OSCE mission counts about 90 tanks in Donbas territory uncontrolled by Kyiv authorities

Monitors of the Special Monitoring Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE SMM) are recording the presence of tanks right behind the pullback line (15 kilometers from the front line) in Donbas.

The monitors frequently see a large amount of weapons, especially tanks, right behind the pullback line, where they are in combat readiness; in particular, 88 tanks were spotted last week in three places in the territory uncontrolled by the Ukrainian government, OSCE Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug told a briefing in Kyiv on Friday.

Hug also said that the monitors have recorded over 500 explosions in Donbas over the past week. The type of weapons used points to a rise in intensity of hostilities; in particular the number of mortar fire cases has increased, he said.

This influences considerably the life of local residents, who remained in the conflict area, Hug said. The danger and tension is felt particularly strongly now at the checkpoints on the dividing line, he said. On Saturday, the OSCE SMM monitors witnessed a two-hour clash in the area of Maryinka and Aleksandrovka, where a grenade launcher, RGD grenades, 12 mortar rounds were fired, and the Maryinka checkpoint was closed, he said. There are long queues at other checkpoints now, but people need to cross the dividing line all the same to receive pensions, buy food products and medicines, he said, adding that if they do not cross this line in Maryinka, they will cross it in Olenivka.

In response to a question as to whether members of the mission will leave Donbas due to the intensification of fire, Hug said that it is an obligation for the parties to the conflict to ensure security of monitors.

Hug reminded of the decision taken on Thursday to extend the OSCE SMM mandate in Ukraine. At present 699 monitors are working on the mission, 563 of them in eastern Ukraine.