Last week, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission recorded about 8300 violations of the ceasefire regime in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine. They were recorded near Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Monitors also registered a new system of fortifications near Stavky and Horlivka. As a result, the distance between the positions of the forces parties in some places decreased to about one kilometer. This information was released at a press briefing in the Ukraine Crisis Media Center by Alexander Hug, Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE SMM in Ukraine.
Also,the OSCE monitors recorded 26 proscribed heavy weapons, located with violation of designated lines of withdrawal, 16 of them in the territory controlled by the Ukranian Armed Forces, 10 – in the territory controlled by the so-called “LNR” – “DNR”. Altogether, during this year, the OSCE SMM recorded about 3000 units of military equipment placed with a violation of designated disengagement areas.
Alexander Hug said that within a week, representatives of the SMM were refused access to certain areas 21 times, of which 19 – in a territory that is not controlled by Ukrainian authorities. He also reported the disappearance of two unmanned aerial vehicles. One of them faltered and disappeared almost immediately after taking pictures of the surface-to-air missile.
According to the OSCE’s SMM, three civilians were injured last week in conflict-related incidents. “In Marinets, a man was hit by a bullet, when he was repairing the roof of his home. Two employees of the “Donbass water” were injured as a result of a mine blast, when they were carrying out the repairs,” said the Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE SMM in Ukraine. In total, from 2016, according to the SMM, 216 civilians died in conflict-related incidents, and 920 were injured.
