News and press releases

On 27 April 2017 at 07:04 (Moscow time), the sixty-second Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 15 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guards and customs services prior to them crossing into Ukraine. All of the 15 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 14:58 on 27 April...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, but, following the serious security incident that involved an SMM patrol on 23 April near Pryshyb, its monitoring in eastern Ukraine continued to be conducted with some security restrictions, which affected its observations, including of ceasefire violations. The Mission continued assessing the site of the 23 April incident. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted at all three and elsewhere.* The SMM saw damage from gunfire inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and near Zhovte. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in areas not controlled by the Government. The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to power lines near Nyzhnoteple...

The link between effective peace processes and the inclusion of women was the focus of a meeting organized by the OSCE Chairmanship and the OSCE Secretariat on 25 and 26 April 2017 in Baden, Austria...

The SMM resumed patrolling in eastern Ukraine, with some restrictions, following the more limited patrolling conducted on 24 April after the serious security incident that involved an SMM patrol on 23 April near Pryshyb, which affected its observations, including of ceasefire violations. Violations of the ceasefire continued. In Donetsk region the SMM observed about 600 ceasefire violations, including about 110 explosions. In Luhansk region the SMM observed one shot of small-arms fire assessed as inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area....

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 increased at both BCPs...

The SMM conducted limited patrolling in Donetsk and Luhansk regions following the serious security incident that involved an SMM patrol on 23 April in Pryshyb, which affected its observations, including of ceasefire violations. The SMM observed about 40 ceasefire violations in Donetsk, including about 35 explosions, and about 220 ceasefire violations in Luhansk region, including two explosions. The SMM camera in Stanytsia Luhanska recorded ceasefire violations assessed as inside the disengagement area. Aerial imagery revealed weapons in violations of the withdrawal lines. The Mission monitored a border area currently not under government control. The SMM monitored the continuation of protests at branches of Sberbank of Russia in Kyiv, Odessa and Kharkiv...

An SMM patrol member died and two more were taken to hospital after an explosion severely damaged an SMM vehicle near Pryshyb, possibly after the vehicle came into contact with a mine. Between the evenings of 21 and 22 April the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 22 and 23 April the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24-hour period. The Mission saw damage in Novooleksandrivka, Katerynivka, Dokuchaievsk and Syhnalne. The SMM monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted.* It observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM saw mines and unexploded ordnance in populated areas. The Mission monitored three border areas currently not under government control...