The provisions of Minsk agreement have been agreed, they must and can be implemented - OSCE Principal Deputy Chief Monitor in Ukraine

There’s no alternative to the Minsk agreement and implementing this document is needed, desirable and easy, said Alexander Hug, the Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, as he visited Kominternove and Shyrokyne in the Donetsk region on 15 January 2016.

Assessing the general security situation in the region, he saw the damage caused by a recent shelling incident that reportedly took place in Kominternove . He also met the residents of the village.

“One of the basic aims of Minsk is to create a Security Zone – a zone that is ‘without danger’. Children, women and men in Kominternove rely on forces on both sides to make this a reality. However I hardly need to spell it out: this zone is still full of danger,” said Hug.

A commitment to the agreement is needed from all sides, Hug stressed, noting that the SMM is ready to support the sides in implementation. “The SMM is strengthening its presence in eastern Ukraine not only geographically by opening new Forward Patrol Bases, but also by technical means. Today I saw a SMM camera that recently went into operation in Shyrokyne, giving us a 24/7, 360° view of the area.”