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Developments in eastern Ukraine

OSCE mission to Ukraine receives 20 armoured vehicles from EU

The vehicles had been previously used by various missions in Europe

© EPA/SERGEY DOLZHENKO

KIEV, March 10. /TASS/. The Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe /OSCE/ on Tuesday received from the European Union 20 armoured vehicles to be used to perform the mission’s tasks in that country.

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The ceremony was held in Kiev in the presence of Ertugrul Apakan, Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, Jan Tombinski, the European Union’s Ambassador to Ukraine, and Kalman Mizsei, head of the EU Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine).

Tombinski said the vehicles were handed over from the EUAM Ukraine and had been previously used by various missions in Europe. He said the European Union was sparing no effort to support the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine.

Apakan thanked the European Union for its contribution and said the SMM needed these vehicles to be able to fulfill its liabilities in full volume. In his words, these vehicles had proved their efficiency in terms of protecting OSCE monitors and local personnel.

He underscored that all special equipment was only a part of a package of the comprehensive plan providing for specialized training, satellite car tracing systems, personal security tools, systems of communication in emergency situations and technical instruments to assess the security situation.

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OSCE Eastern Ukraine

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