Ukraine announces a unilateral ceasefire in a 20-kilometer radius

The Ukrainian side, according to the order of the President, at the moment observes and will observe a cease-fire in a 20-kilometer radius around the crash site of the Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 in order to provide access for an international expert mission to the crash site so as to investigate the causes of this terrible tragedy, stated Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Hroysman at his press-briefing in Kyiv.

"There is a reasonable suspicion that some bodies of the passengers killed in the crash remain at the crash site of the plane. Therefore, it is necessary as soon as possible to enter into the area", said Volodymyr Hroysman.

According to him, “a clear plan has been developed which will allow us to carry out another powerful attempt to enter this area to conduct all activities”.

"We are in close cooperation with the Netherlands, and colleagues from Australia as well as the OSCE special monitoring mission. We plan to keep in touch with the Malaysian side”, stated the Vice Prime Minister.

According to Volodymyr Hroysman, representatives of an international mission have repeatedly tried to get into the crash site. However, militants didn’t allow them to do this.

He underlined that the delay in the investigation was connected with the actions of militants.

In his turn, Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan extended his thanks to the Vice Prime Minister, Ukrainian officials for the support and the work done in order to investigate the disaster. He noted that the success of the international mission for protection of investigation would depend on the precise coordination of all parties’ actions.

"We wish everybody worked in a coordinated manner, and the Mission got there. We hope that within the next two days it will happen", stated the Chief Monitor of the OSCE Mission.