Militants Seize Eight OSCE Vehicles, Including Armored Ones: Polyansky

Ukrainian militants have used eight vehicles belonging to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, and the organization remained silent on this fact until now, said Dmitry Polyansky, Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Security Council.

"I am referring to the use of armored vehicles of the OSCE mission by formations of the Ukrainian armed forces. According to media reports, at the end of February, the 'Azov' militants arrived at their office in Mariupol, demanding the keys to the mission's vehicles. As a result, militants seized eight OSCE-marked vehicles, including armored ones. None of these vehicles have been returned to the OSCE. Similar threats were also received against the staff in Severodonetsk at the end of February and the beginning of March. The OSCE leadership was aware of the issue but preferred to keep this fact silent until the end," Polyansky stated.