News and press releases

VIENNA, 7 August 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his disappointment today at a court ruling in Ukraine fining Hromadske TV for branding a nationalist organization as “neo-Nazi”...

• Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. • Small-arms fire was directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near Avdiivka. • The SMM saw deminers from government- and non-government-controlled areas working inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. • It heard ceasefire violations assessed as inside the Zolote disengagement area. • The Mission saw long queues at checkpoints along the contact line. • The Mission monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs of power lines, as well as the operation of essential civilian infrastructure. • Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including at a non-government-controlled checkpoint near Zaichenko...

• Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 2 and 3 August, the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. • Between the evenings of 3 and 4 August, the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations both in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. • A woman died from the detonation of a mine in Zaitseve. • The SMM observed shrapnel damage, which reportedly occurred on 27 June, to a functioning school in non-government-controlled Donetsk city. • The SMM saw deminers from government- and non-government-controlled areas working inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. • It heard ceasefire violations assessed as inside the Zolote disengagement area. • The Mission continued to monitor the situation at checkpoints along the contact line. • Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including in the Zolote disengagement area due to a spool wire, as well as in Sosnivske and at checkpoints near Novoazovsk, Verkhnoshyrokivske and Zaichenko, all in non-government-controlled areas...

The office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities announced on 5 August 2019 that it is supporting diversity training courses for civil servants in Ukraine over the coming years, as part of its commitment to assist OSCE states working to manage diversity. Integration is a process that

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. • The SMM saw deminers from government- and non-government-controlled areas working simultaneously inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. • It observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region. • The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs of essential civilian infrastructure, including repairs of power lines and a phenol sludge reservoir. • Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including at a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region.*

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. • The SMM observed demining activities by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. • The SMM noted removal of anti-personnel and anti-vehicle mines near a road north of Petrivske; it observed that anti-tank mines on a road between Bohdanivka and Viktorivka remained in place. • The Mission observed multiple launch rocket systems in violation of withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region. • The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs of essential civilian infrastructure, including repairs of power lines and water pipelines, and the drilling of water wells. • Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including at a non-government-controlled checkpoint near Verkhnoshyrokivske.*

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Mission saw a fresh crater and unexploded ordnance near civilian properties on the western edge of Pervomaisk. An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted military hardware in the Petrivske disengagement area. An SMM mid-range UAV spotted anti-tank mines, some for the first time, near non-government-controlled Nyzhnie Lozove and Pikuzy. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs of power lines and the drilling of water wells. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including at a checkpoint near Verkhnoshyrokivske and near the border with the Russian Federation, all in non-government-controlled areas...