Russia might ban OSCE monitors from its border with Ukraine in two months, an RFE/RL journalist Rikard Jozwiak reported Wednesday.
"Russia refuses to prolong the OSCE's border observation mission on the Ukrainian-Russian border for longer than 2 months," Jozwiak wrote on Twitter.
"Normally its a 4 months extension," the journalist reported, adding that there is "[h]igh risk that the mission will be closed down on 31 July."
Read alsoOSCE SMM UAVs being jammed by Russian proxies in Donbas to conceal arms suppliesThe decision is expected to be taken on Thursday, Jozwiak tweeted.
Background
The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Donbas documents ceasefire violations, the withdrawal of heavy weapons, and the establishment of sustainable monitoring of the section of the Russian-Ukrainian state border which is beyond control of the Ukrainian government, as well as the withdrawal from the territory of Ukraine of all foreign armed groups, military hardware, and mercenaries, as well as disarmament of all illegal groups.
The SMM's mandate extends across the entire territory of Ukraine, including the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol.
This week, OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid is scheduled to meet with team of the Special Monitoring Mission and the OSCE project coordinator in Ukraine, as well as international humanitarian organizations, civil society, and youth activists.
Also, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported that Schmid will be visiting the country's east to get a first-hand account of the situation in the areas affected by conflict.
