COPENHAGEN, 1 February 2017 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Christine Muttonen (MP, Austria) today called on all sides to bring an immediate end to the increased hostilities in eastern Ukraine, especially in the Avdiika and Donetsk areas.

“I deeply condemn and deplore the breaches of the ceasefire and the Minsk agreements, which have already now led to heavy losses of human lives, including civilians,” said the President.

In recent days, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) has observed a sharp increase in ceasefire violations, including through the use of heavy caliber weaponry by both sides which, according to the Minsk agreements, should not be present in the area.

“An immediate stop of the attacks and the shelling is a necessary precondition for the SMM to access the area and establish the facts, and also for repair teams and aid organizations to move into the area, where thousands of civilians are trapped without food and heating,” Muttonen said.