News and press releases

KYIV, 23 April 2014- Recent violent events in the Donetsk region are distressing and entirely inconsistent with the spirit of the Geneva statement agreed by the European Union, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and the United States, the head of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Ambassador Ertugral Apakan said today...

Western, Central Ukraine, including Kiev, as well as many regions of the southern part of the country remained calm. In the regions neighbouring the Luhansk and Donetsk districts some tensions continued – they resulted either from the political polarization or fears of possible activities of armed opponents of the government. The situation in the Luhansk and especially the Donetsk regions was tense with no significant signs of de-escalation...

The second day of Easter passed quietly in the overwhelming majority of Ukrainian regions, including Odessa and Kherson. Huge tension remained in Donbas (Donetsk and Luhansk districts) related to the activities of opponents of the Government, some of whom were armed, and due to the continued occupation of administrative buildings. The situation was cause for increased concern in Luhansk, where local separatists elected their own governor and called for a referendum on joining Russia.

DONETSK, Ukraine, 22 April 2014 – A team from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine led by Mark Etherington, Deputy Chief Monitor, made a statement following their meetings in Donetsk today...

KYIV, 22 April 2014 – OSCE Chief Monitor in Ukraine Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan today called for the immediate release of the head of police of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region, who was abducted by armed people yesterday night...

Bern, April 22, 2014- Swiss Foreign Minister and Chairperson-in-Office, Didier Burkhalter, commended first steps undertaken by the Ukrainian authorities to initiate the implementation of measures agreed upon in the Joint Statement on Ukraine of April 17, 2014.

Over the holiday weekend the situation in the western and central Ukraine was calm. Tensions remained in the Donbas- the separatists continued the occupation of the building of the state security service (SBU) in Luhansk as well as several other administrative buildings in Donetsk Oblast. Due to the proximity to this region, the situation in parts of southern and eastern Ukraine remains tense. Both proponents of the unitary Ukraine and separatists declared that their implementation of the Geneva statement depends on the mutual, synchronized disarmament and vacation of buildings.