Nikonorova: Donetsk and Kiev find no understanding over Oktyabr disengagement area

Donetsk, Feb 14 – DAN. Donetsk and Kiev have failed to finalize the coordinated of the disengagement area in the vicinity of Oktyabr checkpoint, said DPR Foreign Minister Natalia Nikonorova.

“The sides at the recent meeting of the Contact Group in Minsk have not reached an understang concerning the coordinates of the Oktyabr-Gnutovo disengagement area,” she said.

According to Nikonorova, Ukraine has not taken into account the key principle of the disengagement – symmetrical and mirror-like pullback of forces.

She said the sides will be working to resolve the issue.

The framework agreement on disengagement of forces in Donbass was signed in late September 2016. The objective was to disengage the warring sides to avoid the risk of clashes and shelling. The document set three pilot security areas: Petrovskoye in the DPR and Stanitsa Luganskaya and Zolotoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic. The disengagement was finalized at all the three areas by the late 2019.

The Normandy Four summit has set a goal of disengaging forces in three new areas. The talks to define coordinates of the security areas are ongoing. *ot