Kyiv, June 4, 2015. International monitors have observed how pro-Russian militants used heavy weapons, registering several hundreds of outgoing shots in the area of Maryinka starting from the evening of June 2 until the evening of June 3. As of early evening on June 3, the situation in the area of Maryinka remained relatively calm, said Michael Bociurkiw, spokesperson for the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, at the press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
According to the OSCE SMM spokesman, Shyrokyne, Horlivka, Debaltseve and Luhanske, Donetsk region, have been the hotspots of the most intense fighting. The mission reported that ceasefire was generally holding in the Luhansk region over the last week, however, the monitors have observed isolated combat actions in the northern and northeastern areas of Luhansk as well as in frontline towns.
OSCE SMM also noted location of military hardware and firing positions both inside and around civilian houses.
Mr. Bociurkiw cited the latest update of the UN that 6,400 civilians have been killed in eastern Ukraine during the conflict and 16,000 were wounded.
Currently, 465 international and 225 Ukrainian observers are working as part of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine in 10 cities. Its the total number of its international and national staff reached 749 people with 2/3 monitors on duty in eastern Ukraine.
