News and press releases

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, compared with the previous reporting period, and no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Petrivske disengagement area and observed military presence inside the Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement areas. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as near Zaichenko and Oleksandrivske. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to other essential civilian infrastructure. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a public gathering...

VIENNA, 4 July 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today raised his concern about the draft law amending the “Statute on the Mass Media” in the Russian Federation. If adopted in its current state, the law would extend the status of “foreign agent” not only to media but to individual journalists and other authors.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission observed bullet holes in windows of residential buildings in Dokuchaievsk. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it heard small-arms fire near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Lobacheve, Donetskyi and Bohdanivka. The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station. The Mission observed a gathering in Kyiv and the vandalism of a monument in Odessa. In Berehove, the SMM followed up on the killing of a member of the Roma community...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region between the evenings of 29 and 30 June, compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 30 June and 1 July – and following a recommitment to the ceasefire – the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM observed fresh damage caused by gunfire in a residential area of Yasynuvata. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it saw a fresh crater and again Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel inside the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and was restricted also in Kozatske, near Izvaryne at the border with the Russian Federation and on three occasions in Zaichenko. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Muratove. The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. Small arms were fired in the direction of an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near Sabivka. The SMM observed a fresh shelling impact in a residential area of Dokuchaievsk. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as near Zaichenko. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to other essential civilian infrastructure...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on a civilian casualty in a residential area of Pivdenne. The Mission observed fresh damage caused from gunfire in a residential area of Zolote-5 (Mykhailivka). The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded a ceasefire violation inside the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as in Molodizhne and Zaichenko. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station, as well as repairs and maintenance to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema and a water pipeline in Obozne...

VIENNA, 29 June 2018- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today expressed shock and strong condemnation following the shooting at the Capital Gazette newspaper office in Annapolis, Maryland in the United States of America...