News and press releases

MINSK, 5 September 2018 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG and its Working Groups in Minsk on 5 September 2018:

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations near the Petrivske disengagement area. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas.* It continued to monitor the situation at the closed entry-exit checkpoint near Stanytsia Luhanska where it observed construction works. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. The SMM also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to water infrastructure near Pervomaisk and Krasnyi Lyman.

PRAGUE, 5 September 2018- Harnessing the opportunities of the digital transition while curbing its negative security implications through human capital development, is the focus of this year’s OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum which opened today in Prague...

VIENNA, 5 September 2018 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today expressed his concern about a court decision in Kyiv ordering the disclosure of mobile-phone data of a Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) investigative reporter and the host of its Schemes programme, Natalia Sedletska.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. Following the explosion on Pushkina Boulevard in Donetsk city on 31 August, the Mission continued to observe a calm situation in the city centre. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. The SMM’s access remained restricted in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area as well as near Topolyne and Pryvilne.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines near Kremenivka. It continued to monitor the situation at the closed entry-exit checkpoint near Stanytsia Luhanska and to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. The SMM’s observations remained limited due to security considerations.

VIENNA, 4 September 2018- OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today condemned continued targeted attacks by extremists against journalists covering protests in Chemnitz, Germany. The condemnation follows the latest attacks during an anti-migrant demonstration on 1 September.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a similar number of ceasefire violations in Luhansk region between the evenings of 31 August and 1 September, compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 1 and 2 September, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. In Donetsk city, the SMM saw a gathering relating to the reported death of Aleksandr Zakharchenko and at least one hundred members of the armed formations securing the area. The SMM recorded a ceasefire violation inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in the disengagement area as well as near Yasynuvata.* The SMM observed a weapon in violation of withdrawal lines near Ozarianivka. The Mission observed anti-tank mines near Popasna. The SMM saw that the entry-exit checkpoint near Stanytsia Luhanska was closed and observed that checkpoints in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region had been re-opened. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. The SMM’s observations were limited during the reporting period for security considerations.