Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 2 April 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions since a renewed commitment to the ceasefire came into force on 1 April. In Donetsk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations but more explosions – the vast majority of them were recorded before midnight on 31 March – between the evenings of 31 March and 1 April compared with the previous reporting period, and fewer ceasefire violations between the evenings of 1 and 2 April compared with the previous 24-hour period. In Luhansk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations between the evenings of 31 March and 1 April compared with the previous reporting period, and a similar number of ceasefire violations the evenings of 1 and 2 April compared with the previous 24-hour period. An armed man fired two shots in the air 50m away from an SMM patrol in Sakhanka.* The Mission monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted. The SMM monitored and facilitated demining and repair work in and around Donetsk Water Filtration station. The Mission visited four border areas currently not under government control in Uspenka, Ulianivske, Sievernyi, and Novoborovytsi.

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations,[1] although more explosions (910) between the evening of 31 March and 1 April compared with the previous reporting period (about 660 explosions). About 88 per cent of those explosions were recorded before midnight on 31 March. The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations between the evenings of 1 and 2 April, when the renewed ceasefire came into effect, including about 90 explosions, compared with the previous 24-hour period.

Before midnight on 31 March, while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard 412 undetermined explosions 3-5km west. After midnight on 31 March, while in the same location, the SMM heard 11 undetermined explosions 3-5km west and 7-11km north-north-west. During the day on 1 April, positioned at the “DPR”-controlled Donetsk railway station (6km north-west of Donetsk city centre) the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 3-5km north-north-east and three shots of small-arms fire 2-4km north-north-west. On the night of 1-2 April, while in Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions 8-12km north-north-west and 6-8km north-west.

The SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded 62 undetermined explosions and one airburst before midnight on 31 March, and two undetermined explosions after midnight on 31 March, all 4-6km east-south-east. The same camera recorded, before midnight on 31 March, in sequence 130 tracer rounds in flight from north-west to south-east, 17 projectiles from north-west to south-east, followed by 12 projectiles (nine from north to south, three from south to north) and 69 projectiles (27 from south-west to north-east, and 42 north-east to south-west). 

During the day of 1 April, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for about five and half hours, the SMM heard 60 undetermined explosions 2-5km south-west and west, as well as heard and saw one explosion assessed as the impact of a round from an unidentified weapon 2km west. Positioned in Avdiivka for six hours, the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 2-4km south-east. On the night of 1-2 April, the camera in Avdiivka recorded in sequence one undetermined explosion, one rocket-assisted projectile in flight from north-west to south-east, followed by four rocket-assisted projectiles (two in flight from south-east to north-west, one from north-west to south-east and one from north to south) and one airburst, all 4-6km east and east-south-east. During the day of 2 April the same camera recorded 12 undetermined explosions 4-5km south-west. Positioned in Yasynuvata for five hours, the SMM heard six undetermined explosions and 32 shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 2-4km at directions ranging from south-west to north-west.

Before midnight on 31 March, the SMM camera at the “DPR”-controlled Oktiabr mine (9km north-west of Donetsk city centre) recorded 92 undetermined explosions, mostly 6-10km east-south-east, as well as in sequence two projectiles in flight from north to south, ten projectiles from south to north, and five tracer rounds from west-north-west to east-south-east, followed by 24 projectiles (seven in flight from west-north-west to east-south-east and 17 in the opposite direction) and eight tracer rounds from west-north-west to east-south-east, all 6-10km east-south-east. On the night of 1-2 April, the camera at the Oktiabr mine recorded one undetermined explosion 8-12km north-east. During the day of 2 April, the same camera recorded three undetermined explosions 5-7km north-west.

In the early afternoon of 1 April, positioned near a checkpoint in government-controlled Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk) the SMM heard one undetermined explosion and saw a 30-metre-tall thin column of black smoke with a mushroom-shaped top 250-300m south-west. A Ukrainian officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) told the SMM that a military truck had driven over an explosive object and as a result two military personnel had been injured.

During the day of 2 April, positioned 4.5km south-east of “DPR”-controlled Olenivka (23km south-west of Donetsk) the SMM heard 16 undetermined explosions 8-10km north-north-east.

Before midnight on 31 March, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard and saw 58 airbursts 8-10km north and north-north-east, as well as heard 100 explosions 5-7km west. Of those explosions, 20 explosions were assessed as rounds from cannon (73mm) of infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-1), 65 as automatic-grenade launcher fire, and 15 undetermined. In the early morning of 1 April, while in Horlivka the SMM heard two explosions assessed as outgoing 82mm mortar rounds and eight explosions assessed as outgoing rounds from unidentified weapon systems, all 4-5km west and west-north-west. 

Before midnight on 31 March, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 75 undetermined explosions 7-10km north-east and east-north-east. After midnight the SMM heard 13 undetermined explosions 7-10km east-north-east.

Before midnight on 31 March, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded in sequence four undetermined explosions and 31 tracer rounds in flight from east to west at unknown distances to the north-north-east. During the day of 1 April, the same camera recorded two explosions assessed as the impacts of rounds from unidentified weapon systems – one 500-700m north-east, and another at an unknown distance to the north-east. On the night of 1-2 April, the camera in Shyrokyne recorded one undetermined explosion and a total of 251 tracer rounds (147 in flight from west to east and 104 from east to west), beginning with 22 tracer rounds from west to east.

During the day of 1 April, positioned 2km south of “DPR”-controlled Sakhanka (24km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions and three bursts of small-arms fire at unknown distances to the north-west.

During the day of 2 April, positioned in two different locations in Sakhanka the SMM heard four undetermined explosions and two shots of small-arms fire at unknown distances to the west. Positioned 2km south-east of government-controlled Lebedynske (16km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM heard five undetermined explosions at unknown distances to the north-east.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations between the evenings of 31 March and 1 April, including 17 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 200 explosions), and a similar number of ceasefire violations between the evenings of 1 and 2 March, including about 20 explosions, compared with the previous 24-hour period.

During the day of 1 April, positioned in “LPR”-controlled Mykolaivka (15km east of Luhansk), the SMM heard 13 undetermined explosions more than 10km south-west.

During the day of 2 April, positioned 1km east of government-controlled Oleksandropillia (71km west of Luhansk) the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 7km east, 45 bursts of small-arms fire 2-3km south-west and 26 bursts of IFV (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) 2-3km west. Positioned in “LPR”-controlled Slovianoserbsk (28km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM heard 16 undetermined explosions 10km at directions ranging from north-north-west to north-north-east.

On 31 March, in the south-western part of government-controlled Katerynivka (64km west of Luhansk, outside the disengagement area), the SMM observed one fresh crater 3-4m south-east of a main road and 300m south-west of the nearest house, and assessed it as having been caused by an 82mm mortar round fired from a south-easterly direction.

On 1 April in Shyrokyne the SMM and technicians visited the SMM’s camera site for regular maintenance. Photographs showed that one of the metal masts of the tower, where the SMM camera is located, had been bent, and the SMM assessed it as having been caused by shrapnel.

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas of Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske (41km south of Donetsk), as foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.*

On the evening of 30 March, the SMM camera in government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska recorded one undetermined explosion 800m south-south-west, one explosion assessed as a rocket from a portable rocket-launcher (RPO-A Shmel, 93mm) 800m south-south-west. (Both explosions were assessed as inside the disengagement area.)

During the afternoon of 2 April, positioned south of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 2km north-west, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On the night of 31 March, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded one explosion assessed as a mortar round 5km east-south-east, ten bursts of small-arms fire 2.2km east-south-east, one undetermined explosion assessed as a mortar round 5.5km south-east. (All were assessed as outside the disengagement area.)

During the day of 1 April, positioned in government-controlled Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion at an unknown distance to the north-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons, in implementation of the Package of Measures, its Addendum, and the Memorandum.[2]

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines, in government-controlled areas the SMM saw: on 31 March, 12 stationary multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) (9P140 Uragan, 220mm) in Kulykivske (232km south-east of Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia region); on 1 April, six anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) in Zhelanne  (36km north-west of Donetsk); on 2 April, five self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) in Tarasivka (43km north-west of Donetsk); and ten self-propelled howitzer (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) in Zelene Pole (40km north-west of Donetsk).

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines, in non-government-controlled areas the SMM saw: on 1 April, one tank (T-64) loaded on a flatbed truck heading west near Zachativka (43km east of Donetsk); and on 2 April, about 15 stationary self-propelled howitzers near Manuilivka (65km east of Donetsk). Aerial surveillance imagery available to the SMM revealed on 31 March the presence of six MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) at a training area near Uspenka (23km south-west of Luhansk).

Beyond the respective withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, the SMM saw in government-controlled areas, six stationary tanks (unidentified type) near Orikhovo-Vasylivka (76km north of Donetsk) on 2 April.

In non-government-controlled areas the SMM saw: on 1 April, one tank (unidentified type) at a training area near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk); on 2 April, 30-40 stationary tanks near Ternove (57km east of Donetsk); and about 15 stationary tanks near Manuilivka. Aerial surveillance imagery available to the SMM revealed on 31 March the presence of 106 pieces of weaponry regularised by Minsk agreements at four “LPR” training areas: 14 towed artillery and 32 tanks near Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk); 24 tanks near Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk); ten tanks near Shymshynivka (27km south-west of Luhansk); 18 towed howitzers (D-30, 122mm) and eight tanks near Uspenka.

The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage does not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification. In government-controlled areas, the Mission observed ten anti-tank guns (MT-12) and seven tanks (T-64). The SMM noted the following weapons missing: two anti-tank guns (MT-12), which were noted missing for the first time; three tanks (T-64), which were noted missing for the first time; and five mortars (three PM-38 120mm and two 2B9 Vasilek, 82mm). The SMM also noted again four areas as abandoned with missing: 24 mortars (18 2B11 Sani, 120mm, and six PM-38, 120mm) and 13 anti-tank guns (MT-12).

In non-government-controlled areas the SMM observed four MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm), 11 self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm); two anti-tank guns (MT-12), while noted as missing six self-propelled howitzers (2S1), four of which were noted as missing for the first time.

The Mission revisited a Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent storage site, whose location corresponded with the withdrawal lines. The SMM noted as missing: 12 tanks (T-72) and 13 mortars (ten 2B9, one M-120, 120mm and two PM-38, 120mm) (three 2B9, one M-120, and two PM-38 were noted as missing for the first time.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft gun[3] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas the SMM saw: on 31 March, one stationary IFV (BMP-2) near Zolote-3; on 1 April, one stationary armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-70) near Berezove, on 2 April, one APC (BRDM-2) and nine IFVs (BMP-2), all stationary near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk); two APC (one BRDM-1 and one BRDM-2), eight IFV (one BMP-1 and seven BMP-2), one anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23), all stationary near Zolote; one stationary IFV (BMP-1) near Stanytsia Luhanska; eight IFV (BMP-1); six stationary IFVs (BMP-1) near Stepne (29km south-west of Donetsk).

In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw: on 31 March, 15 stationary APCs (13 MTLB and two BTR) near Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk); on 1 April, one stationary IFV (BMP-2) near Kalynove (60km west of Luhansk); and on 2 April, one stationary APC (MTLB) near Molodizhne (63km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM observed five to six Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers and two IFVs (BMP-2) parked inside the premises of a former kindergarten in government-controlled part of Zolote (outside the disengagement area). Several residents told the SMM that the kindergarten had not been functioning since 2014. The commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces told the SMM that there was an agreement between the military and relevant local authorities on the use of the buildings.  

Outside the security zone, aerial surveillance imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence on 31 March of 171 armoured vehicles and 173 military-type trucks at the four aforementioned “LPR” training areas outside the security zone: 82 armoured vehicles and 76 military-type trucks near Buhaivka; nine military-type trucks near Kruhlyk; 12 armoured vehicles and 30 military-type trucks near Shymshynivka; and 77 armoured vehicles and 58 military-type trucks near Uspenka.

The SMM monitored and facilitated adherence to the ceasefire, co-ordinated by the JCCC, to enable demining and repair of essential infrastructure. On 1 April, the SMM, accompanied by a Russian officer of the JCCC, armed and unarmed “DPR” members, observed a “DPR” demining team clearing roads (highways M04 and H20) leading to the Donetsk Water Filtration station and workers of DTEK repairing electricity pylons. At the junction between the highways M04 and H20, the SMM saw more than ten tailfins of 120mm mortar rounds lying on the asphalt road with corresponding splash marks or craters in proximity of “DPR” positions, which it had not observed the day before. The demining team found a complete warhead of a rocket-propelled grenade (PG-7L) round and small-arms bullets on highway H20. Positioned at the Filtration station, the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 150-200m north-west and saw a thick cloud of black smoke rising up from a forest area in the same location, and two instances of uncountable overlapping bursts of small-arms fire 1.5-2.5km south-west. “DPR” members told the SMM that the repair team had stopped their work and decided to leave the area due to the small-arms fire heard nearby. The SMM and all present left the area. Both on 1 and 2 April, the SMM observed numerous generators running throughout Avdiivka. A Ukrainian officer of the JCCC told the SMM that there was no electricity supply in the town.

The SMM visited four border areas currently not controlled by the Government.* On 1 April, in about 40 minutes at the Uspenka border crossing point (73km south-east of Donetsk) the SMM saw 38 civilian trucks (commercial haulage trucks and industrial dumper trucks , 37 with Ukrainian, one with Bulgarian licence plates) and 40 civilian cars (five with “DPR” plates, about half of the remaining 35 with Ukrainian licence plates, the other half with Russian Federation ones) in a queue to exit Ukraine.

At the Ulianivske pedestrian border crossing point (61km south-east of Donetsk), in about 40 minutes, the SMM saw one man and one woman exit Ukraine and two women and a man enter. The two women then exited and re-entered carrying two mirrored doors at a time. On both occasions they were meticulously searched by “DPR” members. The SMM saw four civilian cars (two with Ukrainian licence plates, one with “DPR” plates) in the adjacent parking area including the car and trailer (with Russian Federation licence plates).

At the Sievernyi pedestrian border crossing point (50km south-east of Luhansk) in 20 minutes, the SMM saw 12 pedestrians enter Ukraine and one exit. At the parking lot in front of the crossing point the SMM saw 19 vehicles (18 with Ukrainian licence plates, one with “LPR” plates). On 2 April, in about two hours at the pedestrian border crossing point near Novoborovytsi (79km south of Luhansk) the SMM noted it continued to be unstaffed, saw two pedestrians exit Ukraine and two enter, and two civilian cars (with Ukrainian licence plates) parked nearby.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints. During the morning of 2 April, at the entry-exit checkpoint near Maiorsk (45km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM observed about 75 civilian vehicles and 300 pedestrians waiting to enter government-controlled areas and 120 civilian vehicles and 30 pedestrians waiting to travel in the opposite direction. At almost the same time, at the entry-exit checkpoint near Horlivka the Mission observed 180 vehicles (including 12 buses) and about 100 pedestrians waiting to travel towards government-controlled areas, and 20 vehicles (including three buses) and 15 pedestrians waiting to travel in the opposite direction.

The SMM noted no changes and a calm situation at blockade site near government-controlled Buhas (44km south-west of Donetsk).

On the road between “LPR”-controlled Pionerske and Mykolaivka (19 and 15km east of Luhansk, respectively), the SMM observed for the first time two mine hazard signs (red boards with the white letters stating “Mines” in Russian) 30-40m west of the main road.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi, and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the JCCC should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance.

Denial of access:

• Both on 1 and 2 April, at the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, a Ukrainian officer of the JCCC told the SMM that its safety still could not be guaranteed in the areas surrounding the main road due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• Both on 1 and 2 April, the possible presence of mines and UXO prevented the SMM from travelling further south-east into the Zolote disengagement area from government-controlled Katerynivka (64km west of Luhansk). The Mission informed the JCCC.
• Both on 1 and 2 April, at an “LPR” checkpoint on the edge of the Zolote disengagement area, armed men told the SMM that its safety still could not be guaranteed in the fields and side roads due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• Both on 1 and 2 April, the SMM was unable to travel west from “DPR”-controlled Petrivske due to the possible presence of mines. The Mission informed the JCCC.
• On 1 April, the SMM was not able to proceed eastward to Viktorivka (42km southwest of Donetsk) from government-controlled Bohdanivka as Ukrainian officers of the JCCC said that they could not ensure security for the SMM to travel, adding that anti-tank mines were still present on the road. The SMM again informed the JCCC.
• Both on 1 and 2 April, the SMM still could not travel south of the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), as Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel said there were mines on the road south of the bridge. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• Both 1 and 2 April (on three separate occasions, once on 1 April and twice on 2 April), the presence of anti-tank obstacles and mine hazard signs on the road prevented the SMM from traveling between Katerynivka and Popasna. Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel present told the SMM that the road was mined. The SMM saw Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel remove six mobile anti-tank mines from the road. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• On 31 March, at a checkpoint in “DPR”-controlled Olenivka (23km south-west of Donetsk), a man wearing military-style clothes prevented the SMM from talking to people waiting in a queue. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• On 1 April, a “DPR” member denied the SMM access to a heavy weapon holding area. The Mission informed the JCCC.
• On 1 April, the SMM again saw a wooden utility pole blocking the road 1.3km south-west of “LPR”-controlled Hannivka (58km west of Luhansk). (See SMM Daily Report 31 March 2017.) The SMM informed the JCCC.
• On 2 April at a checkpoint in “DPR”-controlled Petrovskyi district (15km south-west of Donetsk) of Donetsk city an armed man prevented the SMM from proceeding to the south. The Mission informed the JCCC.
• On 2 April, at the northern edge of  “DPR”-controlled Sakhanka (24km north-east of Mariupol), a civilian vehicle approached the SMM, and three passengers in military-style clothes shouted loudly, after opening a window – about 50m from the SMM. Then the driver put the rifle through the open window, and fired two shots into the air, without stopping the car, and proceeding north. The SMM informed the JCCC. (See SMM Spot Report 2 April 2017.) 

Conditional access:

• On 1 April, in “DPR”-controlled Petrivske, after 14 minutes delay at a checkpoint at the northern entrance to the town, the SMM was allowed to proceed to its camera site on the condition that an armed man escorted it. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Delay:

• On 2 April Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel delayed the SMM access to a compound for about 110 minutes. The Mission informed the JCCC.

Other impediments:

• On 2 April, an SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle experienced jamming while flying over areas near Berezove. Later the SMM saw a tall white-red antenna fixed on the ground in a compound – 1km from the UAV launching site and 1.5km north of the town.​

[1]Please see the annexed table for complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report.

[2] Following  renewed commitment  made at the meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group on 29 March 2017 according to which the sides agreed on full adherence to the ceasefire and the completion of the withdrawal of weapons by 1 April, in the course of 31 March Ukrainian authorities and “LPR” members provided the SMM with some information related to weapons which they declared as withdrawn. The SMM received some information from “DPR” members on some weapons which they declared that they intended to withdraw.

[3] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.