Contact group’s meeting in Minsk discuss issues of Donbass environmental safety

On April 12, in Minsk, a regular meeting of the Contact group on the peaceful settlement of the conflict in Donbass was held. The agenda included issues related to compliance with the ceasefire regime, as well as Ukraine’s full transport blockade realization.

As a source from the peace talks reports from Minsk, a number of important issues related to the environmental safety of Donbass were raised today.

“According to the DPR representatives, the presence of the Avdeyevka Coke Plant in the war zone requires extraordinary immediate measures because of the radiation and chemical hazards that it poses to the region’s ecology.

Over 320 shells have exploded on the territory of this enterprise. If we add to this thousands of tons of toxic substances: benzene, sulfuric acid, phenol and others located on the enterprise’s territory, then any fires that occur both as a result of combat actions and accidents due to technological disruptions acquire an extraordinary character without exaggeration .

Moreover, in February 2017 it became known that Ukrainian servicemen conduct preparatory measures for mining the plant, which puts the situation on the brink of insanity.

The negotiators called for early inspections of such enterprises with mandatory participation of the Republics’ reps,” the source said.

Also during the meeting, the issue of Ukraine’s non-compliance with the agreements on a full and permanent ceasefire was raised.

“Daily shellings of the Republic’s territory entail the infrastructure destruction and injury to civilians. Only during the last week 358 violations of the ceasefire were recorded, 26 houses were destroyed, three residents were wounded. This is the same artillery, which, according to our opponents, has long been withdrawn…

After all, the fifth meeting in a row the Ukrainian party declares that it is ready to give access to the OSCE SММ observers for verification of the withdrawn arms according to the initial data submitted by their Command. At the same time, the OSCE SMM continues recording in its reports the lack of the Armed Ukrainian Forces armament in its respective locations, as well as the use of prohibited weapons, in spite of the introduced ceasefire.

Unfortunately, the position of the Ukrainian side remains invariably destructive. Regardless of this, the DPR representatives made a number of suggestions to stabilize the situation and expressed hope for truce during the Easter holidays,” the source concluded.

Following the meeting, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office in the Tripartite Contact group Martin Sajdik made a statement regarding the decision on  March 29, 2017, on observing the ceasefire.

“In connection with the upcoming Easter holiday, residents of eastern Ukraine should be able to easily and safely attend churches and cemeteries. Unfortunately, the situation remains far from satisfactory. On the eve of the Easter holidays, the Tripartite Contact group and the representatives of the certain areas of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions (ORDLO) maintain their commitment to the decision on  March 29, this year on the fulfillment of the previous commitments regarding the observance of the ceasefire,” Martin Sajdik said.