The OSCE urged to observe the ceasefire in Donbass

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The OSCE Special Representative, Heidi Grau, declared the unacceptability of a ceasefire violation in Donbass. She called on the parties of the conflict to maintain the ceasefire. A yet another round of negotiations of the contact group, made to resolve the situation in Donbass took place on Wednesday, in Minsk. According to Heidi Grau — the mine clearance issues were mentioned during the meeting. The OSCE Special Representative reminded that the land mines are the main cause of the civilian casualties — «During this year it is 8 out of 14 people». Heidi Grau also reported that the humanitarian working group discussed the issues related to the exchange of the prisoners, ensuring the effective search of the missing persons, and the possibility of opening new checkpoints across the contact line.

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On 23rd of February the servicemen of the DPR sent balloons with leaflets telling about the common feat of the Ukrainians and Russians during the Great Patriotic War, as well as the congratulations on the 23rd of February. The balloons were sent towards the Ukrainian positions north of the city of Donetsk — the People’s Militia Department of the Republic announced. A bunch of red balloons carried a parcel with postcards such as “Happy Soviet Army and Navy day”, as well as historical photos, and images of legendary pilots — the air marshals and Heroes of the USSR Ivan Kozhedub and Alexander Pokryshkin. The »Defender of the Homeland day» is being celebrated in the post-Soviet areas on 23rd of February. The holiday was established in Russia, back in 1922, as «The Day of the Red Army and Navy». The holiday was canceled in Ukraine.

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On 23rd of February, 2020, at about 8 a.m., the 58th Ukrainian brigade opened fire on the residential sector of the village of Golmovsky, near the town of Gorlovka. Grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms were used in the shelling. As a result — the local residential buildings were damaged.

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On 27th of February, at 16:10, the Ukrainian troops opened fire on the settlement near the Gagarin’s mine — the town of Gorlovka. They used grenade launchers and small arms during the shelling. As a result — a window on the first floor of the school №10 was damaged. According to the preliminary data — there were no civilian casualties. The information is being currently specified — the representative office of the DPR in the Joint Center for the Control and Coordination reports.

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The secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Alexei Danilov, together with the representatives of the OSCE, the DPR and the LPR, revealed the details of the plan of patrolling of Donbass. “We can participate in the patrolling of the territories, not borders” — he explained and added that “some international institution: like the OSCE or similar” should take part in the patrols. Alexey Danilov noted that the final composition of the patrols will be noted in the protocols. At the same time, he explained that the local residents, the representatives of the OSCE, or another such organization, as well as the Ukrainian National Guard, will participate in the patrols. The right to bear arms, as he said, will be given to those people who are “directly related to the Ukrainian institutions.”

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Major-General Igor Palagnyuk, the Commander of the Operational Command group ‘South’, visited the 56th Ukrainian Mariupol Brigade. He inspected the territory of the future administrative-residential base of the brigade. One of the motorized infantry battalions will be stationed in the base. The base will have a canteen, and an area for the fleet of combat vehicles. The administrative and the residential areas, plus a park, will be built there as well. The exact location of the new base hasn’t been announced yet. The Ukrainian command do not hide the fact that the NATO military bases are being created on the territory of Ukraine. Constantine Reztsov, specially for ANNA NEWS.