OSCE SMM: over 8000 ceasefire violations recorded in eastern Ukraine over the last week

WATCH IN ENGLISH

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine has recorded 8 292 ceasefire violation in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine last week, which is a 50 per cent increase, comparing to the previous week. According to the OSCE SMM, six civilians were wounded or injured in conflict-related accidents last week. “So far this year, the OSCE SMM has confirmed 150 civilian casualties – 29 fatalities and 121 injuries,” reported Alexander Hug, Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.

Last week, the OSCE SMM recorded 51 heavy weapons placed in violation of agreed withdrawal lines, 31 of them in government-controlled areas and 20 in the areas not controlled by the governmentFor instance, on June 26, the SMM UAV spotted three self-propelled howitzers  in a non-government-controlled area close to Tavrychanske, and five self-propelled howitzers close to government-controlled Vyskryva on June 23.  

According to Alexander Hug, the SMM monitors regularly see mines or indications of the presence of mines. For example, last week the SMM UAV spotted anti-tank mines laid across the motorway close to non-government-controlled Nyzhnie Lozove, and 25 anti-tank mines on the road close to government-controlled Travneve.