News and press releases

KYIV, 12 December 2018 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and to the Trilateral Contact Group Аmbassador Martin Sajdik made the following statement regarding the transfer of detainees not related to the conflict from CALR to the territory controlled by the government of Ukraine...

Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. SMM unmanned aerial vehicles spotted destroyed houses in the south-eastern part of Pivdenne in Donetsk region and fresh craters in residential areas of Zolote-4/Rodina and Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, in Luhansk region. The SMM saw a weapon in violation of withdrawal lines in Oleksandro-Kalynove. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to water and electric infrastructure on both sides of the contact line and to damaged houses in Marinka. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted near Siedove and Dovzhanske – close to the border with the Russian Federation – and near Popasne.

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week...

Ukraine’s Mine Action Law was adopted by the parliament on 6 December 2018, after consultations with the Project Co-ordinator, who provided advice on the content. It establishes a framework for humanitarian demining, divides responsibilities among state institutions, and envisages the creation of a mine action centre.

Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 7 and 8 December, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Between the evenings of 8 and 9 December, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. Small-arms fire was directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near Bila Hora.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region. The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted at a checkpoint in Novolaspa and close to Voznesenivka, a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region near the border with the Russian Federation.* The Mission observed a calm situation at the crossing point in Chonhar and other areas in the south-eastern part of Kherson region.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to water infrastructure on both sides of the contact line, as well as to enable repair works to damaged houses in Marinka. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. Restrictions to the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted in Izvaryne. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a peaceful protest during which it heard participants expressing views critical of the Russian Federation and calling for banning Russian-owned businesses in Ukraine.

MILAN, Italy, 7 December 2018 – Decisions and declarations all across three of the OSCE’s security dimensions – the politico-military, economic and environmental, and human dimensions – were agreed by OSCE participating States at close of the 25th OSCE Ministerial Council in Milan today...