OSCE Special Monitoring Mission Donetsk-based team of four released after 32 days

Kyiv, June 27, 2014 - The four members of the Donetsk-based monitoring team of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMMU) that went missing since late May were released late yesterday after 32 days in captivity.

The SMMU head office in Kyiv was informed of their release late Thursday evening.

The freed monitors were observed to be in good condition.

On 26 May and on 29 May respectively the SMMU lost contact with four monitors from the Donetsk team and four monitors from the Luhansk team. Intense efforts have been taken on all levels to seek the immediate and unconditional release of the monitors.

The Luhansk-based team has not yet been released.

The OSCE monitors remain and continue working in Donetsk and Luhansk. However, the teams have been reconfigured in view of the security situation. The number of monitors in those two regions has been temporarily reduced due to the highly volatile situation.