LUHANSK. Nov 14 (Interfax) - The authorities of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) plan to finish mine clearance efforts in the sector of disengaging the forces and military hardware from the contact line in the area of the populated locality of Zolote in less than two weeks, LPR representative in the political subgroup of the Contact Group for the settlement of the Donbas crisis Rodion Miroshnik said.
"The LPR is planning to complete mine clearance efforts in Zolote in less than two weeks," Miroshnik wrote on his Telegram channel on Thursday.
Various types of over 300 explosive objects have been found and defused during demining efforts, the press service of the LPR People's Militia told Interfax.
Specialists of the LPR Ministry of Emergency Situations have searched a more than 500-meter section along the Pervomaisk-Zolote road, the press service said.
On November 12, the withdrawal of the forces and military hardware by the opposing sides in Donbas ended in Disengagement Area 3, Bohdanivka/Petrivske (Donetsk Region, Ukraine). The disengagement of forces was earlier carried out in areas 1 and 2 near Stanytsia Luhanska and the Zolote village (Luhansk Region, Ukraine). Following the disengagement of forces, mine clearance efforts and the removal of fortifications are scheduled. All of these measures are expected to be completed after December 6, when the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission will verify them.
The disengagement of forces by the opposing sides in Donbas in three pilot sections along the disengagement line is identified as one of the conditions for holding a Normandy Four summit, a date for which has yet to be set, though the parties hope to hold it before the end of this year.