News and press releases

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) launched its Guiding Principles on Human Rights in the Return of Trafficked Persons in the Ukrainian language at an event in Kyiv on 21 August 2018.

On the morning of 16 August, an SMM patrol consisting of five SMM members and two armoured vehicles was positioned on the north-eastern edge of Holmivskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km north-east of Donetsk).

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. Small-arms fire was assessed as directed at an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle near Berezivske. The SMM observed military positions and a recently extended trench inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas, near Starolaspa and Zolote-2/Karbonit, and again near Zaichenko. The SMM observed a weapon in violation of withdrawal lines near Sopyne. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to critical water infrastructure in Luhansk region.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a sharp increase in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. A member of the armed formations pointed his rifle at an SMM patrol near Smile. The SMM assessed that small-arms fire was directed at its unmanned aerial vehicle near Holubivske. The SMM observed damage caused by shelling near residential areas of Donetskyi. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and again near Zaichenko, Bezimenne and Voznesenivka, near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to critical water infrastructure near Obozne, Novotoshkivske and Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, as well as in Stanytsia Luhanska.

At 10:50 on 13 August, an SMM patrol consisting of five members and two armoured vehicles arrived at a logistical compound on the western edge of Smile (non-government-controlled, 31km north-west of Luhansk).

Between the evenings of 10 and 11 August, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 11 and 12 August, the SMM again recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM observed the bodies of two men, one who appeared to be deceased, at separate checkpoints near the contact line. The SMM observed an armed man inside the Zolote disengagement area and ordnance disposal activity in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and again near Zaichenko, Bezimenne and Novoazovsk, near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. It also observed hundreds of crates of ammunition and rockets at a compound in Khrustalnyi. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station as well as repairs and maintenance works to critical water infrastructure in Obozne.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer violations in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on three civilian casualties from unexploded ordnance near Hranitne and Horlivka. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and observed new firing positions and a freshly dug trench inside the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as near Oleksandrivske, Starolaspa, Bezimenne and Siedove, and again in Zaichenko. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Vershyna, Zolote-3/Stakhanovets and Donetskyi. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to critical civilian infrastructure near Zalizne, Popasna and Artema. In Luhansk city, the SMM observed over 100 large boxes being offloaded from trucks labelled “Humanitarian Aid from the Russian Federation”. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a procession organized by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of up to 70,000 people to commemorate the adoption of Christianity.