Rival Factions in Ukraine Are Urged to Withdraw Heavy Weapons

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/15/world/europe/ukraine-cease-fire-weapons.html

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BERLIN — Warring parties in Ukraine should withdraw heavy weapons — including tanks, armored vehicles, mortars and artillery — in order to comply with the shaky cease-fire that has held in eastern Ukraine since late February, the German foreign minister said early Tuesday.

The call from the minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, came after talks with his counterparts from France, Russia and Ukraine aimed at maintaining the cease-fire agreed to in Minsk, Belarus, on Feb. 12. In a statement, the four officials expressed “deep concern” over the continuing battles in eastern Ukraine.

Foreign observers have noted a flare-up in fighting in recent days, particularly around two hot spots: the village of Shirokino, near the port of Mariupol, and the ruined airport of Donetsk.

A press officer for the Ukrainian Army said six soldiers had been killed and 12 others wounded in the past day, a tally that is reminiscent of those during the worst fighting in southeast Ukraine.

Diplomats have blamed both the Ukrainian Army and the pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine for repeated violations of the truce.

Mr. Steinmeier emerged early Tuesday from a late-night dinner with his three colleagues and said they had agreed that both sides should withdraw heavy weapons from the battlefield.

A prisoner exchange should also resume, Mr. Steinmeier said.

“We call on all sides to stop fighting and demonstrate their commitment to fully implementing the cease-fire and conclude the withdrawal of heavy weapons definitely,” the four ministers said in a statement. “We furthermore call for the withdrawal of mortars and heavy weapons below 100 millimeters, as well as all types of tanks.”

Although the fighting has abated markedly, the truce has been broken repeatedly.

Diplomats and officials were supposed to form working groups to move forward with political aspects of the Minsk agreement, which include making arrangements for special elections in eastern Ukraine. But there has been little progress on that front.

In a sign of continuing peril on the ground, an employee of a Russian state news outlet was reported to have been severely injured on Tuesday when he stepped on a land mine near Shirokino.

TV Zvezda, run by the Russian Ministry of Defense, said one of its reporters had stepped on a tripwire while traveling near the front lines with representatives of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which is monitoring the cease-fire.