News and press releases

On 9 March 2015, the SMM facilitated the demining of the village of Kominternove (88km south-east of Donetsk) by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Kominternove is located in between territory controlled by the government and areas controlled by “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”) and as a result has been subject to constant shelling since the beginning of the conflict. Many unexploded tank and mortar shells, rocket-propelled grenades (RPG), 220mm rockets and burned tanks can be found throughout the village, including the yard of a local school and kindergarten. Previously, the SMM had seen children playing near the unexploded ordnance (UXO), and had informed Ukrainian authorities (see SMM Daily Report 29 December)...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. The SMM, based on its monitoring – which was restricted by third parties and by security considerations* – assessed the security situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as relatively calm...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. The SMM, based on its monitoring – which was restricted by third parties and by security considerations – assessed the security situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as relatively calm. The SMM observed no violence in the Luhansk region. The SMM monitored the movement of numerous Ukrainian Armed Forces convoys. It verified that a convoy of weapons moved by the Ukrainian Armed Forces the previous day remained in situ...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Based on its monitoring – which was restricted by third parties and by security considerations* – the SMM assessed the security situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as relatively calm.

KYIV, 05 March, 2015 — Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, today expressed his sadness and regret at reports that several dozen had been killed in a mining accident in eastern Ukraine. He sent his deep condolences to the families of the victims.

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. The SMM, based on its monitoring – which was restricted by third parties and by security considerations – assessed the security situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as relatively calm, but noted continued fighting in certain locations, notably on the outskirts of Donetsk city, and continued military activity around the village of Shyrokyne, close to Mariupol...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. The SMM, based on its monitoring – which was restricted by third parties and by security considerations – noted the security situations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions to be relatively calm, although distant shelling and gunfire were heard by the SMM. The SMM also monitored “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled Shyrokyne – which has experienced recent fighting...