News and press releases

Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Following developments at sea near the Kerch Strait, the SMM continued to monitor the security situation and observed protests in different regions of Ukraine. The Mission observed heavy weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in Karlivka and Lebedynske. The SMM recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area and near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema and to enable an assessment of a water pipeline near Popasna. The Mission also continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. In Zakarpattia and Lviv regions, the SMM monitored protests blocking roads leading to the international border crossing points in relation to import taxes. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as near Bezimenne and Novoazovsk, an area close to the border with the 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 decreased at both BCPs compared to the previous week...

VIENNA/ROME, 27 November 2018- OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Enzo Moavero Milanesi and Secretary General Thomas Greminger today called for restraint and dialogue to de-escalate the already tense situation in the Azov Sea and the Kerch Strait.

Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 23 and 24 November, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Between the evenings of 24 and 25 November, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM monitored the security situation following developments at sea near the Kerch Strait. The Mission observed heavy weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in Kostiantynivka. The SMM recorded ceasefire violations inside the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote disengagement areas. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to a water pipeline in Pervomaisk and continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. In Kyiv, Lviv and Kherson, the Mission monitored public gatherings commemorating the 85th anniversary of Holodomor. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas, as well as near Kostiantynivka, Novolaspa, Zaichenko and two areas close to the border with the Russian Federation, Voznesenivka and Novoazovsk.

COPENHAGEN, 26 November 2018 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) expressed deep concern today over the escalation of tensions in the Kerch Strait between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, called for restraint, and reiterated support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity...

The SMM followed up on the security situation in relation to reported developments at sea, near the Kerch Strait, where on 25 November, three vessels of the Naval Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces – two artillery boats “Berdiansk” and “Nikopol” and one tug boat “Yany Kapu” – en route from Odessa to Mariupol had been involved in an incident with vessels of the Russian Federation. Reportedly, weapons were used, six sailors were wounded and the three Ukrainian vessels were seized...

KYIV, 26 November 2018 – The OSCE Chairperson’s Special Representative to the Trilateral Contact Group, Martin Sajdik, and the Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM), Ertugrul Apakan, said today that they followed recent incidents at sea, near the Kerch Strait, with great concern...