OSCE Special Monitoring Mission’s Principal Deputy Chief Monitor to visit eastern Ukraine

KYIV, 16 January 2016 – The Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Alexander Hug will travel to eastern Ukraine from 18 to 27 January to assess the security situation along the contact line and its impact on civilians, evaluate pending repair projects for critical infrastructure and encourage all concerned to work towards peace and normalization of the situation.

He will visit Donetsk and Luhansk regions, meet the monitoring teams, conduct meetings with representatives of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination and other relevant interlocutors.

During the visit Hug will join OSCE monitors as they patrol the locations along the contact line. Journalists are invited to join Hug on the patrols.

He will also hold news briefings in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, exact time and locations for which will be communicated via social media (@OSCE_SMM, www.facebook.com/oscesmm) closer to the time.

Media representatives need to take care of their own travel arrangements, accommodation as well as their access and ability to work in the area. Please note that the Mission cannot provide security or access guarantees for the media.

Journalists wishing to join Hug during the visit should contact:

·         Mariia Aleksevych: +380 50 381 51 92 (+380 93 691 67 90); e-mail mariia.aleksevych@osce.org; smm-media@osce.org

·         Nadiia Kaidanovych: +380 50 380 85 55 (+380 67 827 37 11); e-mail nadiia.kaidanovych@osce.org; smm-media@osce.org