News and press releases

VIENNA, 26 May 2016 – Addressing the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna today Estonia’s Foreign Minister and Chair of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers Marina Kaljurand underlined her country’s strong support for Europe’s fundamental values – human rights, democracy and the rule of law – and called for mutual efforts and co-operation in addressing the unresolved protracted conflicts...

The SMM observed an increased level of violence in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions as compared to the previous reporting period. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons, and noted the presence of armoured combat vehicles and other hardware in the security zone. It continued to monitor the situation of civilians at checkpoints. The Mission facilitated adherence to the ceasefire and monitored the repair of essential infrastructure. Its freedom of movement was restricted three times in areas not controlled by the Government.*...

LUHANSK, 25 May 2016 – The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine opened a new forward patrol base (FPB) in the government-controlled town of Shchastia in Luhansk region today. The FPB will increase the Mission’s ability to monitor the security situation in both government- and non-government-controlled areas...

BERLIN, 25 May 2016- OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier today welcomed the release of the Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko...

The SMM observed a marked decrease in the level of violence in Donetsk region as compared to the previous reporting period. Luhansk region remained relatively calm. The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and noted the presence of armoured combat vehicles and anti-aircraft weapons in the security zone. The Mission observed the full re-opening of the Olenivka crossing route, and learned that people had stayed overnight at the Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint near Berezove. A man died from a heart attack while queuing at a checkpoint south of Stanytsia Luhanska. The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted once, in an area not controlled by the Government...*

YEREVAN, 24 May, 2016 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Special Representative on the South Caucasus, Kristian Vigenin (MP, Bulgaria), today concluded a two-day visit to Armenia and called for increased parliamentary support for efforts for a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict...

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall cross-border traffic increased at both BCPs...