News and press releases

VIENNA, 14 March 2018 – Concluding Slovakia’s Chairmanship of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) in Vienna today, the country’s Permanent Representative to the OSCE and Chairperson of the Forum Ambassador Radomír Boháč said Slovakia strived to be an impartial facilitator of the discussions amid growing polarization and diverging views among participating States...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and observed a ceasefire violation near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including again in Kozatske, at the Chervona Mohyla railway station and a border crossing point near Voznesenivka in Luhansk region – near the border with the Russian Federation – and to a compound in Kremenivka. The SMM observed weapons in violation near Lobacheve. The Mission observed anti-tank mines in Verkhnotoretske and Betmanove. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske water pumping station in Artema. In Kyiv, the Mission followed up on reports of a fire at a chapel of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church...

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 decreased at both BCPs compared to the previous week...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and the same number of ceasefire violations in Luhansk region between the evenings of 9 and 10 March, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 10 and 11 March, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM followed up on reports of civilians injured and killed following an explosion near a minibus in Donetsk city’s Kirovskyi district. Near Ternove, small arms were again fired toward an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it observed ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including at a heavy weapons holding area, a permanent storage site and at two crossing points near the border with the Russian Federation in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Marinka and Khrustalnyi. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to essential infrastructure near Krasnyi Lyman and Artema. The Mission visited four border areas not under government control.

BAKU, 12 March 2018 – Highlighting Azerbaijan’s potential as a bridge for dialogue and co-operation in the OSCE area, a high-level delegation led by OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) today discussed with Azerbaijani counterparts upcoming domestic elections, as well as democratic and economic reforms in the country. The delegation underlined the important role that Azerbaijan plays in the region of the South Caucasus, and urged further efforts at economic and security co-operation...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and observed calm situations in the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including again at the Chervona Mohyla railway station near Voznesenivka, at two border crossing points in Luhansk region near the border with the Russian Federation and near Oleksandrivske.* The Mission saw mine hazard signs for the first time near Dokuchaievsk and Staryi Krym. The SMM visited three border areas not under government control. The Mission monitored a court hearing in Kyiv and gatherings in Kyiv, Odessa and Kharkiv.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period and no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Zolote-5. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including at two border crossing points in Luhansk region near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM visited three border areas not under government control. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance works to essential civilian infrastructure near Artema and Krasnyi Lyman. In Kyiv, the SMM followed up on reports of an incident involving a grenade launcher round fired at a restaurant. The Mission monitored gatherings on the occasion of International Women’s Day in Kyiv, Uzhhorod, Kharkiv, Kherson and Lviv; in Uzhhorod, it saw youths throw red liquid at speakers addressing a crowd. The SMM also monitored a protest in Lviv....