LPR begins withdrawal of forces in Zolote
LUHANSK. Oct 29 (Interfax) - The people's militia of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) has begun the withdrawal of forces and military hardware from the contact line in the area of the populated locality of Zolote in Donbas, acting chief of the LPR people's militia directorate Mikhail Filiponenko said.
"LPR people's militia servicemen started the withdrawal of forces and military hardware from a disengagement sector in the area of Zolote," Filiponenko told reporters on Tuesday.
"As of now, according to the OSCE statements, the Ukrainian side has also begun the withdrawal of forces from the sector," he said.
LPR people's militia servicemen are leaving the Zolote disengagement sector, an Interfax correspondent reported.
Zolote in the Luhansk region and Petrivske in the Donetsk region are the two pilot areas for disengaging the Donbas conflicting sides. Disengagement attempts were abortive for several weeks following Kyiv's acceptance of the Steinmeier formula. This situation has hindered the peace process.
The Trilateral Contact Group approved the formula's text in Minsk on October 1.