10.
The LNR said it would strictly abide by all the assumed responsibilities
Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak says the country's armed forces should be ready for any developments in the Donbas, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reports.
At the opening of a ministerial meeting, Poltorak expressed doubts that Russia has ended its aggression in Ukraine.
“So the time that we have we must use as effectively as possible -- take systematic measures to improve combat readiness and efficiency of military units, recover machinery and weapons, improve personnel training...improve military discipline, prepare personnel and machinery for combat missions in winter. We have to strengthen forces, the system of preparation, and be ready for any situation if the Minsk agreements are not implemented,” he said.
At the same time, Poltorak said that Ukraine will respect the agreement to pull small-caliber weapons from the front lines.
“Ukraine accurately meets all the Minsk agreements’ demands and is ready for further work,” he said.
Ukraine is considering Moscow's request to hold a meeting between President Petro Poroshenko and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, says the deputy head of Ukraine's presidential administration, Kostyantyn Yeliseyev, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reported.
"Today there is a request from the Russian side to hold a bilateral meeting in Paris. Will there be a meeting, depends on the Ukrainian side. Right now we are studying this issue," Yeliseyev said.
The presidents of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany -- sometime referred to as the Normandy Four -- are to meet in Paris on October 2.
Here is today's map of the security situation in eastern Ukraine, according to the National Security and Defense Council:
Ukraine ready to pull small-caliber weapons out of east:
The Ukrainian government says it will pull out small-caliber weapons from the war-torn east in two days' time if the cease-fire holds.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak made the announcement on October 1 in Kyiv.
On September 29, Russia, Ukraine and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe agreed on the withdrawal of tanks and other weapons from the front line, with rebel leaders in Donetsk and Luhansk signing on to the agreement on September 30.
A February deal calling for a pull-back of large-caliber artillery -- along with a cease-fire -- has been largely observed.
The conflict in eastern Ukraine between Russia-backed separatists and government forces has left more than 7,900 dead since April 2014. (AP, Interfax)