News and press releases

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 OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities and the Bureau for Interethnic Relations of the Republic of Moldova jointly organized an induction training course in Vadul lui Vodă, Moldova, to introduce the country’s civil servants to key concepts of...

On 24 May 2018 at 06:31 (Moscow time), the seventy-fifth Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 16 vehicles were checked by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers prior to their crossing into Ukraine. All 16 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 14:33 on 24 May...

The links between respecting human rights and countering violent extremism and radicalization that may lead to terrorism were explored during a training workshop for police officers from the Spanish municipality of Fuenlabrada, from 22 to 24 May 2018. The course was organized by the OSCE Office for

The OSCE’s Mobile Training Team delivered a three-day interactive course on identifying foreign terrorist fighters to 30 border and security officers from Ukraine. The event took place from 22 to 24 May 2018 in Odesa. The deployment of the Mobile Training Team, the fifth of its kind, was organized by the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department.

VENICE, Italy, 24 May 2018 – Economic progress and security in the OSCE area through innovation, human capital development and good public and corporate governance were the focus of the two-day Second Preparatory Meeting of the Economic and Environmental Forum which opened today in Venice...

The first OSCE Model workshop concluded on Wednesday, 23 May 2018 in Banja Luka. Over 25 participants from Serbia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the host-country Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) gathered to enhance their theoretical and practical knowledge about the history, role and functioning of the OSCE, its Permanent Council and field operations, particularly with regards to conflict prevention.