News and press releases

ERGNETI, 11 May 2017- The 77th meeting under the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) was held in Ergneti. Ambassador Kestutis Jankauskas, Head of the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), and ambassador Guenther Baechler, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus, co-facilitated the proceedings...

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 a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. In Donetsk region most ceasefire violations were recorded in areas north-east of Mariupol. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The Mission saw multiple weapons in Donetsk and Luhansk cities, in violation of withdrawal lines. It monitored three border areas currently not under government control. The SMM followed up on a reported civilian casualty and assessed impact sites and damage to residential areas caused by shelling. Outside the security zone the Mission observed parades marking 9 May that largely passed off peacefully...

The first Olympiad on multilingualism in Central Asia that specifically focused on the mother tongues of the region, State and official languages, as well as foreign languages was held in Karaganda, Kazakhstan from 4 to 6 May 2017. Organized by Karaganda State University, in co-operation with the

KAMENSK-SHAKHTINSKIY, RUSSIAN FEDERATION. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs).

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 Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region but more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24-hour period – including the use of a multiple launch rocket system. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* An armed man discharged his weapon 50m from an SMM patrol in Sosnivske. The SMM monitored a border area currently not under government control. In Kharkiv, Dnipro, Ivano-Frankivsk and Odessa, the Mission observed gatherings marking “Reconciliation and Commemoration Day”...

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. In Donetsk region the Mission recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations on 6 and on 7 May compared with the previous reporting period. In Luhansk region it recorded more ceasefire violations on 6 May compared with the previous reporting period but fewer on 7 May. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere. The SMM assessed impact sites and damage to residential areas caused by shelling. It observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines, as well as mines and unexploded ordnance, predominantly in non-government-controlled areas. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable the transfer of bodies to government-controlled areas via the Shchastia bridge, as well as repairs to the Donetsk Water Filtration Station. The Mission monitored two border areas currently not under government control...

KYIV, 8 May 2017 – The Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, condemns the sexual harassment of an SMM patrol member by an armed man in the non-government controlled area of Donetsk region, which took place on 5 May...