Interfax: Eastern Ukrainian militia mistrust Poroshenko ceasefire declaration

DONETSK. Sept 3 (Interfax) – Oleh Tsaryov, the chairman of the common legislature of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR), is skeptical about the Ukrainian presidential press service’s declaration on reaching agreements on a ceasefire in Donbas.

“This is not the first time that the Ukrainian authorities declare halting of combat activities. The previous such truce resulted in the regrouping of the Ukrainian security forces and the blockade of Donetsk, Luhansk, and Slovyansk,” Tsaryov told Interfax on Wednesday.

“We have always supported peace processes for settling the conflict. This step could be considered a prelude to peace talks. But our demands remain the same as before: the full withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the DPR and LPR territory. It is only after that that we are prepared to hold negotiations,” he said.

A DPR Defense Ministry spokesperson said Ukrainian president’s decision has no effect on the Donbas, Azov and other volunteer battalions financed by “oligarchs.”

“The territorial defense battalions do not report to the president,” he said.