Moscow Calls On OCE SMM To Boost Monitoring Of Ukrainian Armed Forces' Rear Units

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st April, 2021) Moscow is calling on the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to use all the tools of its Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to prevent escalation on the contact line in Donbas, it believes that the SMM should more actively monitor the Ukrainian armed forces' equipment and ammunition depots, Russian Foreign Ministry's Department of International Organizations Director Pyotr Ilyichev said in an interview with Sputnik.

"The problem is that the mission, which is apparently under the influence of Kiev and its supporters, does not always fully and reliably reflect the violations committed by the Ukrainian side in its reports. At the same time, we have no better mechanism to control the situation in the conflict area, and it is hardly possible to create one, taking into consideration the destructive policy of Kiev and its Western partners," Ilyichev said.

"In today's situation, it is important to make full use of the SMM instruments for early warning of possible escalation on the contact line. We believe that the mission should intensify monitoring of the Ukrainian armed forces' rear units, including equipment and ammunition storage, and railroad stations through which weapons are transported," the Russian diplomat continued.

The OSCE SMM should also improve the accuracy of recording and analyzing ceasefire violations, "especially in terms of promptly reporting on civilian deaths and civilian infrastructure facilities destruction resulting from deliberate actions of the Ukrainian armed forces," Ilyichev went on to say.