The United States of America has called on Russia to ensure a true ceasefire in Donbas and withdraw its forces.

Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine Colonel Thomas Wofford said this in a video message on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the shelling of Mariupol.

Five years ago today, the shelling of Mariupol by Russian-backed militants resulted in 30 killed and over 100 injured. Russia has failed to implement its Minsk Agreements commitments and continues to fuel humanitarian, economic, and environmental crises.

“Russia must implement a true ceasefire, withdraw its forces, support the disbanding of the illegal armed groups operating in eastern Ukraine, and respect Ukraine's internationally recognized borders and sovereignty," the embassy wrote on its Facebook page.

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