News and press releases

VIENNA, 29 July 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his concern today about a series of attacks against journalists and the obstruction to media activities during an election-related demonstration on 27 July in Moscow...

The OSCE Mission to Moldova supported an exposure visit for a group of 16 social service providers to a centre for counselling domestic violence aggressors in the district of Drochia, in the north of Moldova on 23 and 24 July 2019. The service providers from the left bank of the Dniester/Nistru River and the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia had an opportunity to learn from the unique experience of the Drochia Centre, which has pioneered working with both domestic violence perpetrators and survivors...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. A man was injured from a probable anti-tank mine while driving his tractor near Nikishyne. The SMM saw damage from shelling to a residential house in Nova Marivka. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs and maintenance work to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure, including to power lines and water pipelines. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including in Nova Marivka and at checkpoints of the armed formations in Kreminets and near Verkhnoshyrokivske.*

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. • The SMM saw damage from small-arms fire to a shop in Dokuchaievsk, reportedly on 18 July. • The Mission continued to monitor the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska and observed an assessment of the broken section of the bridge in preparation for future repairs. • It saw anti-tank mines and fresh craters inside of the disengagement area near Zolote. • The SMM saw for the first time unexploded ordnance in Nova Marivka and a remnant of a rocket-propelled grenade in Verkhnoshyrokivske. • The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure, including repairs to a water pipeline between Zolote-3/Stakhanovets and Popasna. • Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including at a checkpoint of the armed formations near Verkhnoshyrokivske.*

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. The Mission continued to monitor the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska. Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of fresh craters inside and near the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in government-controlled Vidrodzhennia and near Lysychansk. The SMM facilitated and monitored a transfer of persons convicted before the conflict from non-government- to government-controlled areas in Luhansk region. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including at non-government-controlled checkpoints near Zaichenko and Verkhnoshyrokivske...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. A boy was injured due to the detonation of an explosive device in Khrestivka and a girl was injured due to shelling in Pervomaisk, reportedly on 15 and 20 July. The Mission saw recent damage caused by shelling to a Cultural House in Pikuzy and to a residential building in Pervomaisk, reportedly on 20 July. Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM continued to monitor the operation of a shuttle bus service in government-controlled areas north of the bridge. It observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. An SMM UAV spotted the presence of a train and aerial imagery revealed the presence of vehicle tracks and a trench extension near the border with the Russian Federation. The SMM saw anti-tank mines, some for the first time, near Krasnohorivka, Staromykhailivka, Marinka and the Trudivski area of Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate the operation of critical civilian infrastructure, including the drilling of wells in Raivka. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including at a checkpoint near non-government-controlled Shevchenko and in Nova Marivka.

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. • The Mission saw fresh damage caused by shelling to a civilian property in Olenivka, reportedly ten days ago. • Small-arms fire was directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near Chermalyk and at an SMM mid-range UAV near Berezivske. • Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM continued to monitor the operation of a shuttle bus service in government-controlled areas north of the bridge. • The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs to critical civilian infrastructure, including repairs to power lines near Betmanove. • Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including at a checkpoint near non-government-controlled Zaichenko and Shevchenko.