Updated 6:15 p.m. Moscow Time
MOSCOW, October 17 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian government has ordered the Federal Security Service (FSB) to ensure safety and security of OSCE monitors working on the border between Russia and Ukraine.
"The FSB must ensure safety and security of personnel from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe involved in a monitoring mission at crossing points on the Russian-Ukrainian border and in Russia's Rostov region," a statement on the government website says.
The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine was deployed in March following a request to the OSCE by the Ukrainian government. The monitors are to contribute to reducing tensions and fostering peace, stability and security in Ukraine and on the Russian-Ukrainian border.
The monitors are to contribute to reducing tensions and fostering peace, stability and security in Ukraine and on the Russian-Ukrainian border. The Mission’s current mandate expires on October 23. A week ago, Paul Picard, the acting head of the monitoring mission, said that the OSCE mulls the extension of its mission's mandate on the Russian-Ukrainian border. Russia's representative at the OSCE said that Russia would agree to extend the current mandate by three months.
