Editor’s note: Below is OSCE’s assessment of the situation in Ukraine over Easter weekend, released on April 21. OSCE is leading the international effort for de-escalation of conflicts in Ukraine in the wake of April 17 Geneva agreement.

Over the holiday weekend the situation in the western and central Ukraine was calm. Tensions remained in the Donbas – the separatists continued the occupation of the building of the state security service (SBU) in Luhansk as well as several other administrative buildings in Donetsk Oblast. Due to the proximity to this region, the situation in parts of southern and eastern Ukraine remains tense. Both proponents of the unitary Ukraine and separatists declared that their implementation of the Geneva statement depends on the mutual, synchronized disarmament and vacation of buildings.