News and press releases

KYIV, 22 March 2018 – The Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), Ertugrul Apakan, welcomed today the extension of the SMM’s mandate for another year, stressing that the consensus decision of the OSCE’s 57 participating States constitutes both a continued commitment to the people of Ukraine and an endorsement of the Mission...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM observed damage near residential areas as a result of shelling in Sakhanka and Dovhe. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in Izvaryne at a border crossing point near the border with the Russian Federation.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to a pumping station near Artema, power lines near Svitlodarsk and continued to facilitate access for workers to and from the Donetsk Filtration Station. The SMM visited a border area outside of government control.*...

In preparation for the Third UN Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), which will take place in June 2018, the OSCE’s Conflict Prevention Centre, jointly with Germany and France, organized a side event on 20 March 2018 in New York to present the recently adopted OSCE Best Practice Guide on Deactivation of SALW to the UN Member States and inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM observed damage near residential areas as a result of shelling in Sakhanka and Dovhe. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in Izvaryne at a border crossing point near the border with the Russian Federation.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to a pumping station near Artema, power lines near Svitlodarsk and continued to facilitate access for workers to and from the Donetsk Filtration Station. The SMM visited a border area outside of government control.*...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous 24 hours and no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Pikuzy. It observed damage to civilian properties in residential areas of Sakhanka caused by shelling. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including at checkpoints near Olenivka and Staromykhailivka.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Lomakyne. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to a pumping station near Artema and continued to facilitate access for workers to and from the Donetsk Filtration Station. The SMM monitored a peaceful gathering in Odessa....

THE HAGUE, 20 March 2018 – OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Lamberto Zannier today launched a call for nominations for the 2018 Max van der Stoel Award. The award of 50,000 euros recognizes extraordinary and outstanding achievements in improving the position of national minorities in OSCE participating States. The deadline for nominations is 1 May 2018...

CHISINAU, 20 March 2018- The OSCE Mission to Moldova will hand over four sets of technical equipment to the Military Observers of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces on behalf of the Republic of Moldova, of the Transdniestrian region, Russian Federation and Ukraine at the meeting of the Joint Control Commission (JCC) on Thursday, 22 March. The equipment, consisting of notebooks, colour printers, GPS tracking devices and photo cameras, was purchased at the request of the JCC to improve information exchange between the Military Observers and the JCC about the situation in the Security Zone...