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News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 26 November 2017
Publishing date: 27 November 2017
Content type: Daily report
Where we are: OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (closed)
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution
The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 24 and 25 November compared with the previous reporting period. In both regions the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations between the evenings of 25 and 26 November compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM heard from soldiers and residents that Ukrainian Armed Forces had moved into the village of Travneve on 21-22 November. Some residents of Travneve told the SMM that they had been without electricity since 16 November. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area. It followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Popasna and observed damage caused by shelling in Dokuchaievsk and Holmivskyi. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including at a Ukrainian Armed Forces weapons holding area. The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Volnovakha. The SMM visited seven border areas outside of government control. The SMM monitored a gathering in front of the regional prosecutor’s office in Odessa...
Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 24 November 2017
Publishing date: 25 November 2017
Content type: Daily report
Where we are: OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (closed)
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution
The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. It continued to observe armed men and armoured personnel carriers in Luhansk city centre. The SMM observed shelling damage in a residential area of Dovhe. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas.* It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure in Zalizne and Betmanove, as well as, reportedly, the transport of the bodies of deceased soldiers near Novotoshkivske and Sentianivka. The SMM followed up on the situation of civilians from Travneve close to the contact line.
Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 23 November 2017
Publishing date: 24 November 2017
Content type: Daily report
Where we are: OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (closed)
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution
The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. It continued to observe armed men and armoured personnel carriers in Luhansk city centre. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it heard an explosion near the Stanytsia Luhansk disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including near Kreminets. The SMM observed shelling damage in a residential area of Dokuchaievsk. In Luhansk the SMM observed a convoy of 16 cargo trucks marked with “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation”. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure in Betmanove. The SMM observed a calm situation in Kherson region along the administrative boundary line with Crimea. It observed groups of parishioners shout at one another outside a church in Ivano-Frankivsk...
OSCE SMM Chief Monitor and OSCE Project Co-ordinator call for protection and inclusion of women in Ukraine
Publishing date: 24 November 2017
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine (closed), OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (closed)
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution, Gender equality
KYIV, 24 November 2017 – As the world is set to mark tomorrow’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, it is vitally important to recognize the link between violence against women and armed conflict, said Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, and Ambassador Vaidotas Verba, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, today in Kyiv.
Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 22 November 2017
Publishing date: 23 November 2017
Content type: Daily report
Where we are: OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (closed)
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution
The SMM continued to see the presence of at least 100 armed persons as well as of vehicles, including armoured personnel carriers, in Luhansk city centre. The Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a similar number in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded a ceasefire violation inside the Petrivske disengagement area, outside the reporting period. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including again near Kreminets and in Luhansk city.* The Mission facilitated and monitored repairs of power lines in Betmanove. The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians travelling across the contact line. It visited a border area not under government control in Donetsk region. The SMM monitored a gathering in Kyiv....
Spot Report: SMM observes armed men in Luhansk city
Publishing date: 23 November 2017
Content type: Spot report
Where we are: OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (closed)
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution
On 21 November and 22 November, the SMM saw that an area in Luhansk city, with radius of up to approximately to 600m from 38 Lunacharskoho Street, was cordoned off (see SMM Daily Report 22 November 2017). On both days, inside the cordoned-off area, the SMM saw about 100 unidentified armed persons, most of them masked (or hiding their faces) and wearing white tape stripes on both arms. In the same area, the SMM also saw four stationary armoured personnel carriers (APC) (one at each location) in Kotelnykova (BTR-variant), Lermontova Street (BTR-variant), Kotelnykova Street (BTR-80), and at Polskoho Street (BTR-70)...
Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 21 November 2017
Publishing date: 22 November 2017
Content type: Daily report
Where we are: OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (closed)
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution
The SMM saw about 150 armed persons and about 30 vehicles, including armoured personnel carriers, in Luhansk city centre, as well as a convoy of military-type armoured vehicles, trucks and armed men near Debaltseve and subsequently near Vesela Tarasivka. The Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including near Volnovakha and Kreminets.* The SMM saw weapons in violation on both sides of the contact line. The Mission facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure in Zalizne, Betmanove, Vesela Hora and Shchastia, and near Troitske, Krasnyi Lyman and Artema. The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians travelling across the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. It visited two border areas not under government control. The SMM monitored gatherings in Kyiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv and Chernivtsi....