News and press releases

MINSK, 9 July 2017 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly adopted the 2017 Minsk Declaration today with recommendations to national governments, parliaments and the international community to help shape policies in the fields of political affairs, security, economics, environment, and human rights. More than 260 parliamentarians from 55 OSCE countries and several Partners for Co-operation participated in the five-day Annual Session in Minsk held under the theme “Enhancing mutual trust and co-operation for peace and prosperity in the OSCE region”...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including fewer explosions, in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period. In Luhansk city the SMM heard two explosions. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas. The SMM’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in Olenivka and twice near Kreminets where, on one occasion, an armed man pointed a rifle at the SMM and demanded it to wait.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Zaichenko. The SMM visited three border areas not controlled by the Government in Donetsk region...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions, in Donetsk region, and more ceasefire violations, including a similar number of explosions, in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote disengagement areas. The SMM’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* In violation of the withdrawal lines, the SMM saw ten multiple launch rocket systems near Khrustalnyi. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Mykhailivka-Almazna high-voltage power lines near Pervomaisk and repair works to water wells in the Stanytsia Luhanska area. The SMM visited one border area not controlled by the Government in Luhansk region...

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.

MINSK, 6 July 2017 – More than 260 parliamentarians from 55 OSCE countries and several Partners for Co-operation began debates today on political and security affairs, economic and environmental issues, and human rights and humanitarian concerns at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 26th Annual Session in Minsk...

MINSK, 6 July 2017 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG and its working groups in Minsk on 5 July 2017...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, although more explosions, in Donetsk region, and a similar number of ceasefire violations in Luhansk region as in the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Zolote-5. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas and observed a calm situation. The SMM’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including again to Novoazovsk – an area close to the border. It observed removal of unexploded ordnance (UXO) south of Stanytsia Luhanska and the presence of other UXO on a road east of Staromarivka. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Mykhailivka-Almazna high-voltage power lines near Pervomaisk...