Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemns today's capture of the OSCE international military verification team by armed bandits in the city of Slovyansk, Donetsk region. The team consisting of military officers from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Sweden, and accompanied by representatives of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, are conducting verification mission in Ukraine according to the provisions of the Vienna document on confidence-building and security.

Capture and forceful detention of international observers, who enjoy diplomatic privileges and immunities according to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, are just another proof of criminal and terrorist nature of the separatist armed groups in the Donetsk region, who are inspired and supported by the Russian special services.

The purpose of the inspection team in Slovyansk was to evaluate the progress of the antiterrorist operation in Ukraine in terms of compliance with international law on civilian protection. Therefore, hindering the verification mission by forceful detention of the OSCE verification team indicates that the purpose of armed bandits, operating in the region, has nothing to do with the proclaimed so-called "peaceful protests" in eastern Ukraine.

Russian Federation, which supports unlawful actions of the puppet armed groups in the eastern regions of Ukraine, is obliged to immediately condemn the capture of OSCE inspectors and must use its influence upon the terrorists to ensure immediate release of all members of the OSCE inspection team and their accompanying staff.

Ukraine as well as all civilized international community strongly condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We believe that terrorist methods used by the armed militants in eastern Ukraine have no excuse and require appropriate response to bring all those who commit these terrorist acts to justice.