The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Special Monitoring Mission (OSCE SMM) expressed on Saturday readiness to facilitate the dialogue between Kiev and the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) over the captured representative of the breakaway republic in the Joint Center for Ceasefire Control and Coordination (JCCC)
LUHANSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th October, 2021) The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Special Monitoring Mission (OSCE SMM) expressed on Saturday readiness to facilitate the dialogue between Kiev and the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) over the captured representative of the breakaway republic in the Joint Center for Ceasefire Control and Coordination (JCCC).
The LPR said earlier this week that its representative was captured by Ukrainian raiders during works near the disputed town of Zolote in Donbas, which were previously coordinated with Kiev. While Kiev claims the arrested LPR official was conducting reconnaissance of the positions of Ukrainian troops, the LPR denied the allegations, accusing Ukrainian military of torturing the detainee and slamming the OSCE SMM for its alleged inaction.
"The SMM did not observe the event directly. It received information from the Ukrainian Armed Forces and from the armed formations only after it had occurred. In compliance with its reporting methodology, uncorroborated indirect information cannot be included in the Mission's reports. However, the SMM stands ready to facilitate the dialogue on the ground between the sides should they wish to seek such facilitation, and this readiness has already been communicated to the sides," the mission said in a statement.
Earlier this week, the neighboring self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) sent a note of protest to the OSCE over the official's arrest by Kiev. Additionally, people gathered on Friday in the center of Donetsk near the building hosting the OSCE mission observers to protest the arrest of the LPR official and demand his release.
