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Moscow sees no need in arming OSCE observers in Ukraine

MOSCOW, April 26. /TASS/. Russia sees no need to arm the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) observers working in Ukraine, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Alexander Lukashevich told reporters on Wednesday.

"The need to arm the mission members is not on the agenda, it is not under consideration, because it is a civilian mission whose mandate has nothing to do with ensuring security," he stressed. "The mission’s authorities strongly oppose the idea of arming the observers," the Russian diplomat added.