Ukraine postpones 2nd stage of weapons pullback in east

MOSCOW (AP) — Ukraine’s military has postponed second st of a weapons pullback in country’s conflict-ridden east, drawing criticism from Kremlin’s envoy to a group trying to help end fighting.

military said pullback near town of Petrovske, which was tentatively set for Monday, could t be conducted because of recent cease-fire violations.

Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists have fought since 2014 in a war that has killed more than 13,000 people. A Ukrainian heavy weapons pullback elsewhere in east last week raised hopes that a stumbling peace process was vancing.

Boris Gryzlov, Russia’s representative to Contact Group of Ukraine, Russia, and OSCE, says “we are once again convinced that main reason for stalling of .... process is position of Kyiv.”