OSCE SMM calls for soonest demining in Donbas

16:05, 29.10.2015 1 min read

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) has called for the soonest demining of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone in southeastern Ukraine.

Mines pose a great danger to the civilian population, especially children, and this is a mounting concern of the OSCE SMM, Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug said at a press briefing in Kyiv on Thursday, nothing that demining works had already begun in some places.

Mission members saw Uragan shells struck in the ground in the town of Peredilske controlled by the Ukrainian authorities, he said. Hug expressed regret that such things had been seen many times. People of eastern Ukraine should live in a safer environment, and every dud shell and mine should be found and neutralized, he said.

The mission is interacting with the Joint Center for Control and Coordination in order to reduce the risk to repairmen amongst others, Hug said.