News and press releases

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM observed fresh impact craters in Kriakivka and Molodizhne as the result of shelling. The SMM observed a ceasefire violation inside the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs to and operations of essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas as well as in non-government-controlled Izvaryne and Sievernyi, areas near the border with the Russian Federation...

VIENNA, 1 February 2019 – Although there was a decrease in the level of violence following a recommitment to the ceasefire on the occasion of the New Year/Christmas festivities, an increase in ceasefire violations in recent weeks has again brought more suffering to civilians living along the contact line, the Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), Ertugrul Apakan, said in his address to the OSCE Permanent Council today in Vienna...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. The SMM observed fresh damage from shelling at the checkpoint of the armed formations on the southern edge of the Zolote disengagement area, as well as military presence in the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line; it also saw a high number of weapons, including about 60 tanks, beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas. It continued to observe long queues of civilians travelling across the contact line near Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs to and operations of essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere.* The SMM observed that the wooden boxes at the Myronivskyi reservoir had been removed...

MINSK, 31 January 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 30 January 2019:..

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM observed more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM recorded ceasefire violations inside the disengagement area near Zolote. The Mission saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas of Luhansk region. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs to and operations of essential infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas.* In Lviv and Chernivtsi, the SMM observed gatherings marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day...

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 was 7,766 at both BCPs. The overall number of border crossings by persons decreased at both BCPs compared to the previous week...

Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM observed a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. The SMM followed up on reports of a man who died while crossing the contact line in Stanytsia Luhanska. The Mission saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs to and operations of essential infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM’s freedom of movement was also restricted near Horlivka...