The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said Monday it had scaled back monitoring operations in eastern Ukraine and frozen further deployments after eight of its observers were held hostage for a month.
The security and rights watchdog's deputy chief monitor, Alexander Hug, said all eight — four set free on Friday and four on Saturday — were unharmed and their release had been unconditional.
But he said the Vienna-based organization had shrunk its activities in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatist rebels have been fighting forces of the Kiev government since Russia's annexation of Crimea in March.
The 57-member body sent observers to monitor compliance with a four-way declaration on deescalation of the crisis agreed in Geneva in April.
"We look forward to the day soon when we can resume our activities in eastern Ukraine to full mission strength, but for that to happen we need a number of improvements," Hug told journalists in Vienna.
"We need weapons to disappear, we need checkpoints to disappear and we need freedom of movement."
Sporadic violence has continued in eastern Ukraine despite a cease-fire declared by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on June 20 to allow for peace talks with the rebels. The ceasefire is due to expire on Monday evening.
Hug said a planned increase in the number of OSCE observers in Ukraine from 250 to 500 was on hold.
"We do not want to put further monitors at risk," he said.
He said that should the security situation improve in the ways he described, "we will be able quickly to increase up to those figures that are included in our mandate."
See also:
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.