News and press releases

The SMM continued to observe a lower number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk compared to earlier in the week. The situation in Luhansk was relatively quiet, with many ceasefire violations related to live-fire exercises. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons, and saw heavy weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in areas not controlled by the Government in Donetsk region. It facilitated and monitored demining and repair works on both sides of the contact line and observed an exchange of detained persons. The SMM encountered freedom-of-movement restrictions, all in areas not under government control.* The Mission monitored two public gatherings in Kyiv and observed the spots where two statues had been toppled in Kharkiv region.

VIENNA, 26 February 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today expressed concern about recent media freedom developments in Ukraine...

Lessons learned and recommendations for further reforms in policy, legislation and practice developed over the course of a project to promote the security of religious communities in Ukraine were the focus of an event organized by the OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Kyiv on 25 and 26 February 2016.

The final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on the 25 October and 15 November 2015 local elections in Ukraine recommends a comprehensive review of legislation, including to ensure equality of the vote and to bring laws in line with OSCE commitments and other international obligations for democratic elections.

The effectiveness of gender equality mechanisms at the local level in Ukraine was the focus of a workshop organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institution and Human Rights (ODIHR), in co-operation with the Equal Opportunities Inter-Faction Union of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s Parliament, in Kharkiv, on 19 February 2016.

The SMM observed numerous ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In Luhansk region, it recorded a number of ceasefire violations, some of them assessed as training related. The Mission continued to visit heavy weapons holding areas and permanent storage sites. The SMM encountered freedom-of-movement restrictions in areas not under government control.* If followed up on reports about bomb threats in Rivne region and a blockade of trucks with Russian Federation registration plates transiting Ukraine in Zakarpattia region.

The SMM observed numerous ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In Luhansk region the two ceasefire violations observed were attributed to training exercises. The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. The Mission facilitated and monitored demining and repair works on both sides of the contact line. The SMM encountered freedom-of-movement restrictions.* It observed the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) and noted long queues of civilians at checkpoints along the line of contact. The Mission followed up on the situation of de-mobilized ATO veterans.