News and press releases

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas and recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including Markyne. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance to essential infrastructure near Marinka. The Mission visited a border area not under government control...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas and recorded ceasefire violations inside the Stanytsia Luhanska and Petrivske disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere. The SMM saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in Kostiantynivka and Volnovakha, and near Aslanove and Poltavka. The Mission observed the presence of mine hazard signs as well as boxes with firing cables attached to them near Novotroitske. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance to essential infrastructure near Marinka and Artema. The Mission visited a border area not under government control. The Mission monitored the situation along the administrative boundary line between Kherson region and Crimea...

OTTAWA, 3 November 2017— OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Christine Muttonen (Austria) is in Ottawa where she met yesterday with OSCE PA Special Representative on Gender Issues Hedy Fry (Canada) for discussions on the promotion of women’s leadership in the OSCE, its Parliamentary Assembly and within national parliaments.

VALLETTA, 3 November 2017 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today expressed concern regarding the detention of and reports of violence against journalist Igor Rudnikov in Kaliningrad in the Russian Federation and called on the authorities to release him...

VALLETTA, 3 November 2017- OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir, in Malta today to attend the funeral of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, urged the country’s authorities to ensure that all means will be put in place to enable a full, transparent and independent investigation into the killing of the prominent investigative journalist...

VIENNA, 3 November 2017 – The relationship between the media and security across the OSCE region and how it could be enhanced to the benefit of both the free media and security interests was the focus of the OSCE Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting 2017, which concludes in Vienna today.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period. In Luhansk region the Mission recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations – including, however, more explosions – compared with the previous reporting period. It followed up on a report of a civilian casualty in Dmytrivka. The SMM observed damage to houses due to shelling in Uzhivka. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas and, while there, observed calm situations at each one; its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including in Novolaspa and Siedove near the border with the Russian Federation. The SMM saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in Novoaidar and Lysychansk. The Mission visited four border areas not under government control. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a gathering in front of the Cabinet of Ministers building and continued to monitor the gathering in front of the national Parliament building...