News and press releases

MINSK, 24 April 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 24 April 2019

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. The SMM saw fresh damage to a house in non-government-controlled Zolote-5/Mykhailivka and to two sheds in government-controlled Chermalyk. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM saw fresh craters and pieces of unexploded ordnance near Molodizhne. The Mission continued efforts to locate its long-range UAV that crashed near the contact line in Donetsk region on 19 April. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted near Zaichenko and near Verkhnoshyrokivske.

An OSCE-supported training seminar on the fundamentals of anti-corruption practices and international organizations’ rankings of Kazakhstan concluded on 22 April 2019 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized a training course to accredit Roma and Egyptian women activists as “confidential persons” who will serve as advocates for victims of domestic violence and early marriages. The three-day event was organized together with the Centre for Roma Initiative and concluded on 20 April 2019 in Podgorica.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM saw fresh damage from shelling to residential houses in Donetsk city. The Mission observed weapons in violation of the 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 in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Mission monitored the transfer of detainees not related to the conflict in Luhansk region. The SMM monitored the distribution of coal by an international humanitarian organization in Donetsk region. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted near Zaichenko, Bezimenne and Ozerianivka, as well as Izvaryne, near the border with the Russian Federation.

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.

KYIV, 23 April 2019 – Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine Ertugrul Apakan today paid tribute to SMM medic Joseph Stone, who was tragically killed two years ago when an SMM armoured vehicle was struck by an explosion, most likely caused by an anti-tank mine in a non-government controlled area near Pryshyb in Luhansk region. “We will not forget our dear colleague Joseph Stone who lost his life in helping to bring about peace in eastern Ukraine,” he said.