News and press releases

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. The Mission saw damage to a house in Zaitseve. The SMM recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in Luhansk and Donetsk regions, including to the pumping station near Vasylivka. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. Its access was also restricted in non-government-controlled Shymshynivka and at a heavy weapons holding area in a government-controlled area of Donetsk region...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and a similar number of ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission saw anti-tank mines for the first time near Novoselivka, Shyroka Balka, as well as in an area between Marinka and Oleksandrivka. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in Luhansk and Donetsk regions. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. Its access was also restricted in Verkhnoshyrokivske and at a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region.*

YEREVAN, 13 March 2019 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Slovakia’s Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčák emphasized the importance of creating perspectives for peace during his visit to Armenia today. He welcomed the commitment to reforms and discussed the ongoing work and next steps in the negotiations for a peaceful solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as well as the OSCE’s longstanding engagement with and in Armenia.

MINSK, 13 March 2019 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG and its Working Groups in Minsk on 13 March 2019

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Gunfire was directed at two SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicles near Pervomaiske and Manuilivka, Donetsk region. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas in Donetsk region. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk region. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. Its access was also restricted in Oleksandrivske and at a checkpoint near Novoazovsk, both in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region...

More ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours, were recorded by the SMM. The SMM observed fresh damage from small-arms fire to a functioning school in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka and fresh impact craters near populated areas in Zolote-4/Rodina. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations and observed fresh impact craters inside the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere. Its access was also restricted in non-government-controlled areas, including at checkpoints near Zaichenko and Kreminets and in Izvaryne, an area close to the border with the Russian Federation.*

Some 20 representatives of Ukrainian government ministries and agencies and the donor community participated in a high-level meeting in Kyiv on 12 March 2019 to review progress in co-operation and joint efforts between the OSCE and relevant Ukrainian authorities in combating illicit trafficking in weapons, ammunition and explosives (WAE) in the country and across its borders...