The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine lacks 38 million euro for the expansion of the mission, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Yevhen Perebyinis has said.
He said at a briefing in Kyiv on Nov. 4 that SMM Chief Monitor Artugrul Apakan, who delivers regular reports to the OSCE Permanent Council, had called for the provision of more financial assistance for the work of the mission.
“In particular, a budget of 72.6 million euro is needed to increase the mission to 500 people and send 350 of them to the east of Ukraine. In view of the existing funds and contributions, the underfunding of the SMM budget stands at 38 million euro,” Perebyinis said.
As many as 358 SMM members, including 261 observers, currently work in the east of Ukraine, he said.
“There are 124 observers in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts,” he added.
Perebyinis also said that from Oct. 1, OSCE SMM members had witnessed 90 cases of the use of weapons in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts.
