Donbas conflicting sides notify OSCE about completed demining in Stanytsia Luhanska
LUHANSK. Aug 27 (Interfax) - Representatives of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) and Ukraine have notified the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) about the completion of demining action at the Stanytsia Luhanska checkpoint, the LPR mission to the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) told Interfax in a statement.
"Both the LPR and Ukraine have informed the OSCE SMM that the area near the bridge across River Seversky Donets has been demined, and there are no impediments to Ukraine's repairing the damaged part of the bridge," the statement said.
The mission said that Ukraine "has not started repairs of the damaged part of the bridge across River Seversky Donets, and does not have a plan for those repairs."
"We are asking the OSCE SMM to provide efficient monitoring of this process, to promptly report the situation in its statements, and to either confirm or deny preparations of the sides for making repairs," the statement said.
"Ongoing dismantlement of the LPR's fortification on the bridge does not create technical impediments to Ukrainian specialists' preparations to work on the demined grounds," it said.
The Ukrainian mission to the JCCC said, in turn, that the LPR had erected a temporary structure in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area.
In doing so, the LPR "prevented Ukraine from starting repairs on the damaged part of the bridge," the mission said.