News and press releases

The SMM heard small-arms and outgoing mortar fire close to its position in Zolote-4. The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on civilian casualties in Marinka, Luhanske and Kadiivka. The SMM observed damage as a result of shelling in Vesela Hora, Kadiivka, Shchastia and Vodiane.

On 23 June an SMM patrol comprising two armoured vehicles and six members was stationary in a residential area in government-controlled Zolote-4, approximately 300m north of the Zolote disengagement area (60km north-west of Luhansk). All patrol members were outside the vehicles.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of casualties in Yasynuvata and Pikuzy and observed fresh impact sites south of the bridge in Shchastia. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations near Zolote disengagement area and inside Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, including more explosions compared with the previous reporting period. In Luhansk region the Mission registered more ceasefire violations, but fewer explosions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas; an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle spotted that 12 anti-tank mines previously observed at the edge of the Zolote disengagement area were no longer present.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM confirmed civilian casualties in Petrovskyi district of Donetsk city and in its Trudovskyi settlement and observed damage caused by shelling to civilian properties in Trudovskyi and Zolote-4. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it observed ceasefire violations near Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The Mission facilitated and monitored repairs to Vasylivka water pumping station and to high voltage power lines between Mykhailivka and Almazna.

The office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) and the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine organized a conference on “Integration with respect to diversity: legal standards and good practices from across the OSCE region” on 13 June 2017 in Odessa. Participants discussed two

Kyiv, 13 June 2017- The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group, Ambassador Martin Sajdik, visited certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions from 10-13 June 2017.