Donetsk, Aug 3 – DAN. Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE SMM to Ukraine Alexander Hug has altered his route in Donbass, previously coordinated with the DPR authorities, eliminating visits to two frontline townships in the south, said DPR envoy to the Minsk negotiations Denis Pushilin.
"Despite the OSCE SMM sending a request to cooperate on the safe work and access to Kominternovo and Sakhanka to speak to the locals living on the contact line, today Hug has changed his route on his own will and tried to access Novoazovsk and Sedovo accompanied by the SMM vehicles."
Pushilin said that on the previous day he warned Hug of a difficult situation around the two towns due to the high tourist flow prompting more provocations.
"We cannot guarantee a safe passage to the mission in these areas as we do not exclude sabotage acts that can have tragic consequences. The SMM has unlimited access to the areas where we can guarantee security," Pushilin said.
Hug was advised a safer route, Pushilin said.
"We are saddened by the fact that Alexander Hug changed his mind to visit Kominternovo and Sakhanka and to speak to locals there who regularly suffer shelling from the Ukrainian side."
Earlier Hug said that the mission faces limited access to some of the townships in Donbass. *ot