Yet another meeting of the trilateral contact group on a Donbas settlement has ended in Minsk. Ukraine stated that the situation in the antiterrorist operation area had not improved. On the contrary, it has radically deteriorated, and the number of fire attacks increases day to day, Darka Olifer, the press secretary of Ukraine's representative in the group, Leonid Kuchma, has said on Facebook.
"From 1 to 15 June 2016, some 3,340 bombs and artillery shells, including those of large calibre, banned by the Minsk agreements, were fired on the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. As a result of combat actions, the infrastructure of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including rebuilt railway facilities, continues to destroy. Representatives of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions are still firing on population centres, including Krasnohorivka last night," she said.
Thus, Ukraine demanded an immediate investigation into all the recent cases of fire attacks. This is a task for the security subgroup and the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination of Cease-fire.
At the humanitarian subgroup meeting, Ukraine demanded the release of hostages, both held in the occupied areas and in Russia.
"Yesterday, we gave them the lists of people for exchange in the format of 25 for 50. The Ukrainian side demanded that the representatives of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions name the exact whereabouts of our people, which is the key problem in the release of illegally held people," Olifer said.
Ukraine is initiating a special day in non-government-controlled areas when families can come and see their near and dear held by pro-Russian militants. Olifer said this could be done under the International Committee of the Red Cross aegis.
The next meeting of the contact group is planned for 29 June.