News and press releases

The situation in Western and Central Ukraine (Kyiv, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi) remained calm and stable on 16 April with a routine police presence. In Kharkiv, Dnepropetrovsk, Kherson and Odessa districts the situation is stable. On highways in these areas, roadblocks have been built to secure districts from forces opposed to the Kyiv government. In Luhansk and Donetsk the situation was cause for serious concern due to the ongoing occupation of some administrative buildings and capture of other strategic locations by armed individuals.

The situation in Western and Central Ukraine (Kyiv, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi) remained calm and stable with a routine police presence. Teams judged the situation in Kharkiv, Odessa and Kherson to be calmer, but the situation remained tense in the Dnepropetrovsk region, where roadblocks were being built to protect the region from groups opposed to the Kyiv government. In Luhansk and Donetsk the situation was cause for serious concern due to the ongoing occupation of some administrative buildings and capture of other strategic locations by armed individuals.

This update is provided for the media and the public Throughout the day of 14 April 2014, the western and central parts of Ukraine remained calm, with routine police presence, whereas the situation in the south-eastern and eastern regions of the country remained tense. The situation in Donetsk and Luhansk districts continued to cause concerns owing to the observed presence of masked individuals in several towns of the region, occupying several administrative buildings and erecting barricades and roadblocks.

KYIV, 28 June 2014- The four members of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission’s Luhansk-based monitoring team that went missing on May 29 were released this evening after exactly one month in captivity...

Kyiv, June 27, 2014- The four members of the Donetsk-based monitoring team of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMMU) that went missing since late May were released late yesterday after 32 days in captivity.

KYIV, 30 May 2014- At around 19:00 yesterday the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine lost contact with some members of its Luhansk-based team...

KYIV, 27 May 2014- On Monday evening at around 18:00 the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine lost contact with one of its Donetsk-based teams...

KYIV, 9 May 2014- The Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, said he was saddened to hear of the deadly fighting today in Mariupol, Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine...

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission is delighted with news of the release of the military observers held hostage since Friday 25 April and pleased to have been able to assist the Ukrainian authorities in the efforts that led to their release.

Kyiv, 3 May 2014- In the course of the past 24 hours, the situation in eastern and southern Ukraine has deteriorated further. More violence across this region has left many injured and led to dozens of lives lost.