News and press releases

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period, including about 2,300 explosions in Donetsk region and more than 330 explosions in Luhansk region. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling in Debaltseve, Dokuchaievsk and Kalynove. The SMM continued monitoring the three disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and its access was again restricted.* The Mission observed proscribed weapons in violation of the respective withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM monitored a border crossing point currently not under government control in Luhansk region. In Lviv the SMM observed a peaceful gathering...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period, including nearly 1,600 explosions in Donetsk region and 169 explosions in Luhansk region. The majority of ceasefire violations, including the use of tank, artillery and mortar fire continued to be recorded in the Svitlodarsk-Debaltseve area. The SMM continued monitoring the three disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and its access to these areas was again restricted.* The Mission observed proscribed weapons in violation of the respective withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM followed up on reports of an incident at a Jewish gravesite in Uman...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period, while recording some 730 explosions in Donetsk region. The majority of ceasefire violations, including the use of multiple-launch rocket systems, artillery and mortar, were concentrated in the Svitlodarsk-Debaltseve-Horlivka area. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling in Sakhanka and Kalynove. The SMM continued monitoring the three disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and its access was again restricted.* The Mission observed proscribed weapons in violation of the respective withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM monitored a border crossing point currently not under government control in Luhansk region. In Kyiv and Ivano-Frankivsk the SMM observed peaceful gatherings...

KYIV, 21 December 2016 – The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) will hold its regular news briefing on Thursday, 22 December in Kyiv.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the period between the evenings of 18 and 19 December. The SMM observed damage from fighting on 18 December, and followed up on reports of shelling and civilian casualties. The SMM continued monitoring the three disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and its access was again restricted.* The Mission facilitated and monitored repairs to essential infrastructure in Horlivka, Zolote, Orikhove and Krasnyi Lyman. It continued to observe long queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions on both 17 and 18 December compared with 16 December. The SMM observed heavy fighting in the areas around Svitlodarsk and Debaltseve. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling and observed impacts on both sides of the contact line in Popasna and Kalynove. The SMM continued monitoring the three disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and its access was again restricted; it recorded ceasefire violations in or around Petrivske.* The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines. The Mission monitored one border crossing point currently not under government control...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Marinka, and observed damage to a civilian house in Dokuchaievsk. The SMM was restricted in its movement in the three disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and recorded ceasefire violations in or around two of them.* The SMM monitored repairs to essential infrastructure in Artema and Zolote. The Mission monitored three border crossing points currently not under government control.