DPR, LPR obstructing verification of withdrawn armaments – OSCE mission

KYIV. Oct 29 (Interfax) – Representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics are obstructing the access of OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) monitors to weapon storage sites, Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug said.

The OSCE SMM continues to monitor the withdrawal of artillery pieces with calibers under 100mm and mortars with calibers under 120mm and to visit weapon storage sites, he said at a press conference in Kyiv on Thursday, regretting that the mission was not allowed to visit weapon storage sites on lands uncontrolled by the Ukrainian authorities.

This is a violation of the supplementary protocol to the Minsk agreements, Hug said, adding that the republics were denying access to weapon storage sites and the monitors were unable to do the verification.

The self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic is constantly failing to assist in the verification of the heavy arms withdrawal on its territory and is not allowing the verification of the serial numbers of weapons, the deputy chief monitor said.