Number of OSCE monitors in Ukraine decreased due to COVID-19 - Linde

She said this at a joint briefing with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Kyiv on Tuesday, January 19, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"We have discussed this issue of the SMM monitors and their number that has decreased in the past month because of health and safety mitigation measures introduced because of the pandemic. The SMM has compensated for this shortfall by expanding technology means of monitoring, particularly with the use of cameras and UAVs. I think this is also going to be more used in the future," Linde said, when asked whether the issue of involving observers from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to monitor the entire section of the Ukrainian-Russian border was discussed during the meeting with Kuleba.

Linde also stressed that she intends to maintain close contact with Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, Yasar Halit Cevik, in order to closely monitor the current situation in Donbas.

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