News and press releases

KYIV, 19 January 2018 – The Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Alexander Hug will be in eastern Ukraine from 21 to 25 January 2018. He will assess the security situation along the contact line and its impact on civilians, engage with communities on the ground and visit sites of repair projects for critical infrastructure which the Mission has been facilitating...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including at a checkpoint near Staromykhailivka and near Olenivka.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Vodiane and Bohoiavlenka. It facilitated and monitored repairs to a fiber optic cable near Shchastia. The SMM visited a border area not under government control. The Mission monitored public gatherings in Kyiv and Kharkiv.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Petrivske disengagement area. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including at a checkpoint near Verkhnoshyrokivske.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Svobodne. It followed up on reports of power outages in Betmanove and Slovianoserbsk. The SMM visited two border areas not under government control. The Mission monitored public gatherings in Kyiv.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous 24 hours and one ceasefire violation in Luhansk region. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including at a checkpoint near Horlivka. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Ternove. The Mission observed newly extended trenches close to a water pumping station near Vasylivka. The SMM monitored the situation at a school and a kindergarten near Novoluhanske. The Mission visited a border area not under government control...

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.

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region between the evenings of 12 and 13 January compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region between the evenings of 13 and 14 January compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission saw damage to civilian properties due to shelling and gunfire in Dokuchaievsk and Avdiivka. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded a ceasefire violation inside the Petrivske disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including at a non-government-controlled heavy weapons holding area, at two non-government-controlled permanent storage sites and in Staromykhailivka. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Bakhmut. The Mission visited four border areas not under government control...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period and no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. An SMM unmanned aerial vehicle was targeted by small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire near Pavlopil. The Mission followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Makiivka, and it observed damage to civilian properties and a hospital due to shelling in Kalynove. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, where it observed calm situations. The Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including at a “DPR” heavy weapons holding area and in Izhevka.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Khreshchatytske, Novozarivka and Haiove. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable demining near Popasna and work at the phenol sludge reservoir in Zalizne. The Mission visited a border area not under government control.