Pro-Russian rebels call on OSCE to help secure release of officer detained by Ukraine

Protesters set up tents in front of the Park Inn hotel housing OSCE monitor mission during a rally to demand release of a pro-Russian officer, captured by the Ukrainian military this week, in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk, Ukraine October 16, 2021. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko

DONETSK, Ukraine (Reuters) - About 200 protesters in separatist-controlled Donetsk confronted monitors from Europe's main security and rights watchdog on Saturday to demand the release of a pro-Russian officer captured by the Ukrainian military.

The monitoring mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation on Europe has previously faced protests organized by pro-Russian rebels, but this time protesters for the first time appeared to block the entrance to the hotel where they are based.