Russian Envoy Asks OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Register Donbas Ceasefire Violations

VIENNA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st July, 2020) Alexander Lukashevich, the Russian permanent representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), on Thursday called on the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) to report all ceasefire violations in Donbas in detail.

A total ceasefire between Donbas and Kiev, as well as new measures to maintain it, are coming into force starting Monday.

"The special role regarding meticulous monitoring of the ceasefire belongs to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine. We urge [it] to meticulously register all violations, providing the maximum amount of details of incidents, that allow determining a responsible side," he said.

Since April 2014, the Ukrainian government has been conducting a military operation against the self-declared republics of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Prospects for peace have been discussed in various formats, including during the meetings of the contact group in Minsk, which, since September 2014, has already adopted three documents regulating steps to de-escalate the conflict.

Last week, the eastern Ukrainian peace process saw a breakthrough when negotiators signed an exhaustive list of measures on how to maintain the peace in the volatile region. The measures include a blanket ban on deploying military equipment or using drones in reconnaissance, sabotage, or offensive missions in sensitive locations. In an unprecedented step, a system of holding ceasefire violators accountable was also agreed upon by the sides.