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OSCE condemns systematic obstruction of its mission’s work in Donbass — statement

OSCE Chairmanship "called for the immediate removal of the restrictions, which have escalated to a new level"

VIENNA, November 27. /TASS/. OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid "expressed concern over the systematic and unacceptable freedom of movement impediments that the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) is currently facing in non-government-controlled areas of Ukraine, particularly in the Luhansk region," according to the statement released by the OSCE Chairmanship on Saturday.

"They called for the immediate removal of the restrictions, which have escalated to a new level, effectively preventing SMM’s operations," it said.

According to the statement, in the past week "the OSCE SMM patrols’ movement across the contact line was blocked by armed formations in multiple locations in the Luhansk region" and "on two occasions in the Donetsk region."

The OSCE Chairmanship referred to the OSCE Permanent Council Decision No. 1117 on the safe and secure access throughout Ukraine for the SMM.

"Unrestricted and unconditional access to all areas is essential to ensure effective monitoring and reporting of the security situation, as well as other mandated tasks. The mandate also tasks the Mission to report on any restrictions of its freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfillment of its mandate," the statement reads.

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Ukraine crisis Ukraine OSCE Eastern Ukraine

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