News and press releases

The SMM recorded some small-arms fire and explosions in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including in the area around Donetsk airport...

KYIV, 1 December 2015 –The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine is pleased to announce the expansion of its Youth Contact Group (YCG) dialogue initiative to Lviv, Kharkiv and Kramatorsk over the next few months as part of its mandate to facilitate dialogue in order to reduce tensions and promote normalization of the situation...

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCP). The overall cross-border traffic decreased at both BCPs. A forty-fifth Russian Convoy crossed at the Donetsk BCP...

The SMM noted a calm situation around Donetsk airport with the exception of one firing incident observed on the outskirts of the airport. The SMM registered several explosions, heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire in limited locations.

During a visit to the Luhansk region on 29 November 2015, the Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) Ertugrul Apakan, said Forward Patrol Bases established by the Mission greatly enhance monitoring along the Contact Line in eastern Ukraine...

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine and Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University organized an autumn school in Kharkiv from 23 to 25 November 2015, bringing together law professors from different universities across Ukraine to learn about the current trends in criminal law and teaching methodologies...

The SMM noted a calm situation around Donetsk airport except one incident where the SMM observed shell damaged houses in a north-western suburb of Donetsk city, close to the airport. The SMM registered several explosions, heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire in a number of other locations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions...