News and press releases

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Myrnohrad, Pivdenne and Horlivka. The Mission observed damage as a result of shelling near Dokuchaievsk. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote and Petrivske areas. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Buhaivka. It continued to monitor and facilitate the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to the Donetsk Filtration Station and repair works and demining activities in order to keep the station operational; it heard ceasefire violations in the area, despite security guarantees. The SMM continued to monitor and facilitate repairs to high-voltage power lines near Almazna, Yuzhna-Lomuvatka and Veselohorivka. In Kharkiv, the SMM monitored a gathering in front of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 25 and 26 May compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 26 and 27 May, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Zhovanka. The Mission observed fresh damage as a result of shelling in Toretsk and Bohdanivka. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. It recorded ceasefire violations in the Petrivske disengagement area and near the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote disengagement areas. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three areas, as well as in Pikuzy, Sosnivske, at a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region and near Leonove, near the border with the Russian Federation. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. It continued to monitor and facilitate the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to the Donetsk Filtration Station and of demining activity in order to keep the station operational; it heard ceasefire violations in the area, despite security guarantees. The SMM also continued to monitor and facilitate repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema and high-voltage power lines near Almazna, Yuzhna-Lomuvatka and Veselohorivka.

VIENNA, 25 May 2018 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today reiterated that foreign media outlets and representatives should not be included on sanctions lists, following a recent decision by the Ukrainian authorities with regard to the information agencies RIA Novosti Ukraine and Rossiya Segodnya...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. Small arms were again fired near an SMM patrol, near Molodizhne. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Troitske, Svatove, Marinka, Kruta Balka and Zaitseve. It also followed up on reports of a collapsed bridge and injuries to civilians near Ivanivka, and reports of shelling near a residential area of Talakivka. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including near Voznesenivka at the border with the Russian Federation, at a checkpoint near Khreshchatytske, and near Ivanivka. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Teple, Kalynove, Vrubivka, Vodiane and Bohoiavlenka. It continued to monitor and facilitate the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to the Donetsk Filtration Station to facilitate repair works and keep it operational; it heard ceasefire violations in the area, despite security guarantees. The SMM also continued to monitor and facilitate repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema and high-voltage power lines near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a public gathering.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of a casualty in Marinka near the contact line. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, where it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and near the Zolote and Petrivske disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including at a checkpoint in Verkhnoshyrokivske.* The SMM continued to facilitate the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees and others to the Donetsk Filtration System to assess damage and facilitate repair works which were completed by 17:00. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to high-voltage power lines near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka, Almazna, and Veselohorivka. The Mission also monitored a gathering in Kharkiv in front of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission heard small-arms fire 100m from its position near Kriakivka. Small-arms fire hit an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle which fell to the ground near Vesela Hora.* The SMM observed fresh damage caused by shelling in Avdiivka. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area and explosions assessed as rounds of multiple launch rocket system near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area.

At 11:57 on 21 May, an SMM patrol consisting of five SMM members and two armoured vehicles was positioned on the western edge of Kriakivka (government-controlled, 38km north-west of Luhansk). Four patrol members were inside the vehicles and one member was outside when the patrol members heard four shots of small-arms fire approximately 100m south. The patrol could not determine the direction of fire.