News and press releases

Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 5 and 6 July, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. Between the evenings of 6 and 7 July, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. A woman was injured by small-arms fire at a checkpoint near Horlivka and a woman suffered a concussion from shelling in Nova Marivka. The SMM saw fresh damage from small-arms fire to apartments in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka and to houses and infrastructure in both Dokuchaievsk and Pervomaisk. It also saw damage from shelling to houses in Yasne, and a burnt church and damage from shelling to a house in Pikuzy. Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, an SMM mini-UAV spotted members of the State Emergency Service conducting demining activities. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. It saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs and the operations of critical civilian infrastructure. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including in non-government-controlled Shevchenko, Hryhorivka, Yuzhna Lomuvatka, Oleksandrivske, and Novoazovsk.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. The SMM saw fresh gunfire damage to two houses in Yasynuvata. Small-arms fire is assessed as directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near Marinka; a mini-UAV was lost near Verkhnoshyrokivske after experiencing signal interference. Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM observed workers removing vegetation along the road north of the bridge. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the disengagement area near Zolote Small arms fire in close vicinity of SMM patrol members near the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission concluded the search for the long-range UAV without recovering it. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs and the operations of critical civilian infrastructure. Seven children injured due to unexploded ordnance in Dnipropetrovsk region. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including in government-controlled Marinka and in non-government-controlled Novoazovsk, Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, Verkhnoshyrokivske and Yasne...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Gunfire occurred in close vicinity of SMM patrol members at the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM saw fresh damage due to shelling in Patriotychne, Azov, Marinka and craters in Pikuzy. It also observed fresh craters near Sakhanka and in Novoluhanske, as well as damaged and destroyed buildings and ongoing fires in and near Pikuzy and Vodiane. Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM saw that concrete blocks near the former forward position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were no longer present; it also observed workers cutting trees and grass along the road north of the bridge. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the disengagement area near Zolote. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs and the operations of critical civilian infrastructure. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including in non-government-controlled Hryhorivka and Horlivka...

On 4 July, an SMM patrol consisting of four members and two armoured vehicles was positioned at the checkpoint of the armed formations on the southern edge of the Zolote disengagement area (60km west of Luhansk) preparing to conduct a mini-unmanned aerial vehicle flight. At 11:55, the SMM patrol members, two of whom were outside and two inside the vehicles, with doors open, heard 30-40 bursts of heavy-machine gun and 20-30 shots of small-arms fire, all assessed as originating 1-2km north-north-west of their position. The SMM members heard bullets flying 10-15m above their heads and also heard and saw bullets impacting electricity poles 10-15m south-west of their position...

VIENNA, 4 July 2019 – The disengagement of forces and hardware near Stanytsia Luhanska, recently facilitated and monitored by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine is a commendable step towards wider disengagement along the contact line, the SMM’s Chief Monitor Ambassador Yaşar Halit Çevik said in his first address to the OSCE Permanent Council today in Vienna...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. A man was killed by an explosive device in Horlivka. The SMM saw fresh craters and damage due to shelling to buildings in Khreshchatytske and Pikuzy and a fresh crater in Maiorove. Small-arms fire as assessed as directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near Debaltseve. The SMM saw deminers and the dismantling of the former forward position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. The Mission recorded projectiles in flight inside the disengagement area near Zolote. The SMM saw unexploded ordnance near Molodizhne. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs and the operations of critical civilian infrastructure. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in the disengagement areas and elsewhere. Its freedom of movement was also denied in non-government-controlled Maiorove...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. A woman was injured in Donetsk city and two men were injured in Vesele and near Pervomaisk from shelling and gunfire. The SMM saw damage to houses due to shelling in Khreshchatytske and Zolote-4/Rodina. Small-arms fire was assessed as aimed at an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle in Zernove. The SMM continued to monitor activities related to disengagement at Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM saw again the presence of anti-tank mines near the Petrivske disengagement area. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs and the operations of critical civilian infrastructure. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in the disengagement areas and elsewhere. Its freedom of movement was also denied near non-government-controlled Staropetrivske...