Latest news from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received until 18:00 hrs, 4 June (Kyiv time)

The overall security situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions remained tense. Donetsk city remained quiet. Fighting around Sloviansk and the south-western neighborhood of Luhansk is reported. Other parts of Ukraine remained calm. The SMM has not reestablished communication with the 4 monitors from the Donetsk team and 4 monitors from the Luhansk team, with whom it lost contact on 26 May and 29 May respectively.

In Kharkiv the SMM went to Bohodukhiv (60 kms north-west of Kharkiv) and met with the head and deputy head of the Bohodukhiv district administration who confirmed the arrival of a group of 72 Displaced persons. The Displaced persons arrived in 2 buses from Sloviansk, organized by Kharkiv Region Administration. Some of them have relatives in Kharkiv, Poltava and Sumy Oblasts, and are planning to move to relatives in the near future. They have been accommodated in the children’s summer camp “Lastochka” in the village of Havryshi (10 km south-east from Bohodukhiv).

In Luhansk the situation remained tense. Fighting between separatist forces and border guards defending their HQ in Mirny, a south-western neighbourhood of Luhansk, continued. Gunfire could be heard through most of the night. The SMM visited one major hospital in Luhansk and personnel indicated that all hospitals in the city were given instructions to dismiss patients with minor illnesses in order to keep a larger number of beds free.

In the Donetsk region the situation remained tense. The SMM was informed that there had been intensive fighting in and around Sloviansk during the day.

The so-called ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ leaders announced that they expect “an imminent military operation” by the Ukrainian authorities on Donetsk city and asked for the mobilisation of volunteers. The self-proclaimed mayor of Sloviansk told the SMM that damage to an electricity pylon had caused interruption to Sloviansk’s water supply.

The SMM learnt that the ICRC sought access to Donetsk airport in order to assist in the recovery of bodies of separatists.

In Dnipropetrovsk the situation remained calm.

The situation in Kherson, Odesa, Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Lviv remained calm.

In Ivano-Frankivsk the SMM met the head of the district administration of Kosiv (90 km south of Ivano-Frankivsk). According to him the security situation was calm within the district. The “Self Defense” and the “Right Sector” patrol with the police. According to the interlocutor, approximately 50 members of “Self-Defense” and approximately 20 members of “Right Sector” are available for police patrols.

The situation in Kyiv remained calm. The SMM observed approximately 300-400 people demonstrating in front of the Cabinet of Ministers. The demonstrators were calling for the nationalisation of the Bank ‘Forum’ which is scheduled for liquidation. The gathering lasted for about 5 hrs. According to SMM observation police presence was low.