DISINFO: Russia found evidence that OSCE observers worked for the Ukrainian special services
SUMMARY
Russian troops found evidence proving OSCE observers worked for the Ukrainian special services.
The [OSCE] mission staff conducted intelligence activities in the interests of the Ukrainian special services, as well as the special services of NATO countries.
RESPONSE
Pro-Kremlin disinformation about the OSCE and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
There is no basis to claim that the OSCE observers worked for the Ukrainian special services. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) was deployed on 21 March 2014, following a request to the OSCE by Ukraine’s government and a consensus decision by all 57 OSCE participating States. The SMM was an unarmed, civilian mission, present on the ground 24/7 in all regions of Ukraine. Its main tasks were to observe and report in an impartial and objective way on the situation in Ukraine; and to facilitate dialogue among all parties to the crisis.
The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission mandate expired on 31 March 2022, it was not extended as Russia had refused to support a consensus decision.
Pro-Kremlin media also accused the OSCE of being biased towards Ukraine in the past. See similar disinformation cases claiming that the OSCE is a criminal organisation in favour of war in Donbas, that the OSCE's reports on Donbas do not correspond to reality, that the OSCE mission ignored wounding of three children in Donetsk, that Europe tells the OSCE observers when to ignore shelling in Donbas.