News and press releases

VIENNA, 6 April 2017 – The mandate of the OSCE Observer Mission at the Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk was extended by three months to 31 July 2017 following a consensus decision today by participating States at the OSCE Permanent Council...

The OSCE points of contact network to strengthen risk analysis and information exchange between the OSCE’s participating States and Mediterranean Partners in the area of border security and management was launched at a roundtable event organized by the OSCE in Madrid from 4 to 6 April 2017 in co-operation with the Spanish National Police...

On the occasion of International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, Tajikistan’s National Mine Action Centre organized on 4 April 2017 an event bringing together government officials, international and national state organizations and NGOs engaged in humanitarian mine action as well donor community representatives in Tajikistan...

Around 14:00 of 5 April, the SMM observed, in violation of the respective withdrawal line, heavy weapons moving in the vicinity of an aerodrome in Luhansk – 1.2km north of the road M04. (For example, at 14:47, the SMM observed one multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122 mm) heading south-east on the road M04)...

ASTANA, 6 April 2017 – An OSCE-supported roundtable discussion on introducing the Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in Kazakhstan began today in Astana, Kazakhstan...

VIENNA, 5 April 2017 – There is no alternative but to reduce the risk of a military escalation and find a way to constructively implement the Minsk agreements, said the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office’s Special Representative to the Trilateral Contact Group, Martin Sajdik, and the Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, Ertugrul Apakan, in their addresses to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna today...

Despite the relatively calmer security situation since the renewed commitment to the ceasefire beginning on 1 April, the SMM continued to observe ceasefire violations. In Luhansk region the Mission observed fewer ceasefire violations compared with the previous reporting period. In Donetsk region, however, it observed an increase in the number of ceasefire violations for the second consecutive day, including twice as many explosions than in the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on a report of a civilian casualty in Kurakhove and observed impact sites at a checkpoint area in Molodizhne. The Mission monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted.* It continued to observe weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. The SMM observed demining activity as well as repair work near the Donetsk Water Filtration Station that led to restoration of electricity to the Station and to the town of Avdiivka. The Mission monitored a border area currently not under government control. The SMM noted no changes and a calm situation at the blockade sites near Buhas and Bakhmut...