Thursday, December 4, 2014

Reports Of A New Ukraine Ceasefire To Start On December 9



New Ceasefire Agreed In Ukraine? -- Deutsche Welle

Reports out of Ukraine suggest that the central government and the separatists in the east have agreed to a complete ceasefire, to start on December 9. An earlier accord, still in effect, has not stopped the conflict.

President Petro Poroshenko issued a statement on his website on Thursday saying that Ukraine's military would halt fire on December 9 in eastern Ukraine, on a "Day of Silence."

Should the new truce deal hold, Poroshenko said, Ukraine would begin to withdraw heavy weapons from the eastern frontline on the following day, but only if the separatists also observed the truce. Russian news agency RIA Novosti quoted leaders from the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as saying that they had agreed to cease hostilities next Tuesday.

Read more ....

More News On Reports Of A New Ceasefire In Ukraine

‘Day of silence’ for E. Ukraine: Poroshenko orders ceasefire on Dec. 9 -- RT
Ukraine president announces new ceasefire -- Euronews
Ukraine, rebels announce 'Day of Silence' truce -- 3News
Ukraine crisis: New initiative on ceasefire -- BBC
Ukraine, pro-Russia rebels announce Dec 9 truce -- Channel News Asia/AFP

My Comment: I have zero confidence that this ceasefire will hold (unless Kiev is sincere in committing to a change in its policies towards the east .... which I doubt) .... and I am becoming more worried that this conflict is about to spread to Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv .... Bomb explodes in Kharkiv, Ukraine ending ceasefire (News.com.au).

Update: My aunt lives in Kharkiv .... and she tells me that tensions are incredibly high in the city. According to her there are Ukrainian soldiers everywhere, and all of the locals who are Russian (approximately a third of the population).... are deeply resentful of this military presence.

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