(VOVworld)- Kiev troops started the long-promised withdrawal of heavy weapons from eastern Ukraine on Thursday, in accordance with the Minsk-2 agreement reached on February 12. Ukraine has begun to pull back 100mm howitzers from the disengagement line under the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)’s monitoring and verification, according to an announcement released by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry on Thursday. The Ministry added that if there are any attempts to launch an offensive, the withdrawal schedule will be changed for the Ukrainian troops’ readiness to defend the country. Previously, the separatist self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republic made a joint statement saying that they have already withdrawn 400 unit of heavy weaponry. The same day, National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine confirmed that there has been no gun fight in Donbass throughout the last 24 hours.