You're reading: Minsk deal still violated in ceasefire, arms pullback – OSCE SMM

The Minsk agreements on Ukraine are still being violated, OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (OSCE SMM) Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug has said.

In his words, the monitors have visited a number of weapon storage sites and some of them were empty. Besides, the monitors have seen heavy weapons being moved around the conflict zone, which is proof of a breach of the Minsk agreements, Hug said at a press briefing in Kyiv on May 28.

Gunfire is still intense in the Donetsk airport zone, Hug continued.

The monitors observed about 300 explosions, including those of mortar and artillery rounds, near the airport on May 19, he said.

According to the deputy chief monitor, only random shots were observed in the Luhansk region, mostly near the town of Shchastya and in the northwest of the city of Luhansk.

Hug reported lines at checkpoints. Monitors saw about a hundred vehicles and nearly 500 persons standing in line at the Ukrainian checkpoint in Stanitsa Luhanska and about 300 people in line to the Luhansk People’s Republic militia checkpoint.

He added that the mission had grown to 471 monitors and its total staff stood at 754, including technicians.