News and press releases

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas and recorded ceasefire violations in the vicinity of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and it saw a grenade fixed to a fence in a passageway used by pedestrians on the south side of the bridge. Its access remains restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including again in Verkhnoshyrokivske and to a heavy weapons holding area not under government control. An SMM unmanned aerial vehicle spotted weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Oleksandropil and Zelene Pole. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance to infrastructure in Zolote and Krasnyi Lyman. The Mission visited three border areas not under government control...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 25 and 26 August compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 26 and 27 August, it recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, but fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission followed up on reports of a civilian casualty from Petrovskyi district of Donetsk city. The SMM saw damage to civilian properties caused by shelling in Lukove and assessed impact sites there and in Shyrokyne. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas; its access remains restricted there and elsewhere, including again at a non-government-controlled checkpoint in Verkhnoshyrokivske and to a Ukrainian Armed Forces heavy weapons holding area. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to observe the presence of mine hazard signs along the Berdianske seashore near a group of people. The SMM visited one border area not under government control in Luhansk region...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours, following the recommitment to the ceasefire. In government-controlled Arkhanhelske, the Mission heard small-arms fire assessed as targeting its unmanned aerial vehicle.* The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas; its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in government-controlled Trokhizbenka and at a weapons permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region.* The Mission observed self-propelled howitzers in government-controlled Oleksandropil in violation of withdrawal lines. The SMM observed, for the first time, the presence of 25 anti-tank mines about 600m north-west of the entry-exit checkpoint near Marinka. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance to the power plant in Shchastia. The SMM visited one border area not under government control in Luhansk region. The Mission followed up on reports of explosions in Kyiv. It also monitored a gathering in Odessa...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 22 and 23 August compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 23 and 24 August, it recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, but fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Berezove and Raihorodka. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas and recorded ceasefire violations in the Zolote area. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including in Verkhnoshyrokivske.* The SMM observed damage to civilian properties and infrastructure in Sakhanka, Pervomaisk, Malynove and Orikhove-Donetske. The Mission visited three border areas not under government control. It observed public celebrations in several locations and followed up on reports of an explosion in Kyiv...

KYIV, 23 August 2017 – The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) welcomes the recommitment to ceasefire by the Trilateral Contact Group and other signatories of the Minsk agreements, said Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, the Chief Monitor of the SMM, in a statement today...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties, including a boy who was critically injured when an unexploded ordnance exploded in Teple and two boys who suffered burns following a gunpowder explosion in Novoaidar. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas and recorded a ceasefire violation inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including in Novoazovsk and Verkhnoshyrokivske.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance to infrastructure in Shchastia, Artema, Zolote and Pivdenne. The Mission monitored the situation along the administrative boundary line between Kherson and Crimea...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission followed up on a report of a civilian casualty in Yasynuvata. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas and recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including in Novolaspa and Kreminets.* The SMM observed unexploded ordnance near Zolote. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance to a power plant in Shchastia. The Mission visited three border areas not under government control...