Ukraine at OSCE calls on Russia to respect truce

Russia, as a party to the Additional Measures, agreed on within the TCG to strengthen the ceasefire on July 22, 2020, must return to its ceasefire commitments.

That’s according to Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to international organizations in Vienna, Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk, who addressed the OSCE Permanent Council on Thursday, July 29, Ukrinform reports.

Commenting on the recent sharp rise in ceasefire violations in eastern Ukraine by Russian-controlled armed groups, Ambassador Tsymbaliuk has called on the Russian side to return to the ceasefire and ensure its comprehensive and sustainable nature.

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The diplomat pointed out that the truce had generally yielded positive results, as the number of Ukrainian servicemen killed had almost halved over the year (45 against 88), and there were 30% fewer wounded among Ukrainian soldiers (163 against 494). In addition, the lives of civilians in the conflict zone have become safer.

At the same time, the Ukrainian ambassador pointed to a sharp increase in ceasefire violations, as evidenced by the OSCE SMM reports, since April 2021, along with Russia's intensive build-up of forces along the border with Ukraine and in the occupied Crimea.

Both of these trends, Tsymbaliuk noted, prevail to this day.

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