No civilian casualties in active hostilities recorded in Donbas over past three months

This is stated in the report of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine for the period from 1 August to 31 October 2020.

"The reduction in civilian casualties can be attributed to the introduction of a strengthened ceasefire, adopted by the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk, which took effect from 27 July," reads the report.

However, the Mission recorded civilian casualties resulting from mine-related incidents and handling of explosive remnants of war.

"From 1 August to 31 October, HRMMU recorded 24 such casualties: two killed (both men) and 22 injured (16 men, four boys and two women). Nine of these casualties were recorded in the government-controlled territory, and 15 in territory controlled by armed groups,” the report notes.

The HRMMU also points out that the difficulties faced by the conflict-affected population in eastern Ukraine are compounded by COVID-19, in particular by restrictions on freedom of movement in the conflict zone and across the contact line.

"The number of crossings through entry-exit crossing points in both directions fell from a monthly average of 1 million in January and February 2020 to 81,000 in August 2020 and 86,000 in September 2020. In October, because of the closing of entry-exit crossing point in Stanytsia Luhanska in the second half of the month, the total number of crossings shrunk to 21,300,” the Mission reports.

A full and comprehensive ceasefire came into effect in Donbas at midnight on July 27 as agreed at the Trilateral Contact Group meeting on July 22.

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