OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) could not confirm the presence of Russian troops in the Donbas region, but draws attention to the evidence of involvement in the conflict the weapons of foreign nationals. This was stated by the OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier during briefing, Interfax-Ukraine reports.
"When people ask me whether there are Russian troops in the Donbas region, I say that according to our observers, there are no troops, but we see the presence of military equipment from outside. Aslo we see a large presence of equipment and fuel, it also came from somewhere. In addition, there are foreign officers ", he said.
Zannier stressed that such troops admit they came to fight on their own.
"These men deny that they have an official connection with the Russian Federation. There are also people who do not just shoot, they also run sophisticated military technology and equipment", he added.
Zannier said that he would abstain from carrying out any parallels with other military conflicts, but, in his opinion, the presence of a large number of weapons and military equipment is what distinguishes the conflict in eastern Ukraine from other similar, and even from Yugoslavia.
"We refrain from evaluations, our task is to promote dialogue, facilitate the creation of platforms on which the parties can discuss the situation, including economic interests", he concluded.
Recall that Hug said that for the first time since early May the situation in most areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions remains relatively calm.
Source: Interfax-Ukraine
