DISINFO: OSCE observers worked in the interests of the Ukrainian special services
SUMMARY
The special forces of the Russian Guard found documents in the Kherson region confirming the work of OSCE observers in the interests of the Ukrainian special services.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring disinformation attempt from pro-Kremlin media to accuse the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) of being biased towards Ukraine, and in this case of working for Ukrainian Special Services, and making accusations about Western belligerence against Russia.
There is no basis to claim that the OSCE observers worked for the Ukrainian special services.
In reality, SMM officials issued reports on a daily basis about the current situation in the war zone. One of the SMM’s main tasks was 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 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 is an unarmed, civilian mission, present on the ground 24/7 in all regions of Ukraine. Its main tasks are 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.
Since its deployment in March 2014, the Mission issued 2432 daily reports and 242 spot reports.
The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission mandate expired on 31 March 2022. No consensus was reached on the extension of the mandate. Russia blocks mandate extension of OSCE monitoring mission to Ukraine.
See other examples of disinformation narratives about the supposed anti-Russian bias of international institutions- such as the OPCW, the World Anti-Doping Agency or the United Nations, which always falsely accuse Russia-, about the alleged Russophobia of the EU, and about “absurd” accusations against Russia as an attempt to demonise it.