News and press releases

The 11th annual OSCE regional workshop “Explosive Hazards Reduction and Response: Countering Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IEDs)” is taking place in Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan 18-23 August, 2019. The five-day event brought together over thirty international experts to discuss recent developments in national, regional, and global C-IEDs strategies. The workshop was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek and the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe in close co-operation with the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Kyrgyzstan...

MINSK, 21 August 2019 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG and its working groups in Minsk on 21 August 2019:

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a similar number of ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. • A man was injured by a mine explosion near government-controlled Illienko in Luhansk region. • Small-arms fire was assessed as directed at SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near Luhansk city. • The SMM continued to monitor the situation in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. • The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region. • It saw a fortified position and trenches of the armed formations near Novooleksandrivka. • The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs to and the operation of essential civilian infrastructure, including repairs to a phenol sludge reservoir. • Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including at a heavy weapons holding area in a government-controlled area of Donetsk region.

• Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations both in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. • A man was injured due to gunfire in Zaitseve. • Small-arms fire was assessed as directed at SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicles near Pervomaisk and Smile. • The SMM continued to monitor the situation inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. • The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near government-controlled Yasnobrodivka and non-government-controlled Ternove. • The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs to and the operation of essential civilian infrastructure, including repairs to a phenol sludge reservoir. • Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including at a checkpoint near non-government-controlled Verkhnoshyrokivske.

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week.

• Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 16 and 17 August, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. • Between the evenings of 17 and 18 August, the Mission recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. • The SMM continued to monitor the situation inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. • The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside of the Zolote and Petrivske disengagement areas. • It saw self-propelled howitzers in violation of withdrawal lines near Mariupol. • The SMM saw unexploded ordnance near Popasna, Novohryhorivka, Verkhnoshyrokivske, and Shyrokyne. • The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate the operation of essential civilian infrastructure at the Donetsk Filtration Station and the pumping station near Vasylivka. • Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including at a checkpoint near Kreminets where members of the armed formations behaved aggressively towards the Mission.

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. • The SMM continued observing demining activities inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska. • The Mission monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs to and the operation of essential civilian infrastructure, including repairs to gas pipelines, power lines, and the drilling of the water wells. • Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued, including at a checkpoint near non-government-controlled Verkhnoshyrokivske.*