December 4, 2014 – Officers of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) observed four APCs, with 7.62 mm millimetres machine guns mounted on top moving South-East of Ilovaisk, as well as 27 unmarked green military vehicles moving West near Makeevka. Both localities are under control of the terrorist organizations. Such information was delivered by the spokesman for the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Michael Bociurkiw during his press briefing at the Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
The OSCE SMM continues to observe the situation in eastern Ukraine and the implementation of the ceasefire regime in the area. In the DPR controlled Donetsk, the OSCE SMM witnessed a meeting, held between the head of Ukrainian side of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) and the representative of the Russian side. Both sides discussed the implementation of the durable ceasefire regime in the conflict area, with the focus on the Donetsk city airport – OSCE SMM spokesman said.
In addition, Michael Bociurkiw updated on the use of the OSCE UAVs in the zone of conflict. On December 2, 2014 at 14-00 the UAV spotted a military truck with six people around it – spokesman said. Soon, after this was detected, the UAV observed six to eight shots fired at it from the 23 mm anti-aircraft gun. 20 minutes later the UAV detected three tanks and one APC; additional two tanks were spotted two hours after the shooting took place.
In the South-Western part of Donetsk, the mission observed the damage of civilian buildings, including a kindergarten. The locals said that shelling occurred the day before; no casualties were reported.
On November 30, the mission monitored the delivery of medicines and medical supplies by the NGO «Doctors without borders» to two hospitals in Slovjano-Serbske locality, which is located close to the conflict line.
Reflecting on the information about the use of cluster munitions by pro-Ukrainian battalions (in regard to the Human Rights Watch report, released on December 3, 2014), Michael Bociurkiw said that the OSCE SMM is not able to asses on where they came from, who used them, when they were used.
The OSCE continues to expand their monitoring mission, which today includes 341 specialists with Monitors 158 based in Donetsk and Luhansk. Finally, Michael Bociurkiw addressed all sides of the conflict to provide the freedom of access and security to all the OSCE monitors on field.