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President Poroshenko presents peace plan for Ukraine East settlement

Ukrainian army to stop combat operations in East at 22:00 local time

© AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov

KIEV, June 20. /ITAR-TASS/. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has presented a peace plan on how to settle the situation in the country’s East during his first working trip to the Donetsk Region, the presidential press service said in a statement posted on the president’s website on Friday.

He also announced a ceasefire in Ukraine’s embattled Southeast from today until June 27, according to a statement posted on the Ukrainian Interior Ministry’s website.

Poroshenko said “this is done for terrorists to be able to lay down arms, and those who fail to do so will be eliminated.”

He said during the ceasefire, “combat operations will only be carried out for retaliation.”

Poroshenko is staying in Svyatogorsk, the Donetsk region, the ICTV channel reports.

The president has visited a camp of the National Guard’s Anti-Terror Center where he decorated the troopers. Svyatogorsk is located 15 kilometers to the north of Sloviansk where the army punitive operation is still under way.

Kiev is conducting what it calls an “antiterrorism operation” in Ukraine’s Southeast against federalization supporters whom it calls “terrorists”.

Ukrainian President also has given an order to stop combat operations in Ukraine’s East. The ceasefire will last from 22:00 local time (23:00 Moscow Time, or 19:00 GMT) until 10:00 local time on June 27.

A relevant order from the Ukrainian head of state has been posted on the presidential website.

“In case an armed attack is made on Ukrainian units or civilians, the military will open return fire,” the statement says.

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Ukraine crisis Ukraine Eastern Ukraine Pyotr Poroshenko

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