OSCE Chief Monitor in Ukraine urges sides to stop fighting in Shyrokyne

KYIV, 27 March 2015 - Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan expressed his disappointment that the sides have breached a local ceasefire arranged by the Mission two days ago in Shyrokyne, southeast Ukraine, and urged them to stop fighting immediately.

“I am profoundly disappointed that, in the face of mounting deaths and injuries among the civilian population, the calm that prevailed in Shyrokyne for two days has not endured,” said Apakan. “I urge all sides to silence their guns immediately, and to allow the residents of Shyrokyne to return to their homes and to a peaceful existence.”

“The sides should comply with the Minsk agreements which provide the best roadmap for peace to take hold in the conflict-ridden eastern part of Ukraine. Innocent women, men and children have suffered for far too long,” he said.

Apakan noted that when the SMM monitors led by Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug finally gained access to the town yesterday, they found a situation that can only be described as catastrophic. “Not one building had been untouched by the many weeks of shelling.”