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News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
Spot Report by the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine: Armed man opens fire near SMM in Kozatske
Publishing date: 29 March 2017
Content type: Spot report
Where we are: OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (closed)
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution
At 11:07 on 28 March, an SMM patrol composed of six members and two armoured vehicles approached a compound where the SMM had previously observed armed “DPR” members, at the eastern edge of “DPR”-controlled Kozatske (36km north-east of Mariupol). (See SMM Daily Report 11 February 2017.)...
Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 27 March 2017
Publishing date: 28 March 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 on 27 March more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, and fewer ceasefire violations in Luhansk region, compared with 26 March. The Mission observed damage caused by recent shelling to houses and civilian infrastructure in Avdiivka, Popasna and Vesela Hora. The Mission monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM visited one border area currently not controlled by the Government. The blockade of railway routes across the contact line in Buhas, Hirske and Bakhmut continued. In Kharkiv region the SMM continued monitoring the situation following a fire and a series of explosions at an ammunition storage depot...
Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 26 March 2017
Publishing date: 27 March 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 fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region on 25 March compared with 24 March and more ceasefire violations on 26 March compared with 25 March. In Luhansk region the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations (all of which were explosions) on 25 March compared with 24 March, and fewer explosions on 26 March compared with 25 March. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Pokrovsk and Avdiivka and observed damage caused by recent shelling to houses in Zaichenko, Dokuchaievsk, Orikhove, Molodizhne and Katerynivka. The Mission monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted...
Spot Report by the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine: Shots fired in direction of SMM unmanned aerial vehicle near Orikhove-Donetske
Publishing date: 27 March 2017
Content type: Spot report
Where we are: OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (closed)
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution
At 12:45 on 26 March, an SMM patrol of four mission members in two armoured vehicles stopped 500m north-east of government-controlled Orikhove-Donetske (44km north-west of Luhansk). At about 13:10, a couple minutes after launching a mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the SMM observed another UAV almost directly above the patrol’s position, approaching from the south-south-west at a height of approximately 100 metres. The UAV was slightly larger than the SMM UAV and darker in colour, with a larger wingspan and vertical wingtips. It sounded like it had an electric motor. The SMM immediately began the landing procedure for its own UAV. The other UAV flew over the SMM patrol’s position, circled three times – steadily gaining altitude – and then departed to the west...
Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 24 March 2017
Publishing date: 25 March 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 fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Naberezhne and observed damage to houses and other infrastructure in Horlivka. The Mission monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted.* An armed man fired a shot in the air 20m away from an SMM patrol in Znamianka.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The blockade of railway routes across the contact line in Buhas, Hirske and Bakhmut continued. In Kharkiv region the SMM continued monitoring the situation following a fire and a series of explosions at an ammunition storage depot...
Spot Report by the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine: Shot fired close to SMM near Znamianka
Publishing date: 25 March 2017
Content type: Spot report
Where we are: OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (closed)
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution
At 12:10 on 24 March, an SMM patrol of four mission members in two armoured vehicles stopped at an abandoned bus stop about 800m west of “LPR”-controlled Znamianka (36km north-west of Luhansk) to monitor the ceasefire. On disembarking the SMM heard eight single shots of small-arms fire approximately 1km south...
Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 23 March 2017
Publishing date: 24 March 2017
Content type: Daily report
Where we are: OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (closed)
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution
The security situation deteriorated along the contact line. The SMM recorded a sharp increase in the number of ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Yasynuvata and Donetsk city and observed damage to civilian houses and other infrastructure on both sides of the contact line. The Mission monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted...