Ceasefire monitoring under fire

The OSCE , technology, and the 2022 war in Ukraine

Bibliographic Data

ID21793641
AuthorsAly Verjee (0000-0002-1410-4623, RLS Global (Sweden), corresponding author)
Year2022
Volume13
Issue5
Pages808-817
Publication date2022-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGlobal Policy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1758-5880 • E-ISSN: 1758-5899
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/1758-5899.13123
OpenAlexW4292183593
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited21

This Policy Insight discusses what was the world's largest dedicated third‐party ceasefire monitoring operation, the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM), which, until the Russian invasion in early 2022, oversaw a ceasefire in Ukraine. Although it may now seem obvious to conclude that the SMM failed to deter conflict escalation, this once‐heralded, ‘model’ mission provides insights for the design and implementation of other ceasefire monitoring efforts. This Policy Insight argues that the limitations and differing interpretations of the SMM's mandate, an inability to attribute responsibility for violations, and a failure to act in response to violations substantially weakened the practice of ceasefire monitoring in Ukraine. Still, important lessons can be identified for future monitoring work, whether in Ukraine or elsewhere, including agreeing on the mechanisms for consequences when violations occur, better understanding the limitations of remote sensing technology in monitoring, and establishing more robust planning for mission suspension, evacuation, and termination

Mandate · Political science · Public relations · Engineering · European and Russian Geopolitical Military Strategies · Global Peace and Security Dynamics · Law · Peacebuilding and International Security

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