Self-proclaimed Luhansk republic starts withdrawing tanks from contact line
LUHANSK. Oct 3 (Interfax) - The self-proclaimed Luhansk people's republic (LPR) has withdrawn the first column of tanks from the line of contact with Ukrainian government forces near the community of Oleksandrivsk in Donbas, a spokesperson for the LPR people's militia headquarters told Interfax on Saturday morning.
"The first column of tanks has left its position near the contact line in the area of the village of Oleksandrivsk. It is being pulled back by 15 kilometers into the republic's territory," he said.
A spokesperson for the LPR people's militia headquarters had told Interfax earlier that the republic was beginning to pull back weapons smaller than 100mm in caliber from the line of contact.
"We are beginning to withdraw weapons. Tanks are the first to be withdrawn," he said.
OSCE monitors were verifying the process, he said.
The LPR planned on Saturday to withdraw weapons from two districts, including from a range near Oleksandrivsk, he said.
