VIENNA, November 9 (RIA Novosti) — The Chairperson of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) called all parties of the Ukrainian conflict to responsibility Saturday.
Referring to the recent reports of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, Swiss Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Didier Burkhalter urged all sides to "act responsibly and to do all in their power to further consolidate the ceasefire," OSCE press service reported.
Late Saturday SMM issued reports on the mission's investigation of the shelling of a school in Donetsk on Wednesday, as well as on the appearance of convoys of heavy weapons and tanks nearby Donetsk. SMM reported it "could hear heavy, outgoing shelling to the north and northwest of the city's outskirts".
"It is decisive that all sides strictly observe the commitments, made in the framework of the Minsk protocol and memorandum and stay away from acts, which could lead to new escalation," Burkhalter added.
An armed conflict started in eastern Ukraine in mid-April, when Kiev launched a military operation against independence supporters there.
A ceasefire was agreed upon at a meeting of the so-called Contact Group on Ukraine held in Minsk on September 5. Another meeting of the Contact Group on September 19 resulted in a memorandum, specifying the implementation of the ceasefire. Since the establishment of the truce, the sides have been accusing each other of numerous violations.
According to the UN estimates, the conflict has claimed more than 4,000 lives and left more than 9,000 people injured.
