Conflict parties in Donbas withdraw heavy weapons from places determined by Minsk agreements - OSCE SMM

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) has pointed out the absence of heavy weapons in the areas of the sides' withdrawal, OSCE SMM spokesman Michael Bociurkiw said.

In the past few weeks, the SMM registered the absence of heavy weapons in the areas of both sides' withdrawal, which indicates non-observance by the sides of their obligations under the Minsk agreements, he told a briefing in Kyiv on Thursday.

At the same time, the mission has registered "further practice of placement of weapons around civilian facilities and firing points within them," without specifying the side of the conflict.

Bociurkiw said that this poses a threat to civilians and repeated the call made by Ertugrul Apakan, chief monitor of the OSCE SMM, to all sides to observe the ceasefire regime and the Minsk agreements in general.

Bociurkiw also said that OSCE SMM monitors have still not had access to all territories and locations in Donbas because they were stopped at checkpoints. SMM officials were also unable to visit some other areas because these areas are conflict zones and come under fire.

Citing recent UN data, Bociurkiw said that some 6,300 people have been killed and 16,000 have been wounded in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Speaking about the composition of the OSCE SMM, Bociurkiw said it now comprises 465 international monitors (a total of 749 people, with the other personnel). He said two-thirds of the monitors are working in eastern Ukraine.