In Severodonetsk, the rebels detained OSCE observers and Russian translator

In the east of Ukraine, another group of special observation mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe disappeared. At the same time, Ukrainian rebels claim that "no one has detained anyone." This is the second group of the OSCE with which the leaders of the European organization have lost contact over the past few days.

As reported in the OSCE press release, published on the organization’s website on May 30, at the eve of about 19:00 local time with representatives of the observation group, communication was lost when they were in Severodonetsk, which is located 100 kilometers from Lugansk.

The group of observers, as noted in the statement of the European organization, consisted of four people and the assistant from Russia who accompanies them, who knows the Ukrainian language. They moved on two cars, and Lugansk was the place of constant base. The OSCE said that the observers were detained by some armed people.

Currently, part of the Luhansk region of Ukraine is controlled by the armed forces of the self -proclaimed "Lugansk People's Republic". Its representatives do not hide that on May 29 in Severodonetsk, four foreigners and one Russian were stopped to Lugansk. After checking the documents, as Interfax told in the LPR leadership, it turned out that stopped people are indeed representatives of the OSCE.

I must say that representatives of the People’s Republic described the actual detention of European specialists differently. Initially, they stated that the Europeans "were detained," because "it was completely shamelessly moving around the region." Then, when the observers were already delivered to Lugansk, it was said that they were not detained at all, but simply cannot leave the city because of the commandant's hour.

Subsequently, the press secretary of the LPR Vladimir Nonvoynodsky said that "no one detained anyone." “Four OSCE observers arrived in Severodonetsk. They were fed and carried out at the places of hostilities,” Interfax quoted Non -Ingorodsky. “They feel good, they didn’t complain about anything,” ITAR-TASS added in the press center of the People’s Republic.

The fate of the four observers of the OSCE and their Russian assistant in the Luhansk region were more successful than their colleagues in the Donetsk region, who were detained on May 26 by representatives of the Donetsk People's Republic and still have not got in touch. The composition of that group also included four people, including citizens of Estonia, Switzerland, Turkey and Denmark.

A source of Interfax at the Slavyansk self -defense headquarters announced the day before that OSCE observers could be released on May 30. He explained that representatives of the European organization are suspected of leading the DPR in intelligence. “If it is not confirmed, they will go home tomorrow,” the interlocutor of the Russian agency said on May 29.

According to the evening of May 20, the observers were released. “All claims were removed from them, and they left. Where exactly they left, we do not know,” the LPR leadership said. At about 19:20 Moscow time, the Russian Air Force Service said that observers had contacted their coordinators. They, in particular, reported that they were safe.

The OSCE special observation mission operates in Ukraine at the request of the Kyiv authorities and, according to the agreement of all 57 member states of the organization. Among the goals of observers, a decrease in tension in the region is stated, where armed clashes, the formation of peace, stability and security are still continuing . Observers also help monitor and comply with all the principles and obligations of the OSCE.

Western politicians previously turned to the OSCE detained observers, and Russian diplomats said that the receiving party is responsible for the safety of observers in Ukraine.