The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Special Monitoring Mission (OSCE SMM) has recorded the presence of heavy weapons subject to withdrawal on both sides of the line of contact between the Ukrainian government forces and the militants in Donbas.
The mission said in a report published on May 26, based on information available as of 7:30 p.m. on May 25 that, despite the declarations on completing the withdrawal of heavy weapons, the SMM observed movements or presence of the banned weapons in areas that are non-compliant with the Minsk withdrawal lines.
In particular, it saw three T-64 main battle tanks on the territory controlled by the self-proclaimed Donetsk people’s republic and one T-64 on the government controlled territory.
The SMM said also that, while visiting the holding areas where the conflicting sides had previously withdrawn their heavy weapons, it recorded that a total of 15 artillery pieces and six multiple rocket launcher systems were missing at four of the Ukrainian forces’ holding areas.
The SMM also observed that fighting continued in and around the destroyed DPR-controlled Donetsk airport, noting over 170 explosions during the reporting period.
