OSCE Lost Contact with Observers in Ukraine

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) says it has lost a contact with one of its monitoring teams in Ukraine.

Four monitors operating in the southeast of the country have not been accounted for since 18:00 local time (16:00 GMT) on Monday, according to the BBC.

The observers performing a routine mission.

According to a statement by the OSCE, Ukraine's government has been informed of the situation.

Last month pro-Russian rebels took seven OSCE military observers hostage, accusing them of being NATO spies. They team was later released.

The latest developments come after a day of fierce clashes in the area around Donetsk airport.

On Tuesday Kiev forces claimed they had taken full control of the airport after shootings with pro-Russian rebels.

Sources from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic alleged meanwhile that an attack on a truck carrying 30 people that had been injured in the clashes took the lives of everybody inside.

Their accounts have not been independently verified.