REUTERS

On October 29, members of the Russian-controlled armed groups delayed the passage of an SMM patrol at a checkpoint near Olenivka (non-Ukraine-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk).

The armed men comprised four vehicles and seven monitors, traveling from Donetsk city towards government-controlled areas, citing "a need for authorization from their superiors," the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission wrote in its spot report on Thursday.

At about 14:10, after almost two hours of waiting, the OSCE team were allowed passage and then they proceeded towards the most forward checkpoint of the armed formations, about 2.5 km south-west of Olenivka.

Видео дня

The delay, monitors state, "contributes to restriction of the SMM's freedom of movement across the contact line, thus impeding the implementation of its mandate."

Donbas war: Latest