Ethnic Russians in Ukraine

The Ukrainian government needs the help of the OSCE. Alone, he can’t win. Then, the OSCE Permanent Council decided to extend the mandate of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine for a further six months. Maybe, the SMM will be able to continue to play its crucial role in assisting Ukraine in de-escalating measures.

57 States

All participating States work together in the mission. They support financially and in terms of personnel. This consensus indicates that the scope for a co-operative solution to the Ukraine crisis persists among the 57 participating States even under the current challenging circumstances.

The timely extension of the current mandate will expire on September 20, 2014. That allows the mission to operate uninterrupted. The value of impartially verified information and objective reporting on developments on the ground cannot be overestimated in tense and volatile situations. The SMM has also proven to be a useful facilitator of contacts, pointing to the mission’s major role in enabling access to the crash site of the MH17.

SMM

The mandate of the Special Monitoring Mission and the deployment of monitors to East Ukrainia remain unchanged. The mission’s aim is to contribute to reducing tensions and fostering peace, stability and security. Its mandate comprises tasks such as gathering information, reporting on the security situation as well as establishing and reporting facts regarding incidents, including those concerning alleged violations of fundamental OSCE principles and commitments.  It must watch the human rights situation including the rights of minorities.

Minorities: Ethnic Russians

Ethnic Russians are one of those minorities. They live throughout Ukraine. They comprise a notable fraction of the overall population in the west, a significant minority in the center, and larger minority in the East and south.