News and press releases

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. • The Mission continued to monitor the situation of civilians near the contact line. • The Mission saw a weapon in violation of withdrawal lines in Klynove, Donetsk region. • The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential civilian infrastructure on both sides of the contact line in Donetsk Region. • Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued, including in all three disengagement areas.

VIENNA, 10 January 2019 – The major challenges facing the OSCE region and beyond demand more co-operation and more dialogue than ever before, said Slovakia’s Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Miroslav Lajčák, when presenting the priorities of the Slovak Chairmanship to the Permanent Council in Vienna today...

Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. It saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential civilian infrastructure in Luhansk region. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued, including in all three disengagement areas...

VIENNA, 9 January 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today in a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Elmar Mammadyarov, expressed his serious concern about the situation and health condition of the imprisoned blogger and chair of the media NGO Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety, Mehman Huseynov, and called on the authorities to drop new criminal charges brought against him. Huseynov has reportedly been on a hunger strike since late December 2018...

• Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 4 and 5 January, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. • Between the evenings of 5 and 6 January, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. • Between the evenings of 6 and 7 January, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. • The Mission saw fresh damage from gunfire to a functional school and a store in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka. The SMM recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. In Kyiv, the Mission monitored a peaceful public gathering related to the granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted in Staromykhailivka, near Starolaspa and near Leonove, close to the border with the Russian Federation.*

The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). During the reporting period the data on persons crossing was not available...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote and Petrivske disengagement areas. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and in Shchastia.