Arsonists aimed to remove OSCE SMM from Donetsk – Ukraine

Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov has said the main objective of the August 9 incident outside the office of the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) was Moscow's need to get international monitors out of the area that is not controlled by Kyiv.

"Russia's chief goal is to remove the international monitors from the occupied territory so as to fire indiscriminately against Ukrainian territory and ready its armed forces for offensive operations," Turchynov said, an NSCD spokesperson said on Sunday.

In his view, the self-proclaimed republics have been doing everything "to jeopardize the chance of resolving the conflict peacefully," and this particular instance is a demonstration of "Moscow's disrespect for international organizations and its international obligations."

It was reported that four SMM cars had been burned not far from where the SMM staff were staying in Donetsk in the early hours of August 9.

KYIV. Aug 10 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov has said the main objective of the August 9 incident outside the office of the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) was Moscow's need to get international monitors out of the area that is not controlled by Kyiv.

"Russia's chief goal is to remove the international monitors from the occupied territory so as to fire indiscriminately against Ukrainian territory and ready its armed forces for offensive operations," Turchynov said, an NSCD spokesperson said on Sunday.

In his view, the self-proclaimed republics have been doing everything "to jeopardize the chance of resolving the conflict peacefully," and this particular instance is a demonstration of "Moscow's disrespect for international organizations and its international obligations."

It was reported that four SMM cars had been burned not far from where the SMM staff were staying in Donetsk in the early hours of August 9.