Tsymbaliuk: Release of SMM members from Russian captivity is matter of authority and trust in OSCE

Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna, made a corresponding statement at the OSCE Permanent Council meeting on January 12, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

The Ukrainian ambassador stressed that only three days ago, on January 9, a former staff member of the OSCE SMM and currently OSCE Secretariat’s official Mr. Maksym Petrov turned 43 years d in illegal Russian captivity.

“Together with two other OSCE officials, Vadym Gda and Dmytro Shabanov, Maksym Petrov has been in illegal detention for over 10 months after being taken hostage by the Russian Federation, which is still sitting at the one table with us. The release of these pele is about the credibility of OSCE, where Russia still unjustifiably keeps its seat,” Tsymbaliuk said.

In addition, he noted, the rejection of a Renewed OSCE Eurean Security Dialogue, closure of OSCE missions in Ukraine, blocking Organization’s annual budget and the next CIO for 2024, unjustified reduction of the mandate of the OSCE mission in Mdova is “the best illustration of Russia’s true hidden intentions with regard to our Organization.”

“Under the guise of a dialogue and demands to take into account its interests, Moscow will blackmail and destroy the OSCE from inside if the participating States do not accept its “alternative” vision of this Organization. What Russia wants is to shrink the OSCE to its “cd war” origins with zones of influences and great powers’ balance,” the Ukrainian diplomat said.

As reported, four Ukrainians – national members of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission – were detained in Russian-occupied Donetsk and Luhansk after February 24. Later, one of them was released.

In September, Russian praganda media outlets reported that two OSCE SMM members, Maksym Petrov and Dmytro Shabanov (interpreter and security assistant), were "found guilty of high treason and sentenced to 13 years in prison by the so-called "supreme court of LPR".

In an interview with Ukrinform in December 2022, OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid said that securing the release of SMM staff is one of the priorities of her agenda, and called for the immediate and unconditional release of SMM members.