News and press releases

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation- The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons decreased at both BCPs compared to the previous week...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. Small-arms fire was directed at an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle near Zhovte. The Mission followed up on reports of a girl injured by shelling in Staromykhailivka and children killed and injured by an explosion in Horlivka. The SMM recorded a ceasefire violation near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as near Zaichenko, Tavrycheske, Bezimenne, Sosnivske, and Novoazovsk near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of agreed withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. It also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs and maintenance to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne, to the Krasnohorivka gas distribution station and to high-voltage powerlines near Zhovte. In Kyiv region, the SMM observed an incident during a court hearing for a journalist and followed up on reports of damage to the offices of the Russian Federation Trade Representation and of a member of parliament...

Persisting challenges within and beyond the OSCE area with regard to the meaningful participation of women to international peace and security efforts were the focus of discussions at the OSCE-wide conference “Women in the Security Sector: Challenges for the OSCE Area and Beyond”, held in Vienna on 1 October 2018. The event was organized by the Italian OSCE Chairmanship in co-operation with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Gender section.

More than 25 representatives of the Agency for Interethnic Relations, the Ombudsman’s office and the Council for Preventing and Eliminating Discrimination and Ensuring Equality completed a two-day training course on national minority issues on 2 October 2018 in Chisinau. Organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova, the course aimed at enhancing the capacity and co-operation among the state actors involved in implementing the National Strategy for Consolidation of Interethnic Relations for 2017‒2027...

VIENNA, 2 October 2018 – How to advance, streamline and ensure an effective OSCE approach to the non-proliferation of Small arms and light weapons (SALW) and in strengthening the safety and security of Stockpiles of conventional ammunition is the focus of a two-day meeting which opened today in Vienna...

The implementation of the Aarhus Convention’s principles in Kazakhstan was the focus of an OSCE-supported roundtable discussion held on 2 October 2018 in Astana...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region between the evenings of 28 and 29 September, compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 29 and 30 September, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM followed up on reports of children killed and injured by an explosion in Horlivka, as well as a person injured and damage caused by an explosion in Donetsk city. The Mission recorded a ceasefire violation inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as near Zaichenko, Novoazovsk, Tavrycheske, Bezimenne, Yuzhna-Lomuvatka and Izvaryne.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of agreed withdrawal lines in the Petrivske disengagement area and near Dokuchaievsk. The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station and also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs and maintenance to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne. The Mission monitored public gatherings in Mariupol, and followed up on reports of water contamination in Makiivka.