The foreign Ministry of Ukraine has called Russia’s decision to withdraw troops from JCCC in the Donbas, “the next provocation”

The decision of the Russian Federation to withdraw Russian troops from the Joint center for control and coordination in Donbas is “another provocation”, which significantly undermines the Minsk agreement.

About it reported in a press-service of the MFA of Ukraine.

“Ukraine’s foreign Ministry is outraged by the unilateral decision of the Russian Federation on the withdrawal of 19 December 2017 members of the armed forces of Russia from the Joint center for control and coordination of questions of ceasefire and stabilization of the demarcation line (SCCC, Soledar, Donetsk region)”, – stated in the message.

According to Ukrainian diplomats, this unprecedented move is “yet another provocation, which significantly undermines the Minsk agreement, and the desire to absolve themselves of any liability, as the parties to the conflict, the consequences of the armed aggression against our country.”

“This step once again shows that Moscow does not leave attempts to force Ukraine and international partners to begin the so-called “direct dialogue” with the militants of illegal armed groups that operate in the temporarily occupied territory of individual regions of Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine under total control and with the full support from the Russian Federation”, – said the foreign Ministry.

Also the foreign Minister noted that this decision, the Kremlin significantly increases the risks for the security of SMM OSCE, in particular with the aim of imposing Ukraine and its international partners unacceptable accommodation of UN peacekeepers in the Donbas.

“Russia, as a party to the conflict in the Donbass, is solely responsible for the development of the security situation and ensuring the security of observers of the OSCE SMM in the territory, temporarily not Ukrainian government. The Ukrainian part of SCCC will continue its activities in the usual way, working with the SMM OSCE in the bilateral format and making every possible effort to ensure the security of Mission personnel during implementation of its monitoring of the situation in the framework of its mandate”, – noted in the Department, assuring that Ukraine will appeal to international partners to strengthen political and diplomatic pressure on the Kremlin to avoid steps that could lead to the disruption of the Minsk agreements.

We will remind, earlier the Ministry of foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation said that from tomorrow, 19 December the Russian military, who are representatives of the Russian Federation at the JCCC in the Donbass, will leave the territory of Ukraine.

The foreign Ministry of Ukraine has called Russia’s decision to withdraw troops from JCCC in the Donbas, “the next provocation”

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