Ukraine says can’t start heavy weapons withdrawal from front lineFebruary 23, 2015 - 13:51 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Ukrainian military has said it cannot start withdrawing heavy weapons from the front line in the east until the pro-Russian militants stop shelling its positions, BBC News reports. Military spokesman Anatoliy Stelmakh told reporters the militants had not stopped firing. Both sides agreed at the weekend to begin withdrawing heavy weapons shortly, under this month's ceasefire. The militants are not expected to begin their pullback until after a public holiday they are observing on Monday, Feb 23. The two sides have two weeks under the terms of the Minsk deal to pull artillery and tanks out of striking distance. The February 12 ceasefire signed in the Belarusian capital, and brokered by France and Germany, looked in danger of collapsing last week when the militants captured the strategically important rail hub of Debaltseve. Nearly 5,700 people have died and 1.5 million have fled their homes since fighting erupted last April in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, according to the UN. Photo: Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. Armenia: Defense Ministry warns against involving army in political processes The Ministry’s statement came after a video surfaced online, showing soldiers joining the protests in Tavush. Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. |