News and press releases

VIENNA, 29 January 2016 – A full, sustainable ceasefire remains a basic requirement for peace and normalization of the security situation in Ukraine, said the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group Martin Sajdik and the Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) Ertugrul Apakan in their address to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on Thursday...

The SMM observed a number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In Luhansk region, it also observed instances of ceasefire violations, including live-fire training. The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted, mostly in areas not controlled by the Government.* In Zaitseve, the SMM conducted crater analysis and observed a damaged house. In Marinka it facilitated and monitored repair works on the local gas pipeline...

A local ceasefire facilitated by the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) allowed for demining and repair work on the water pipeline in Krasnyi Lyman in the Luhansk region on 14 January 2016...

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCP). The overall cross-border traffic decreased at both BCPs.

The SMM observed a number of ceasefire violations across Donetsk region. In Luhansk region, it also observed instances of ceasefire violations, including live-fire training. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. The Mission continued also to facilitate repairs to vital civilian infrastructure. The SMM met with a civilian wounded by a booby trap in Zaitseve. The SMM faced restrictions to its freedom of movement once in a government-controlled area and three times in “LPR”-controlled areas...

The SMM observed a small number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In Luhansk region, it observed no ceasefire violations. “LPR” members restricted its freedom of movement on six ocasions. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs of critical infrastructure. The SMM also followed up on reports of civilians injured during shelling in Zaitseve, the water shortages in Luhansk city.

Due to adverse weather and other operational requirements, the SMM limited its patrolling in Donbas in order to conduct first aid, evacuation and medical evacuation drills. The SMM however, did observe ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. The Mission monitored the situation at crossing points at the administrative boundary line between Kherson region and Crimea. In Lviv, the Mission monitored a meeting between the Regional Council and representatives of different Russian national cultural organizations. The SMM monitored events marking the Day of Unity of Ukraine on 22 January 2016 in Chernivtsi and Lviv.