News and press releases

On 21 February 2017 at 07:20 hrs (Moscow time), the fifty eighth Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of ten vehicles were checked by the Russian border guards and customs services prior to them crossing into Ukraine. All of the 10 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 15:38 hrs on 21 February.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous 24-hour period. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, but more explosions compared with the previous 24-hour period. The SMM, in co-ordination with the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), facilitated and monitored repair of power supply to the Donetsk Water Filtration station and Avdiivka. The Mission observed restoration of electricity in Avdiivka. In areas not under government control the SMM observed a number of weapons in violation of the respective withdrawal lines in Luhansk region. The Mission continued to observe the blockade of railway tracks near Hirske. In various cities the SMM observed generally peaceful demonstrations commemorating the events on Maidan in Kyiv three years ago. In Kharkiv, the SMM followed up on media reports of an alleged shooting incident on the night of 17 February...

YEREVAN, 21 February 2017 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened an election observation mission (EOM) for the 2 April parliamentary elections in Armenia. The mission’s deployment follows an official invitation from the Armenian authorities...

An OSCE-supported training seminar on energy efficiency and energy saving measures for some 70 secondary school teachers took place on 20 February 2017 in Karagandy, Kazakhstan...

VIENNA, 20 February 2017 – With regard to the 18 February presidential decree by the Russian Federation recognizing documents and license plates of vehicles issued to Ukraine’s citizens and stateless persons who reside in certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, a spokesperson of Austria’s OSCE Chairmanship said today: “The OSCE Chairmanship expresses strong concern about this measure taken by the Russian Federation.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations compared with the previous reporting period in Donetsk region on both 18 and 19 February. In Luhansk region, the SMM observed more ceasefire violations on 18 February but fewer on 19 February. The SMM confirmed civilian casualties in Avdiivka and Trudivske and observed infrastructure damage as a result of shelling in Avdiivka, Trudivske, Pikuzy, Novooleksandrivka, and Zolote.

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana supported a roundtable discussion on the draft law “On amendments and additions to the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan”, organized by the country’s Constitutional Council and the Charter for Human Rights Public Foundation in Almaty on 18 February 2017...