DONETSK – The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (OSCE SMM) has been recording an increase in the number of ceasefire violations and civilian casualties in the conflict zone in Donbas, OSCE SMM Principal Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug has said.
“I have come here at a rather short notice to be with my colleagues on this and the other side of the contact line, in a period when we have been registering rather high numbers of ceasefire violations, high number of civilian casualties, high numbers of impacts in residential areas, high numbers of threats to critical infrastructure civilians depend on,” Hug said at a briefing in Donetsk on May 18.
Hug stressed that since the beginning of the month the OSCE SMM had been registering a significant increase in the number of civilian casualties on both sides of the contact line.
The OSCE SMM was informed about at least 20 civilian casualties, and it has already confirmed about 50% of the cases, he said.
According to Hug, near the Donetsk water filtration station the OSCE SMM records more damage to critical infrastructure and failures in its work.
The situation will not improve if the sides do not change their tactical approaches, do not withdraw weapons and do not disengage forces and means, he added.
