Leadership of conflicting parties in Ukraine start disarming their people

A month of voluntary surrender of arms will kick off in Ukraine on Apr 1, says the press service of the country’s Foreign Ministry.

“Those who will hand over their illegal arms, ammunition or explosives on their own will will avoid any criminal responsibility. Those having hunting, cold and gas spray weapons will be able to legalize them if they hand them over within the deadlines,” the ministry says.

In the meantime, the leaders of the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics Alexander Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitsky have signed decrees saying that all armed units that are not part of their law enforcement forces must hand over their arms and equipment by Apr 4 or they will face criminal responsibility.

All those who will fail to hand over their arms within the deadlines will be proclaimed bandits and will be disarmed and prosecuted.