VIENNA, June 28. /TASS/. The Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) in Ukraine of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) confirmed the start of the disengagement process near Stanitsa Luganskaya and the start of mine clearing effort.

The mission’s observers reported the start of the disengagement on June 26 and said its monitors would continue to follow the developments.

"On 27 June, the SMM observed deminers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and of the State Emergency Service as well as deminers of the armed formations conducting demining activities inside the disengagement area. It also saw members of the armed formations with weapons and other hardware exiting the area west of the Prince Ihor monument," OSCE SMM said.

"In addition, the Mission again noted that the most forward positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and of the armed formations were empty of armed personnel, weapons and hardware," the monitoring mission said in its report.