OSCE confirms withdrawal of Russian officers from JCCC

20.12.2017 09:55

Ukrinform

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (OSCE SMM) has confirmed the withdrawal of the Russian side from the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC), which was set up to ensure a ceasefire and stabilize the situation in Donbas.

"In Donetsk region the SMM confirmed that Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) had withdrawn from their duties in five JCCC offices. The SMM called JCCC duty phones in 'DPR'-controlled Oleksandrivka (20km south-west of Donetsk) and Yasynuvata on December 18 and found that they were answered by persons who introduced themselves as 'ministry of emergency situations' members," the OSCE SMM said in a report published on December 19.

"The duty phone in 'DPR'-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk) was answered by someone introducing himself as an 'LPR' member of a 'contact group,'" the report says.

Earlier reports said that Russian officers from the JCCC had crossed the border with Ukraine and returned to Russia.