OSCE observers leaving – DPR

Monitors of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) have left the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), it was reported on Tuesday by a presentative of the Joint Center for Ceasefire Control and Coordination.

“They [OSCE SMM monitors] have already left Donetsk and are heading towards the Russian border through [the] “Uspenka” checkpoint. They’ll further evacuate from its territory”, the source claimed, as cited by news agency Interfax.

On Monday, the OSCE issued its weekly report on Ukraine. The organization stated it managed to evacuate most of its international observers in compliance with a decision made on February 25.

It also reported that the SMM monitoring teams remained in shelters in Kharkov and Kherson due to “continuing fighting”, while teams from patrol centers in Donetsk and Lugansk were preparing for evacuation.

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission began its work in Ukraine on March 21, 2014, after the decision to launch the mission was supported by 57 member states.

Last Thursday Russia launched a military attack against Ukraine, claiming it was necessary to “demilitarize” the country and to protect the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, and Russian security interests. The international community has reacted with indignation and imposed heavy sanctions against Moscow and selected officials.

The first round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine was conducted on Monday and lasted for five hours, after which the representatives were recalled by their superiors for “further consultations”.