News and press releases

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region between the evenings of 29 and 30 December and in the following 24 hours compared with the previous reporting period. More violations were recorded between the evenings of 31 December and 1 January. Fewer ceasefire violations were recorded from 1 January to 2 January. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations between the evenings of 29 and 30 December compared with the previous reporting period, followed by two days of consecutive increases from 30 December to 1 January. Between the evenings of 1 and 2 January the SMM did not record any ceasefire violations...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports of shelling in Troitske. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access was restricted by the continued presence of mines and unexploded ordnance.* The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. The Mission monitored the situation of civilians living close to the contact line and the movement of civilians across the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs to essential infrastructure in Orikhove, Slovianoserbsk, and Myronivskyi. The SMM monitored three border crossing points currently not controlled by the Government.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the period between the evenings of 26 and 27 December. The Mission followed up on reports of shelling in Troitske and Zhovte (Luhansk region). The SMM continued monitoring the three disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access was restricted by the continued presence of mines and unexploded ordnance.* The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. The Mission monitored the situation of civilians living close to the contact line and the freedom of movement of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints. The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to essential infrastructure in Orikhove, Debaltseve, Maiorsk, and Myronivskyi...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared with the period between the evenings of 25 and 26 December. The SMM continued monitoring the three disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and its access was restricted by the continued presence of mines and unexploded ordnance.* The SMM facilitated and monitored the removal of unexploded ordnance on Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, and repairs to essential infrastructure. The SMM visited a border crossing point currently not under government control in Luhansk region. In Kyiv the SMM observed a newly-erected tent of activists on the Independence Square...

The SMM recorded fewer, but still a high number, of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region from the evenings of 22 to 23 December compared with the previous reporting period, including 1,150 explosions, mainly in the Svitlodarsk-Debaltseve area. The SMM evacuated its forward patrol base in government-controlled Svitlodarsk on 24 December due to the proximity of shelling on the evening of 23 December. While the SMM recorded a high number of explosions west of Horlivka on the night of 23 December, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations after a renewed commitment to the ceasefire starting on 24 December. The SMM returned to its forward patrol base in Svitlodarsk on 26 December...

The final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on the 18 September 2016 State Duma elections in the Russian Federation recommends that national legislation concerning the freedoms of association, assembly and expression be aligned with international

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period, including about 2,300 explosions in Donetsk region and more than 330 explosions in Luhansk region. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling in Debaltseve, Dokuchaievsk and Kalynove. The SMM continued monitoring the three disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and its access was again restricted.* The Mission observed proscribed weapons in violation of the respective withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM monitored a border crossing point currently not under government control in Luhansk region. In Lviv the SMM observed a peaceful gathering...