News and press releases

KYIV, 10 November 2016- Following a recent sharp increase in fighting in eastern Ukraine, Ertugrul Apakan, Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), called on the sides to exercise maximum restraint and establish a full and sustainable ceasefire...

At 10:10 on 9 November, having crossed into non-government controlled areas, an SMM patrol (of six members in two vehicles) at the entry-exit checkpoint south-east of “DPR”-controlled Verkhnioshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, 85km south of Donetsk), heard five outgoing explosions followed by five impacts; two-three impacts were seen about 100 metres south-south-east. Then, the SMM heard and saw a further three to five impacts, some about 50 metres south-east of its position. The SMM could not determine the weapons used...

VIENNA, 10 November 2016 – Addressing the 57 OSCE participating States and the OSCE Partners for Co-operation in the Permanent Council in Vienna today, Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Cooperation of Afghanistan Adela Raz underlined the importance to her country of its partnership with the OSCE...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Toretsk, Marinka and Zoria. It observed damage caused by shelling in Marinka, Irmino, and Novotoshkivske. In Verkhnoshyrokivske shelling occurred near the SMM. The Mission continued to monitor the disengagement process in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and faced restriction of its freedom of movement in all three areas.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure co-ordinated by the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination. In Luhansk region, the Mission visited two border areas currently not under government control and one border area under government control...

VIENNA, 10 November 2016 – Promoting greater attention to the positive potential of national minorities for societies and states was a core theme of speakers at the opening of a two-day OSCE Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting (SHDM) held in Vienna today, entitled “National Minorities, Bridge Building and Integration"...

The OSCE Mission to Moldova on 8 November 2016 organized its first forum for non-governmental organizations from Gagauz Autonomy and the district of Taraclia, and international donors, providing a platform for 52 participants to foster partnerships between NGOs outside the capital and international agencies and embassies based in Chisinau...

MINSK, 9 November – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) Martin Sajdik made the following press statement after the meeting of the TCG and its four Working Groups in Minsk on 9 November 2016: “Last time we met in Minsk was on 26 October 2016. On 29 October, the TCG convened via video conferencing and this was also attended by representatives from certain areas of Luhansk and Donetsk regions and representatives of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (SMM) and the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC).