SMM’s freedom of movement in Donbas continues to be restricted – report

The OSCE SMM informed this in a report issued on December 31, based on information from the monitoring teams received as of 19:30 on December 30, 2019.

“At a checkpoint west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 85km south of Donetsk), four members of the armed formations (two of them armed) again denied the SMM passage, citing “demining activities in the area”,” reads the report.

In addition, at a checkpoint near Prymorske (non-government-controlled, 76km south of Donetsk), two members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage to Naberezhne (nongovernment-controlled, 77km south of Donetsk), citing “sniper activity in the area”.

At a compound of the armed formations near Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 74km south-east of Donetsk), two members of the armed formations denied the SMM entrance, telling the SMM to request “permission” from the armed formations.

The sides continued to deny the SMM full access, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines, UXO and other obstacles.

ish