‘Truce’ in Donbas: 26 Ukrainian soldiers killed, 75 wounded since July

From July 21, when yet another ceasefire regime was declared in Donbas, and till the end of September, 26 Ukrainian soldiers were killed and 75 soldiers were wounded in attacks launched by Russian armed forces.

“Since the recommitment to ceasefire entered into force on 21 July and until the end of September, the armed provocations by the Russian armed formations in Donbas left 26 Ukrainian servicemen dead and 75 wounded,” Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna said at the OSCE Permanent Council meeting on October 10, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

The diplomat noted that the OSCE SMM reports confirmed the growing number of ceasefire violations, as well as Minsk-proscribed weapons and heavy weapons outside of designated storage sites, predominantly in Russia-occupied parts of Donbas. “This testifies to Russia’s sustained failure to implement its own commitments on the security provisions of the Minsk agreements,” Tsymbaliuk added.

At the meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation, Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna Ihor Lossovskyi informed those present that Russian armed forces had committed 842 ceasefire violations in Donbas from July 21 to September 29. In 158 cases, the weapons prohibited under the Minsk agreements, including 122mm artillery systems and 120mm and 82mm mortars, were used.

In addition, the Russian Federation continues to unlawfully supply personnel, weapons and military equipment, ammunition through the uncontrolled border section.

"We regard such actions of the Russian Federation as a further violation of territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of Ukraine's borders, gross violation of the Minsk agreements and cynical disregard for the Trilateral Contact Group ceasefire arrangements and as deliberate steps to destabilize the situation in the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine and adjacent territories and further fomenting of the conflict," Lossovskyi said.

ol