The SMM Chief Monitor, Ertugrul Apakan, expressed his thanks to the hosting country as well as to the OSCE participating States for their support. He added that the mandate extension would “allow us to continue, with strengthened security mitigation measures, to work for peace, stability and security in Ukraine.” The SMM was established in 2014 and currently, it is the largest OSCE operation. It monitors the implementation of all OSCE principles and commitments, the Minsk Agreements and other agreements within the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG).

The approved budget of 101 mil. euros includes also funding for the long-range UAVs. They will be re-launched on Wednesday 28 March 2018 in Stepanivka in Eastern Ukraine after almost two years of enforced suspension of their operation. The SMM has been using mini and mid-range UAVs for monitoring compliance with the ceasefire and withdrawal of weapons on both sides of the contact line. The deployment of the long-range UAVs will augment Mission’s monitoring capacity, thus enabling coverage of much larger and distant areas as well as night monitoring.

The situation in Eastern Ukraine remains highly volatile. In past weeks, the SMM monitors observed the presence of heavy weapons in areas near the contact line as well as near residential areas. On 12 and 13 March 2018, a bus carrying employees to the Donetsk Filtration Station was hit by several bullets. In reaction to these incidents, the SMM has been facilitating access of the employees to this crucial civilian infrastructure. Thanks to the continuous negotiation efforts within the TCG, all sides have agreed on a new ceasefire recommitment starting on 30 March 2018 that should ensure peace and calm for the population during the forthcoming Easter celebrations.