News and press releases

MINSK, 7 September 2016- Ambassador Martin Sajdik, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on the implementation of the peace plan in eastern Ukraine, made the following press statement after today's meeting of the TCG and its four Working Groups in Minsk...

VIENNA, 5 September 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today condemned arson attack against Inter, a nationwide television broadcaster, which took place yesterday during a demonstration in Kyiv...

WARSAW, 2 September 2016 – Michael Georg Link, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today expressed concern over the mob violence against the Roma community in the village of Loshchynivka, Ukraine, in the Odesa region, and called on Ukrainian authorities to speak up against anti-Roma rhetoric and violence, immediately address interethnic tension and restore respect for the rule of law...

VIENNA, 29 August 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today called on Ukrainian authorities to carry out a thorough investigation into the death of journalist Alexander Shchetinin...

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous day. The largest concentration of ceasefire violations was recorded in the area north of Donetsk city centre, Yasynuvata, Horlivka and Svitlodarsk. The Mission continued to observe weapons in violation of respective withdrawal lines. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable the handover of bodies in Shchastia across the bridge; whilst positioned there, the SMM heard an explosion 80-100 metres north of its position.

The SMM saw fresh tracks assessed as caused by an infantry fighting vehicle leading south from “DPR”-controlled Lukove (72km south of Donetsk). At 13:47, while following the tracks, it was stopped by two armed “DPR” members who blocked the road with a camouflaged-style jeep (vehicle #1) and pointed their guns at the SMM. They ordered the SMM to leave the area, which they did.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous day. The largest concentration of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region was recorded during night hours in the area of Horlivka and Svitlodarsk, while during the day the Donetsk city area was most kinetic. The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Novoazovsk, shelling in Troitske, and conducted crater analysis in Novotoshkivske.