News and press releases

KYIV, 15 October 2018- Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) Ertugrul Apakan called today for restraint and full adherence to the agreed ceasefire in eastern Ukraine...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region between the evenings of 12 and 13 October, compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 13 and 14 October, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. In Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, the SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties and observed damage caused by shelling. The Mission also observed damage caused by shelling and gunfire in residential areas of Yasynuvata and Chermalyk. It recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area and near the Stanytsia Luhanska and Petrivske disengagement areas. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as near Zaichenko, Novoazovsk and Leonove, near the border with the Russian Federation.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of the agreed withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable demining in Zolote 2/Karbonit. The Mission monitored events related to the Defender of Ukraine Day in different cities as well as a march on the occasion of the anniversary of the founding of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army in Kyiv...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. It observed a fresh crater caused by shelling in a residential area of Sakhanka. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and observed ceasefire violations near the Petrivske and Zolote disengagement areas. An SMM patrol heard and saw an explosion near Pervomaisk, approximately 300m west of its location. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as near Siedove, Novoazovsk and Voznesenivka, near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of the agreed withdrawal lines near Pidlisne. An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle again spotted vehicles, including a truck carrying an armoured personnel carrier, entering and exiting Ukraine via an unpaved road in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region near the border with the Russian Federation where there are no border crossing facilities. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to critical civilian infrastructure near Zalizne, Sakhanka, Artema, Donetskyi, Zolote-5/Mykhailivka and Krasnyi Lyman, as well as to enable demining in Zolote 2/Karbonit. In Kharkiv, the SMM observed a protest at an event hosted by an organization advocating for the rights of the LGBT community.

The Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina Bruce G. Berton, leading a delegation of Mission staff, lay a wreath of flowers at a memorial for civilian war victims in Žepče on 12 October 2018, and paid respect to all civilians who lost their lives in the 1992-1995 war in the country...

VIENNA, 11 October 2018 – With one billion citizens of the OSCE area – or 15 per cent of the world’s population – relying on diplomacy to succeed in creating a world free from oppression, discrimination, poverty and violence, political will must be generated to ensure full implementation of OSCE commitments, Assembly President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) said today in Vienna...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station; it heard small-arms fire overhead, despite security guarantees having been provided. The SMM followed up on reports that a man had been injured by an explosion while handling an explosive device in Lutuhyne.

GENEVA, Switzerland, 11 October 2018 – The 45th round of the Geneva International Discussions took place on 10 October 2018.