News and press releases

BRATISLAVA/VIENNA, 7 September 2019- The OSCE Chair and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia, Miroslav Lajčák, and OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger welcomed today’s conclusion of an exchange of detainees between the Russian Federation and Ukraine...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. Small-arms fire was directed at an SMM mini- unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near non-government-controlled Novohryhorivka in Luhansk region. The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties, including an employee of Voda Donbassa, in Donetsk city and Toretsk. Operations at the Donetsk Filtration Station remained suspended following the 17 April gunfire that wounded Voda Donbassa employees. The Mission facilitated the handover of possible human remains from Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas.*

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. It followed up on reports of civilian casualties near Betmanove. The Mission facilitated the handover of possible human remains and debris from Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote and observed ceasefire violations near but outside both, except for one shot which could not be assessed as in- or outside these areas. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including Shchastia, and its camera near the Prince Ihor monument south of Stanytsia Luhanska was intentionally temporarily disabled. The SMM heard two explosions about 400m from the entry-exit checkpoint in Novotroitske. The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Pavlopil, Zaichenko, and Verkhnoshyrokivske. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance to essential infrastructure in Shchastia, Zolote, Artema, Novozvanivka, and Mykolaivka. In Kyiv, the SMM observed a protest in relation to legislation concerning local governance and reintegration of areas outside of government control in Donetsk and Luhansk regions...

KYIV, 17 July 2016 – The Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, today on the second anniversary of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 tragedy, said that disaster once again reminds all of us of the heavy toll that civilians pay in the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine, and in all armed conflicts...

KYIV, 25 September 2015 – The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) was today honoured for its work in facilitating access to the crash site of flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine as it received an award for its service to Australia. The award was delivered to the head of the SMM, Chief Monitor Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan by Australia’s Ambassador to Ukraine, Doug Trappett.

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of Measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements.” Its monitoring was restricted by third parties and security considerations*. The SMM observed that the number of ceasefire violations at and around Donetsk airport decreased. In Shyrokyne no ceasefire violations were observed. The repair at the water pipeline north-west of Horlivka was suspended due to ceasefire violations. The SMM in Kyiv as well as on the crash site in Hrabove observed a minute of silence in honour of the victims of the downing of Malaysian Airline Flight MH17.

KYIV, 16 July – OSCE Special Monitoring Mission Chief Monitor Ertugrul Apakan will lead tomorrow a minute of silence in honour of the victims of flight MH17, downed over Ukraine one year ago.