Ukraine claims Russian troops detained around four OSCE members in Donbass region: Report

As all-out Russian war in Ukraine escalated to day 59, Kyiv claimed that inving Russian troops captured a number of members of Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Donetsk and Luhansk region, collectively known as Donbass. According to sources of Ukraine Pravda, as many as four members have been arrested on charges of alleged treason, spying, and illegal activities.

This comes after on April 9, Donetsk pro-Russian separatist leer Denis Pushlin declared OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) "illegal." He h furr demanded staff evacuate offices by April 30. Subsequently, Luhansk separatist leer Leonid Pashechnik h also followed Pushlin's suit urging SMM officials to leave rebel-held region, ding that mission will be outlawed after April 30. Previously, on March 31, Russia refused to join OSCE Permanent Council consensus to extend mandate of OSCE SMM to Ukraine, demanding complete withdrawal of mission in absence of a prolonged mandate. Russian Foreign Ministry h earlier demanded a "corresponding statement" explaining what SMM has been doing in Ukraine since 2014. It is pertinent to mention that without expansion of mandate, SMM expired on March 31, and all monitoring activities were halted since March 7, Security and Human Rights Monitor said in a report.

OSCE 'extremely concerned' over missing national members

OSCE on Saturday expressed concern over missing national members. Taking to Twitter, largest global regional security-oriented intergovernmental organisation said that "OSCE_SMM national mission members have been deprived of ir liberty in Donetsk and Luhansk." organisation is also "using all available channels to facilitate ir release."

In an dress to 157-member bloc, Britain's deputy ambassor to OSCE criticised Russia for its refusal to extend SMM mandate beyond March. "And now we have received alarming reports that Russia's proxies in Donbas are threatening Mission staff, equipment, and premises and that Russian forces have taken SMM staff members captive," said Deirdre Brown, as quoted in a statement released by British government. Assessing threats, Vienna-based organisation pulled back nearly 500 international members from Ukraine. As of now, organisation has 360 national staff members located in Ukraine.

“ SMM continues to assist remaining national staff in efforts to relocate to safer areas. Contacts with national mission members continue on a daily basis, including in order to ascertain ir whereabouts and assist m, to extent possible, should y decide to re-locate,” OSCE press office said on April 23.

(Image: AP)