Ukraine accuses pro-Russian separatists of violating it.. Learn about the most prominent provisions of the Minsk agreement

Ukraine's Defense Ministry said pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Donbass region had violated the ceasefire six times in the past 24 hours, and that those violations included one attack using weapons banned under the Minsk agreement.

The leaders of Ukraine, Germany, France and Russia reached an agreement in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, on February 12, 2015, stipulating a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, the establishment of a buffer zone, and the withdrawal of heavy weapons.

spark of crisis

Ukraine shares borders with countries in the European Union, in addition to Russia.

As a former Soviet republic, Ukraine has deep social and cultural ties with Russia, and the Russian language is widely spoken.

Russia has long resisted Ukraine's move toward European institutions, and its main demand is that it not join the European Union, which includes 27 countries on the continent, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), or have NATO infrastructure on its soil.

Russia sees this as a direct threat to it, as Ukraine will be a member of the European Common Defense Agreement, which means the presence of NATO forces and European forces on the Russian borders, which Russia has not and will not accept.

November 21, 2013: The crisis in Ukraine began when its pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych, suspended preparations for the implementation of an association agreement with the European Union.

The Ukrainian capital witnessed widespread protests and frictions between separatist movements and the Ukrainian regular forces.

Disturbances swept through some of the eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, which were inhabited by a majority of Russian-speaking citizens, from whom Yanukovych drew most of his support.

February 22, 2014: The revolution of mass protests from supporters of the agreement overthrew the president, who was ousted and fled the country.

February 23, 2014: The Acting President of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine took the position of Alexander Turchynov, a politician, screenwriter and economist.

March 2014: After Russia invaded Ukrainian regions, another political crisis arose, as it annexed the Ukrainian autonomous region of Crimea.

April 2014: War breaks out in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts between pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian government.

Minsk Agreement 1

September 20, 2014: Representatives of the Ukrainian government and separatists sponsored by Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe signed the "Minsk Agreement 1" in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.

The agreement stipulated 9 points aimed at consolidating the ceasefire protocol in eastern Ukraine signed between these parties on September 5, 2014, which has been repeatedly violated by the Ukrainian government forces and the separatists.

One of the nine most prominent points of the "Minsk Agreement 1" is the creation of a 30-kilometer buffer zone (15 km on each side) to separate government forces from pro-Moscow fighters.

Withdrawal of "all armed groups, as well as military equipment, fighters and mercenaries" to the external borders of the buffer zone.

Not to use heavy weapons in populated areas.

Preventing fighters and drones from flying over the security zone that will be under the control of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

The agreement failed to stop the fighting in the Donbass, and therefore a new package of measures called "Minsk 2" followed.

"Minsk Agreement 2"

The main points of the "Minsk Agreement 2" included the following:

Ceasefire: The parties to the conflict shall observe a bilateral ceasefire, starting on February 14, 2015 at midnight Kiev time (22:00 GMT) in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

Withdrawal of weapons: The document stipulates the withdrawal of all heavy weapons from both sides in order to establish a separation zone with a depth of 50 km to 140 km depending on the type of heavy weapons.

Previous agreements provided for the establishment of an area 30 km wide.

To establish this extended zone, the document demands that the Ukrainian army withdraw by cutting off its artillery relative to the current front line located to the west compared to the September line, given that the rebels have made territorial gains since then.

- The document calls on the rebels to withdraw to the front line at that time, not September.

Thus the newly conquered territories are within the effectively expanded buffer zone.

The withdrawal of heavy weapons must begin no later than two days after the cease-fire enters into force, and end after 14 days.

The document also provides for the withdrawal of all foreign armed groups, military equipment and mercenaries from Ukrainian territory under the supervision of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

The release of the hostages: The document calls for the release of all prisoners and hostages who have been held since the start of the conflict in April 2014.

- This condition was previously set in previous agreements, but it was only partially fulfilled, and the last massive exchange of hundreds of prisoners took place in late December 2014.

Political Dialogue: The new document, similar to previous agreements, provides for stimulating dialogue in order to organize local elections in accordance with Ukrainian legislation, and to determine the future status of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

An amnesty should also be issued for combatants involved in the conflict.

Lifting the economic blockade: The document clarifies that “measures” are supposed to be defined in order to restore economic and social relations, including paying pensioners’ salaries between the areas under the control of Ukrainian forces and those under the control of the rebels, and that Ukraine should restore its banking system in conflict areas.

Border control: it should fall entirely to Ukraine’s forces in “all conflict zones” after local elections are organized.

A new constitution: the document provides for the preparation of a new Ukrainian constitution by the end of 2015, which provides for the “decentralization” of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions in agreement with the representatives of these regions.