News and press releases

Ukraine’s Mine Action Law was adopted by the parliament on 6 December 2018, after consultations with the Project Co-ordinator, who provided advice on the content. It establishes a framework for humanitarian demining, divides responsibilities among state institutions, and envisages the creation of a mine action centre.

Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 7 and 8 December, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Between the evenings of 8 and 9 December, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. Small-arms fire was directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near Bila Hora.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region. The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted at a checkpoint in Novolaspa and close to Voznesenivka, a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region near the border with the Russian Federation.* The Mission observed a calm situation at the crossing point in Chonhar and other areas in the south-eastern part of Kherson region.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to water infrastructure on both sides of the contact line, as well as to enable repair works to damaged houses in Marinka. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. Restrictions to the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted in Izvaryne. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a peaceful protest during which it heard participants expressing views critical of the Russian Federation and calling for banning Russian-owned businesses in Ukraine.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM continued to observe hardships faced by civilians at checkpoints along the contact line and followed up on reports that civilians had remained after closing hours in the area between the checkpoint of the armed formations and the entry-exit checkpoint of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Maiorsk. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure on both sides of the contact line, as well as to damaged houses in Marinka. The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. The Mission followed up on reports of vandalism in a Polish Military Cemetery in Lviv. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and at a checkpoint near Novolaspa.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure as well as damaged houses. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate the transfer of human remains across the bridge in Shchastia. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas. It was also restricted in the Trudivski area of Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district and at a checkpoint near Zaichenko.*

MILAN, 6 December 2018 – With East-West relations at historic lows, a strong OSCE is needed to serve as a forum for real confidence-building, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) said today at the 25th OSCE Ministerial Council in Milan.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Mission observed damage to a house caused by shelling in a residential area of Chermalyk. The SMM recorded ceasefire violations, including over 20 explosions, inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and observed fresh shrapnel damage. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Mykhailivka and Alchevsk. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure and houses on both sides of the contact line. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. The Mission monitored a court hearing related to the detained Mekhanik Pogodin tanker; the court ruled that the tanker should continue to be detained. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas. It was also restricted at two weapons storage sites in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region and near Novolaspa.*