News and press releases

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. Three vehicles of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations crossed into Ukraine on 26 April and returned to the Russian Federation the next day...

Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region. The SMM saw unexploded ordnance in Kadiivka and new mine hazard signs near Novoluhanske and Debaltseve. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure and facilitated the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted at a checkpoint of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Zolote-3/Stakhanovets and at checkpoints of the armed formations near Yasynuvata and Verkhnoshyrokivske...

An OSCE-supported workshop on human rights education and awareness-raising among students concluded in Nur-Sultan on 30 April 2019.

Strengthening co-operation between police and border guards in the identification and suppression of channels of illegal export, import and transit of victims of human trafficking was the focus of a two-day training seminar, which concluded on 30 April 2019 in Shymkent, Kazakhstan...

A series of training courses focused on best practices in responding to cases of domestic violence, organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, for deputy heads of the Interior Ministry of Tajikistan concluded on 26 April 2019 in Kulyab city of Khatlon region...

MINSK, 29 April 2019 – OSCE PA President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) met today with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko to emphasize the importance of close co-operation between Belarus and the PA, discuss efforts to put an end to the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine through the Minsk negotiating process, and address the status of democratic reforms.

Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 26 and 27 April, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. Compared with the previous 24 hours, between the evenings of 27 and 28 April, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. A 26-year-old man was injured by gunfire in Chermalyk. Small-arms fire was directed at SMM unmanned aerial vehicles on two occasions near Azov. The SMM saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations and saw fresh craters inside the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM saw fresh craters, mines and unexploded ordnance between Talakivka and Pikuzy. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted at a checkpoint of the armed formations near Bezimenne, at two heavy weapons holding areas in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, as well as at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka, a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region close to the border with the Russian Federation.