News and press releases

KYIV, 23 April 2019 – Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine Ertugrul Apakan today paid tribute to SMM medic Joseph Stone, who was tragically killed two years ago when an SMM armoured vehicle was struck by an explosion, most likely caused by an anti-tank mine in a non-government controlled area near Pryshyb in Luhansk region. “We will not forget our dear colleague Joseph Stone who lost his life in helping to bring about peace in eastern Ukraine,” he said.

Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 19 and 20 April, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Compared with the previous 24 hours, between the evenings of 20 and 21 April, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. An 11-year-old girl was injured by shelling in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka on 14 April. Small-arms fire was directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near Kamianka. The SMM observed a weapon in a government-controlled area in violation of withdrawal lines. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM’s access was also restricted near Zaichenko. The SMM observed a calm security situation in several regions of Ukraine during the second round of the Presidential Elections...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM saw fresh damage from shelling to residential houses in Donetsk city. In Donetsk region, an SMM long-range UAV crashed and an SMM mini-UAV sustained damage from gunfire. The SMM observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted near Markyne, as well as in Novoazovsk and Dovzhanske, areas near the border with the Russian Federation...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. A man was injured due to the detonation of an explosive device in Fedorivka. The SMM observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM observed long queues of civilians at the Stanytsia Luhanska entry exit-checkpoint. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted in non-government-controlled Shevchenko and near Novolaspa and Yasne, as well as near a border crossing point outside of government control in Leonove, Luhansk region...

COPENHAGEN, 19 April 2019 – The Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s human rights and humanitarian affairs committee, Margareta Kiener Nellen (MP, Switzerland) today reiterated her full support for efforts aimed at achieving a recommitment to a ceasefire in Ukraine on the occasion of the upcoming Easter festivities...

VIENNA, 19 April 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today strongly condemned the killing of journalist Lyra McKee in Northern Ireland, in the United Kingdom...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. A woman was reportedly injured due to shelling in Zaitseve. The SMM saw fresh gunfire damage to inhabited houses in Trokhizbenka and Dokuchaievsk. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM observed a weapon in violation of the withdrawal lines near Novoluhanske. It saw fresh craters near Novoluhanske, as well as anti-tank mines near Petrivske and Vesela Hora. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions and observed the restoration of the water supply to Dokuchaievsk following the completion of repairs to the Vasylivka water pumping station. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. It was also restricted near government-controlled Kamianka and in non-government-controlled areas, including at checkpoints near Bezimenne and Verkhnoshyrokivske and at border crossing points near Izvaryne and Sievernyi.