News and press releases

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions, in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded a ceasefire violation near Stanytsia Luhanska. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including in Horlivka and Rozivka. A “DPR” member again prevented the SMM from flying its unmanned aerial vehicle over the Donetsk Filtration Station. Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of four self-propelled howitzers in violation of withdrawal lines near Ternove. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance to infrastructure in Vesela Hora, Shchastia and Krasnyi Lyman. The SMM visited a border area not under government control in Luhansk region. In Poltava region, the Mission monitored four public gatherings...

VIENNA, 30 August 2017 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media today expressed his concern regarding the practice of detention and expulsion of foreign journalists from Ukraine.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on information of a civilian injured by shelling in Lukove. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas and recorded ceasefire violations near the Petrivske, Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement areas. Its access remains restricted there and elsewhere, including at a checkpoint in Novoazovsk. An SMM unmanned aerial vehicle spotted weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Kremenivka, Sakhanka, and Bezimenne. The SMM also noted that a previously observed hand grenade and UXO close to civilian infrastructure near Stanytsia Luhanska bridge and Novohryhorivka, respectively, had been removed. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance to infrastructure in Zolote, Vesela Hora, Shchastia, and Krasnyi Lyman...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas and recorded ceasefire violations in the vicinity of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and it saw a grenade fixed to a fence in a passageway used by pedestrians on the south side of the bridge. Its access remains restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including again in Verkhnoshyrokivske and to a heavy weapons holding area not under government control. An SMM unmanned aerial vehicle spotted weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Oleksandropil and Zelene Pole. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance to infrastructure in Zolote and Krasnyi Lyman. The Mission visited three border areas not under government control...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 25 and 26 August compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 26 and 27 August, it recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, but fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission followed up on reports of a civilian casualty from Petrovskyi district of Donetsk city. The SMM saw damage to civilian properties caused by shelling in Lukove and assessed impact sites there and in Shyrokyne. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas; its access remains restricted there and elsewhere, including again at a non-government-controlled checkpoint in Verkhnoshyrokivske and to a Ukrainian Armed Forces heavy weapons holding area. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to observe the presence of mine hazard signs along the Berdianske seashore near a group of people. The SMM visited one border area not under government control in Luhansk region...

VIENNA, 28 August 2017 – United States (US) President Donald Trump’s recent remarks on media are cause for deep concern, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir stated in a letter to Secretary of State H.E. Rex W. Tillerson...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours, following the recommitment to the ceasefire. In government-controlled Arkhanhelske, the Mission heard small-arms fire assessed as targeting its unmanned aerial vehicle.* The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas; its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in government-controlled Trokhizbenka and at a weapons permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region.* The Mission observed self-propelled howitzers in government-controlled Oleksandropil in violation of withdrawal lines. The SMM observed, for the first time, the presence of 25 anti-tank mines about 600m north-west of the entry-exit checkpoint near Marinka. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance to the power plant in Shchastia. The SMM visited one border area not under government control in Luhansk region. The Mission followed up on reports of explosions in Kyiv. It also monitored a gathering in Odessa...