Russia-controlled forces restricting OSCE patrol's freedom of movement in Donbas

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.

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

• OSCE: Maintaining sustainable ceasefire in Donbas depends on parties' political will
• Ukrainian troops mortared, shot at in Donbas warzone – one soldier wounded on Oct 29
• Escalation in Donbas as two Ukrainian soldiers killed in shelling
• Chief of Ukraine delegation tells of Moscow's new offer in TCG, Kyiv's reaction