You're reading: Ukrainian commander: Donbas militants observing ceasefire

The armed groups opposing the Ukrainian government forces in Donbas have observed a ceasefire agreement that has been in effect since 0:00 a.m. December 24, Maj. Gen. Anatoliy Petrenko, the chief of the Ukrainian delegation to the Joint Control and Coordination Center (JCCC), said in a statement on Saturday morning.

“As of the morning of December 24, the Ukrainian part of the JCCC confirms the introduction of a comprehensive, durable, and open-ended ceasefire starting 0:00 a.m. December 24, 2016. Silence has been in effect along the entire line of contact,” the statement said.

Officers from the Ukrainian part of the JCCC are continuing to monitor the ceasefire observance, and any changes in the situation will be immediately reported to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (OSCE SMM), it said.