News and press releases

LONDON, 10 July 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, launched today the “Twentieth Anniversary Joint Declaration: Challenges to Freedom of Expression in the Next Decade”, at the Global Conference for Media Freedom organized by the United Kingdom and Canada in London...

Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Civilians were injured due to shelling in Novhorodske and Pikuzy. The SMM saw fresh craters near Naberezhne and Lozove. A mini-UAV was lost near Bohdanivka after experiencing signal interference. The SMM saw anti-tank mines near Veselohorivka and unexploded ordnance between Popasna and Pervomaisk as well as near Orlivka. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs and the operations of critical civilian infrastructure. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including in non-government-controlled Novoazovsk and Zaichenko.

Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 5 and 6 July, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. Between the evenings of 6 and 7 July, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. A woman was injured by small-arms fire at a checkpoint near Horlivka and a woman suffered a concussion from shelling in Nova Marivka. The SMM saw fresh damage from small-arms fire to apartments in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka and to houses and infrastructure in both Dokuchaievsk and Pervomaisk. It also saw damage from shelling to houses in Yasne, and a burnt church and damage from shelling to a house in Pikuzy. Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, an SMM mini-UAV spotted members of the State Emergency Service conducting demining activities. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. It saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs and the operations of critical civilian infrastructure. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including in non-government-controlled Shevchenko, Hryhorivka, Yuzhna Lomuvatka, Oleksandrivske, and Novoazovsk.

LUXEMBOURG, 8 July 2019 – OSCE parliamentarians today voted overwhelmingly to adopt the Luxembourg Declaration, containing recommendations to national governments, parliaments and the international community in the fields of political affairs, security, economics, environment, human rights and humanitarian questions. The document endorses a multilateral approach to addressing common challenges in arms control, conflict resolution, the environment and human rights...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. The SMM saw fresh gunfire damage to two houses in Yasynuvata. Small-arms fire is assessed as directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near Marinka; a mini-UAV was lost near Verkhnoshyrokivske after experiencing signal interference. Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM observed workers removing vegetation along the road north of the bridge. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the disengagement area near Zolote Small arms fire in close vicinity of SMM patrol members near the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission concluded the search for the long-range UAV without recovering it. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs and the operations of critical civilian infrastructure. Seven children injured due to unexploded ordnance in Dnipropetrovsk region. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including in government-controlled Marinka and in non-government-controlled Novoazovsk, Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, Verkhnoshyrokivske and Yasne...

Vienna, 5 July 2019 – Including women at all stages of the planning and decision-making processes in environmental security enables more effective and sustainable responses to the challenges we face, stressed participants at today’s High-Level Discussion on Promoting the Role of Women in Addressing Environment and Security Challenges.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Gunfire occurred in close vicinity of SMM patrol members at the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM saw fresh damage due to shelling in Patriotychne, Azov, Marinka and craters in Pikuzy. It also observed fresh craters near Sakhanka and in Novoluhanske, as well as damaged and destroyed buildings and ongoing fires in and near Pikuzy and Vodiane. Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM saw that concrete blocks near the former forward position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were no longer present; it also observed workers cutting trees and grass along the road north of the bridge. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the disengagement area near Zolote. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs and the operations of critical civilian infrastructure. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including in non-government-controlled Hryhorivka and Horlivka...