Conflicting sides in Ukraine hold fire

Conflicting sides in Ukraine observed ceasefire at midnight Sunday as written in the Minsk peace agreement.

Officials of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics (DPR and LPR) confirmed that militia forces of the two republics have ceased fire respectively.

"The DPR militia forces, fulfilling the DPR head's order, ceased fire from all types of weapons at 00:00 Kiev time Sunday (2200 GMT Saturday) ... and shall comply with the silence regime throughout the zone of responsibility of DPR militia units," Tass news agency quoted Eduard Basurin, a senior insurgent commander, as saying.

Basurin also confirmed that DPR authorities have started drafting plans to withdraw all heavy weapons from the frontline, as well as preparations for the exchange of prisoners.

Gennady Tsyplakov, a senior representative of LPR, said the republic's militia has stopped all combat actions starting from 00:00 Kiev time Sunday in line with Thursday's Minsk peace agreement.

Tsyplakov warned that any use of artillery and any type of multiple launch rocket system will be regarded as violation of the Minsk deal. If so, Kiev authorities are to take full responsibilities, he said.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko Saturday issued an order of ceasefire in the conflict zones in the country's southeastern Donbass region from midnight on Sunday (2200 GMT Saturday).

Ukrainian Armed Forces' Commander-in-chief Victor Muzhenko confirmed that the presidential order was fully executed.

"Ukraine always has a very responsible attitude toward the fulfillment of international obligations. We are determined to prove it again," the official online statement quoted Poroshenko as saying.

He stressed that Kiev expects the other side in the Ukraine crisis to take a responsible attitude and fulfill obligations.

Media reports indicated that Lugansk is currently in "absolute silence" with no reports of shelling from either side, while the same situation also happened in Donetsk with automatic gunfire being heard rather than artillery firing.

However, Tass quoted DPR's Basurin saying that at 02:00 a.m. (0000 GMT) the Ukrainian armed forces opened mortar and artillery fire on the DPR and LPR positions," with no further media reports confirming his accusation.

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