Russian military stole more than 50 OSCE cars: EU requires returning them

The European officials have announced the possible use of armored vehicles in the war with Ukraine. The invaders have been holding three employees in the Donbass since April last year. The Russian military should release all detained employees of the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) of the OSCE and return them to stolen cars. This is stated in a statement by the European Union following the meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on January 19.

European officials emphasize that in the last 11 months Russia has attacked not only Ukraine, but also on the basic principles and values ​​of the OSCE. Last weekend, she received new alarming reports of more than 50 armored vehicles from Russia to the East of Ukraine. They can be used in the war with Ukraine, which is absolutely unacceptable, the organization said.

The invaders illegally retain 3 OSCE SMM employees since April 2022, they have been extremely dubious accusations, the OSCE reminded. "Russia should immediately and unconditionally release all detained SMM employees and return the property to the legal owner-the OSCE and its participating States," EU representatives stressed.

According to the UK Post -Britain at the OSCE of Neil Bush, the Russian Federation is obliged to give comprehensive explanations of the causes of seizure of SMM cars and their use in the Donbass. Bush condemned the obvious theft and illegal use of OSCE cars. Bush, Bush, will support Ukraine with all the resources to stop Russia's aggression. "The OSCE has neither personnel nor vehicles in eastern Ukraine. Russia is well aware of it," the British representative added.

The detention of employees of the OSCE monitoring mission in occupied Donetsk and Lugansk pro -Russian fighters became known on April 24, 2022. "The OSCE is extremely concerned that members of the national mission of SMM have been deprived of the will in Donetsk and Lugansk. The OSCE uses all available channels to facilitate the dismissal of employees," the organization said in response to Reuters.

The UK Ambassador to the OSCE of Deidra Brown criticized Russia for refusing to continue the mandate of the SMM mission in Ukraine. "And now we have received alarming reports about the threats of equipment and the placement of a mission by Russian proxy in the Donbass, as well as about capturing SMM employees," Brown said. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission has been working in Ukraine since March 21, 2014. The Government of Ukraine submitted an appropriate appeal to the organization.

The mission began to work after the consensus decision of 57 OSCE Member States. SMM observers worked without weapons - they prepared reports on safety and humanitarian situation in the Donbass, based on their own observations. We will remind, on March 31 last year in the OSCE told that they failed to agree on the continuation of the mandate of a special monitoring mission in Ukraine through the position of Russia.