News and press releases

The SMM continued to monitor activities related to the disengagement process at Stanytsia Luhanska. Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the Mission saw that the most forward position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces remained empty; it saw two men in military-type clothing present at the most forward position of the armed formations. The SMM also continued to observe representatives of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine conducting demining activities, as well as members of the armed formations dismantling parts of facilities next to their checkpoint. Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 28 and 29 June, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Between the evenings of 29 and 30 June, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM followed up on reports of a man injured due to shelling in the Trudivski area of Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district and observed fresh craters there. The SMM saw damage caused by small-arms fire to a residential building in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka. The SMM recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. Small-arms fire was assessed as aimed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flying over the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in a government-controlled area of Luhansk region. Restrictions to the SMM’s access continued in the disengagement areas. Its freedom of movement was also denied near non-government-controlled Veselohorivka and Oleksandrivske...

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. • The Mission observed demining activities and removal of concrete blocks and other objects inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. • The SMM followed up on reports of a woman injured due to shelling in Oleksandrivka. • It saw damage caused by gunfire to and near civilian houses and a church in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka and Pikuzy. • An SMM long-range UAV was lost in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region. • The Mission saw weapons in violations of withdrawal lines in a government-controlled area in Luhansk region. • The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate the operations of critical civilian infrastructure. • Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere. Its freedom of movement was also denied near Novoazovsk and Kozatske, and in areas near the border with the Russian Federation, all in non-government-controlled areas.*

Press Statement of Special Representative of OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group Sajdik on the conduct of disengagement from the agreed area at Stanytsia Luhanska

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. • The Mission saw demining activities inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and further withdrawal of forces and hardware. • The SMM saw fresh craters and damage to houses due to shelling in Pikuzy. • Small-arms fire was assessed as aimed at SMM unmanned aerial vehicles near Sakhanka and Staromykhailivka. • The SMM saw anti-tank mines near Talakivka and Pikuzy, including some for the first time. • The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to critical civilian infrastructure. • Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere, including near non-government-controlled Starolaspa, Shevchenko and Verkhnoshyrokivske.*

• The Mission observed the beginning of the disengagement process at the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. • Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. • The SMM saw fresh damage from gunfire to a civilian house in Dokuchaievsk and to a pig farm near Novoluhanske. • It saw anti-tank mines near Petrivske, some for the first time. • The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to critical civilian infrastructure, including to water pipelines and powerlines. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. • Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere.

KYIV, 26 June 2019 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group, Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press:

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer Luhansk region. • Small arms were fired in the vicinity of the SMM, and other civilians, in Donetsk city and of an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle near Zolote. • The SMM followed up on a boy injured from the detonation of unexploded ordnance in Holmivskyi. • The Mission saw fresh craters near Vodiane and Molodizhne, and again saw the presence of mines near Vodiane, Travneve, Holmivskyi and Nyzhnie Lozove. • The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to water pipelines in Luhansk region and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure in Donetsk region. • Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewere.*