News and press releases

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine began training psychologists and social service providers in the psychological rehabilitation of conflict-affected populations on 17 and 18 May in Mariupol, Donetsk Region. This is the first in a series of events piloting the training course and manual developed in 2016 by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine at the request of Ukraine’s Ministry of Social Policy...

MOSCOW, PARIS, WASHINGTON D.C., 18 May, 2017- The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassadors Igor Popov of Russia, Stephane Visconti of France, and Richard Hoagland of the United States of America, released the following statement today:...

The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remained restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations. An unknown device was thrown towards an SMM patrol while driving in the north-eastern outskirts of Dokuchaievsk. The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM observed damage due to shelling in Novotroitske and Boikivske. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; the Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. It monitored the situation of civilians travelling across the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. In Kyiv, Kharkiv and Ivano-Frankivsk, the Mission observed public gatherings and followed up on incidents affecting religious communities...

On 17 May an SMM patrol consisting of five members in two armoured vehicles was in the north-eastern outskirts of “DPR”-controlled Dokuchaievsk (30km south-west of Donetsk) heading west behind a green military-type truck (KamAZ-4350) with plate number DK-1823. The SMM patrol saw six men wearing military-style clothes on board the truck in the back of the cargo compartment...

The office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities held a kick-off meeting to launch a long-term project to support the implementation of Georgia’s State Strategy for Civic Equality and Integration in Tbilisi on 16 May 2017...

The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remained restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations. The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. Near Verkhnoshyrokivske the SMM heard a shot of small-arms fire nearby. The SMM continued to follow up on a report of a civilian casualty in Chermalyk and observed damage to civilian property due to shelling in Sakhanka. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; the Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. It continued to monitor the situation of civilians travelling across the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. The Mission visited a border area currently not under government control. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored three peaceful gatherings...

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...