News and press releases

At 14:00 on 28 April 2018, at a checkpoint north of Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk) six armed members of the armed formations stopped an SMM patrol, comprising two armoured vehicles and five members travelling from government- to non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region. They demanded to inspect the trunks of the SMM vehicles; the patrol complied with the request...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian injured by a mine blast near Yasne. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote and Petrivske disengagement areas; its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including to a weapons holding area not under government control.* Small arms were fired near an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near Novoluhanske, assessed as targeting the UAV.* Near Bohdanivka and Talakivka SMM UAVs were jammed.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. It continued to facilitate access to the Donetsk Filtration Station for Voda Donbassa employees and heard ceasefire violations in the area despite security guarantees. It also continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to power lines near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka and at a pumping station near Artema. The SMM facilitated damage assessments and repair works carried out by Vodafone employees in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, which resulted in restoration of the signal in these areas...

The SMM recorded similar numbers of ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission observed damage to civilian properties caused by shelling in Zolote-5. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded a ceasefire violation inside the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as at a checkpoint near Kreminets.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in Kostiantynivka, Bakhmut, Vodiane, Bohoiavlenka and Popasna. The Mission saw anti-tank mines near Novotoshkivske and Zholobok for the first time and, again, in a non-government-controlled area south of the bridge near Shchastia. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to power lines near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka, and to facilitate access to the Donetsk Filtration Station for Voda Donbassa employees. It also facilitated damage assessments carried out by Vodafone employees in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region. The SMM visited two border areas not under government control. The Mission monitored two gatherings in Kyiv and followed up on reports of damage to two bank office branches in Lviv. The SMM continued to monitor the situation at a church in Ptycha, Rivne region, following reports of an incident on 2 April...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM observed damage to civilian properties in a residential area of Yasynuvata. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote disengagement areas and spotted new military presence inside the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM saw for the first time anti-tank mines in a non-government-controlled neighbourhood of Zaitseve.

VIENNA, 26 April 2018 – With the volatile and unpredictable security situation in eastern Ukraine continuing, there is an urgent need to protect civilians living there, said the Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, Ertugrul Apakan, in his address to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna today...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Vrubivskyi. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska and Petrivske, including shots fired 200m and 700m from a patrol inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere, including in Dovhe.* The Mission observed weapons in violation in Lysychansk and Vrubivka. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs of water pipelines in Maiorsk and electricity lines near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka, as well as to facilitate access to the Donetsk Filtration Station for its employees.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Dokuchaievsk and observed damage to a civilian house in Dokuchaievsk as a result of shelling. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere, including at a checkpoint near Kreminets. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM revisited permanent storage sites and observed weapons missing, including for the first time. The SMM observed mines, and new unexploded ordnance (UXO) and improvised explosive devices, including near Donetsk Filtration Station. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to electricity lines near Maiorsk...