News and press releases

KYIV, 1 September 2016 – All sides should heed the ceasefire appeal ahead of the start of the new school year, the Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) Ertugrul Apakan said today...

In Donetsk region, the SMM noted an increase in the number of explosions recorded (approximately 520) compared with the previous reporting period (nearly 400). In Luhansk region, the SMM heard ten explosions and approximately 500 bursts of small-arms fire, an increase compared with the previous day when not a single ceasefire violation was recorded. On the night of 30 August, the SMM was forced to leave its forward patrol base in Shchastia due to the close proximity of shelling. It followed up on reports of civilian casualties and analysed craters in Donetsk city, Dokuchaievsk, Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove), Pervomaisk, Troitske, and Krasnohorivka. The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in government-controlled Vodiane. The Mission faced two restrictions to its freedom of movement, both in areas not controlled by the Government.* It observed a calm situation along the administrative boundary line with Crimea...

People in eastern Ukraine deserve peace and the sides should do their utmost to ease the people’s suffering, said Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine Ertugrul Apakan while visiting Donetsk and Luhansk regions on 28-30 August 2016...

Between 20:55 and 21:00 on 30 August, whilst at the SMM forward patrol base in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), an SMM patrol comprising five SMM staff members and a paramedic heard four shots of under-barrel-grenade-launcher (GP-25) fire approximately 1km south of their position...

In Donetsk region, the SMM noted a relative decrease in the number of explosions recorded (nearly 400) compared with 28 August (nearly 1,000). In Luhansk region, the SMM neither registered ceasefire violations during the night of 28 August nor the daytime of 29 August. It followed up on reports of civilian casualties and analysed craters in Petrovskyi district, Yasynuvata, Horlivka, and Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove). The SMM observed preparations for the start of the school year. The Mission visited two border areas not controlled by the Government. It faced four restrictions to its freedom of movement, all but one in areas not controlled by the Government.* The Mission observed a calm situation along the administrative boundary line with Crimea. The SMM monitored public gatherings in Kyiv...

The SMM recorded more explosions in Donetsk region on both 27 and 28 August compared with the previous reporting period.

The SMM recorded fewer explosions in Donetsk region on 26 August (at least 406) compared with the previous reporting period (over 543). The SMM also recorded significantly fewer explosions in Luhansk region (at least eight) compared with the previous day (nearly 200). It followed up on reports of civilian casualties and analysed craters on both sides of the contact line, in Donetsk city, Kostiantynivka, Stanytsia Luhanska, Marinka and Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove). The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and noted the presence of armoured combat vehicles and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the security zone. The SMM monitored the situation of civilians travelling across the contact line at Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, and two border areas not controlled by the Government. It faced two denials to its freedom of movement.* The Mission observed a calm situation along the administrative boundary line with Crimea and observed three public gatherings in Kyiv and the cancellation of a public hearing at the city council in Odessa...