News and press releases

On 27 and 28 October, the SMM followed up on its lost long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The UAV had gone missing on 27 October at night while it was flying over an area south-east of Nyzhnokrynske (non-government-controlled, 66km east of Donetsk) following a convoy of seven trucks near the border with the Russian Federation (see SMM Spot Report 27 October 2018)...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM observed weapons in violation of agreed withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. It recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote disengagement areas. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as near Zaichenko, Kozatske, Yuzhna-Lomuvatka and Bezimenne. The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable demining activities near Nyzhnoteple and Zolote-2/Karbonit. It facilitated repairs to civilian infrastructure in Berehove and near Artema and to residential houses in Marinka and Krasnohorivka...

Renewable energy, green technology, resources efficiency and harmonizing environmental legislation were the focus of a series of training courses conducted by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe in October. Conducted in Bokhtar, Garm, Khorog and Khujand, the courses promoted the realization of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in Tajikistan. They brought together some 140 representatives of local government, civil society, youth and OSCE-established Aarhus Centres from all regions of the country...

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 slightly decreased at both BCPs compared to the previous week...

The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM), Lamberto Zannier, travelled to Moscow from 28 to 30 October 2018 for an official visit to the Russian Federation. During the visit, Zannier...

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) hosted the fourth annual Electoral Seminar, with a focus on election observation, fundamental freedoms and election campaigns, on 30 October 2018 in Vienna. The event brought together more than 100 representatives of OSCE delegations, election management bodies, international organizations and citizen observer groups. 

Enhancing the independent monitoring and documenting of the use of weapons and restraints in law enforcement activities was the focus of a capacity-building event for Polish torture prevention monitors on 30 October 2018 in Warsaw. The event was organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic