You're reading: OSCE says it observed large presence of military hardware along Donbas contact line

DONETSK - Monitors of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have observed a large presence of military hardware along the contact line in Donbas.

OSCE Special Monitoring Mission Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug told reporters that the mission had observed a large amount of military hardware stationed along the contact line, but the Minsk agreements do not allow for the return of hardware pulled back from the contact line earlier.

Civilians also encounter difficulties at checkpoints, he said.

In practice, an ever-growing number of restrictions is in place at checkpoints today, he said. A queue of more than 800 vehicles was seen at a checkpoint near Zaitseve village on June 27, he said.

OSCE monitors have registered such delays more than once, Hug said. Checkpoints are an absolutely obvious target for attacks, and this situation creates unjustified risks for civilians, he said. Such restrictions are also applied to businesses, a circumstance that cannot help affecting the situation with fuel, he added.