REUTERS

The  "local elections" are planned to be held on the entire territory of the DPR on October 18, 2015, under Clauses 4 and 12 of the Minsk agreements, according to a  statement by DPR leader Oleksandr Zakharchenko.

Heads of cities and districts should be elected during these elections, Zakharchenko said. No decision on the election of members of local councils has been made yet. Militants promise to keep the borders of the areas, cities, towns and villages, and polling stations, as well as the names and positions in local government unchanged "to ensure the foundations of the political settlement."

The announcement of the elections complies with Clauses 4 and 12 of the Minsk agreements, the militants claim.

Видео дня

As reported earlier, "on the first day after the withdrawal a dialogue is to begin on the modalities of local elections in accordance with Ukrainian legislation and the Law of Ukraine “On a temporary order of local government in individual areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions" as well as on the future regime of these areas, according to this Act."

According to Clause 12, "on the basis of the Law of Ukraine “On temporary order of local government in individual areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions” the questions regarding local elections shall be discussed and agreed with the individual areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group. Elections will be held in compliance with the relevant standards of the OSCE with the monitoring by the OSCE ODIHR."

On July 1, one of DPR leaders  Denis Pushylin announced a unilateral ceasefire in the area of the village of Shyrokyne, but later representatives of the Interior Ministry and the Armed Forces of Ukraine refuted the reports and reported ongoing militant attacks.