News and press releases

The participation of national minorities in public life and promoting their access to education were among the main topics of discussion during the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Astrid Thors’ visit to Kyrgyzstan from 24 to 26 November. In Bishkek, Thors exchanged views on a

During a visit to the Luhansk region on 29 November 2015, the Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) Ertugrul Apakan, said Forward Patrol Bases established by the Mission greatly enhance monitoring along the Contact Line in eastern Ukraine...

The SMM noted a calm situation around Donetsk airport except one incident where the SMM observed shell damaged houses in a north-western suburb of Donetsk city, close to the airport. The SMM registered several explosions, heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire in a number of other locations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions...

The SMM recorded ceasefire violations at and around Donetsk airport, and to a lesser extent in a number of other locations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM continued to note partial non-compliance in relation to the withdrawal of heavy weapons and Addendum-related weapons. Its freedom of movement was restricted three times in areas not controlled by the Government, resulting, in one instance, in an inability to reach the Ukraine-Russian Federation border*.

The SMM recorded a total of 58 explosions in specific areas in Donetsk and Luhansk region. It also conducted monitoring activity for preparation of demining work. The SMM continued to observe long queues of civilian vehicles waiting at government checkpoints at the contact line and at border crossing points between Ukraine and the Russian Federation...

On 26th November 2015, the 60th meeting under the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) took place in Ergneti, co-facilitated by Kęstutis Jankauskas, the Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), and Ambassador Angelo Gnaedinger, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus...

On 26 November 2015 at 06:50hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 45 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guard and customs services. All the vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 14:15hrs on 26 November...