You're reading: OSCE to increase its Ukraine mission to 500 monitors in January 2015

LVIV - The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Special Monitoring Mission (OSCE SMM) will increase the number of its monitors to 500 people in January 2015, SMM chief Ertugrul Apakan said.

We started work with around 100 monitors, but this number is now being increased and will reach 500 in mid-January, he said at a briefing in Lviv on Dec. 18, adding that the mission will also include 400 Ukrainian colleagues.

SMM spokesman Michael Bociurkiw added that at this point the mission numbers 340 monitors from 40 OSCE member states.

He said that after the increase to 500 monitors, about 300 of them will work in eastern Ukraine. Bociurkiw stressed that many of these people have experience in working for OSCE missions and are specialists on human rights and mass media.

The OSCE sent its monitoring mission to Ukraine for a six-month period on March 21. The goal of the mission is to assist de-escalation, peace, stability and security in Ukraine. In late July it was decided to extend the mission in Ukraine for another six months. The OSCE also announced plans to expand its mission to 500 monitors, which could be sufficient to monitor compliance with the ceasefire in the east of the country.