Ceasefire largely observed around Donetsk airport

A ceasefire between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russia forces around the airport of Ukraine’s Donetsk city appears to be largely observed just one day after a local truce.

News reports said on Wednesday that the ceasefire was largely holding around the airport despite the sound of explosions in the region which broke the calm in the area.

“We heard the shelling but we are not afraid – we are used to it by now,” said Oleksandr, 54, a resident of a partially-destroyed building next to Donetsk airport said.

Local authorities said there were no casualties and a pro-Russia commander on the ground said pro-Russia forces were not involved in the latest firing.

“Our side respected the ceasefire,” the commander said without giving his name.

The latest truce was agreed late Tuesday after a round of negotiations between the visiting deputy head of Russia’s ground forces and a senior Ukrainian general.

Meanwhile, Ukraine and pro-Russians have “agreed in principle” on a truce in the country’s volatile eastern region of Lugansk, that will come into force on December 5, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) says.

The two deals are meant to reinforce a comprehensive ceasefire signed by all sides in the Belarusian capital of Minsk in early September.