Most of heavy weapons withdrawn from front line in E. Ukraine: OSCE

Most of heavy weapons have been withdrawn from the front line in eastern Ukraine as required by the Minsk agreements on a cease-fire between the government troops and rebel militants, European supervisors said Thursday.

"As of today, the parties have withdrawn most of their heavy weapons," Alexander Hug, deputy chief of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) special monitoring mission in Ukraine, told reporters.

The pullout was verified in almost all areas in Lugansk and Donetsk regions, except some territories controlled by pro-independence rebels, who blocked access for the OSCE monitors to certain sites, citing security reasons, said Hug.

Speaking about the agreed cease-fire in eastern Ukraine, he said it is generally observed, but sporadic violations still occur around the Donetsk airport and near several villages in the Mariupol area.

According to a government military spokesman, over the past 24 hours, one Ukrainian soldier was wounded in clashes with rebels.

The comprehensive truce and the full pullout of heavy weapons from the front line are the main provisions of a peace deal reached in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, last month during talks involving leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France. Endi