Brussels - The OSCE mission mandate at Russia's checkpoints in Gukovo and Donestk on the border with Ukraine has been extended until Dec. 23, according to a communique posted on the OSCE website on Thursday, Nov. 20.
Also, a decision has been made to increase the number of civilian monitors from 16 to 22. They will continue working round the clock and will be helped by a small group that will provide logistical and administrative support.
The decision to extend the mandate was made after a consensus on this matter was reached by all the OSCE members earlier on Thursday, Nov. 20.
The mission began its work on July 29 with a three-month mandate, which was extended by another month on Oct. 22.
The checkpoints are located close to Ukrainian ones in Krasnopartizansk and Izvarine, the areas currently controlled by militiamen.
Sixteen international monitors and administrative and logistic experts from the OSCE mission arrived in Russia’s Rostov region from various countries. The head of the mission, Paul Picard, said that when the mission came to Russia, the checkpoints in Krasnopartizansk and Izvarine had already been controlled by militias and the mission members did not cross the Russian border and made no contact with militias.
