News and press releases

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, but more explosions in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas. The SMM camera in the Zolote disengagement area recorded one ceasefire violation on the night of 5 August, assessed as outside the disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere. Armed “DPR” members impeded the SMM’s access to areas south and east of Novoazovsk near the border with the Russian Federation not under government control. The Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) was unable to facilitate the demining of the Shchastia bridge where the SMM was again denied access and its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) again spotted anti-tank mines south of the bridge.* The Mission confirmed reports of civilian casualties in Dachne and followed up on reports of shelling in Zaporozhets. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs of a water pipeline in Zolote. The Mission visited two border areas not under government control*.

Between the evenings of 4 and 5 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 5 and 6 August, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted there and in “DPR”-controlled Novoazovsk and Verkhnoshyrokivske.* It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to a water pipe in Zolote. The SMM monitored two border areas not under government control.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere*, including again at an entry-exit checkpoint in Verkhnoshyrokivske, where armed men impeded the SMM from crossing the contact line into areas east of Mariupol for the eighth consecutive day. The SMM observed weapons in violation of the respective withdrawal lines in Kostiantynivka, Muratove and Sofiivka. It observed tanks outside the designated storage sites in Mykolaivka and Ternove. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable ongoing repair to infrastructure, including a water pipeline, a pumping station and a power plant in Luhansk region. The SMM monitored two border areas not under government control.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere*, including at Verkhnoshyrokivske, where armed “DPR” members impeded the SMM’s access to areas east of Mariupol for a seventh consecutive day. SMM personnel and civilian contractors installing an SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station were forced to take shelter when small-arms fire erupted nearby, despite written security guarantees provided by the sides. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to infrastructure, including a water pipeline, a pumping station and a power plant in Luhansk region. At a government-controlled checkpoint near Popasna, the SMM observed a mortar explosion 500m from its position; no injuries or damage were reported. The SMM monitored two border areas not under government control...

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas. Its access there and elsewhere remained restricted, including by mines on road M03.*

VIENNA, 28 July 2017 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today expressed deep concern about the continued detention of journalist Stanislav Aseev in eastern Ukraine...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. On two occasions the Mission interrupted unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flights due to ceasefire violations near them, assessed at least on one occasion as aimed at the UAV.* The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties and damage to civilian properties caused by shelling in Kashtanove and in Donetsk city.