Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 23 April 2017
This report is for the media and the general public.
An SMM patrol member died and two more were taken to hospital after an explosion severely damaged an SMM vehicle near Pryshyb, possibly after the vehicle came into contact with a mine. Between the evenings of 21 and 22 April the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 22 and 23 April the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24-hour period. The Mission saw damage in Novooleksandrivka, Katerynivka, Dokuchaievsk and Syhnalne. The SMM monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted.* It observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM saw mines and unexploded ordnance in populated areas. The Mission monitored three border areas currently not under government control.
On 23 April, an SMM patrol consisting of six patrol members and two armoured vehicles was traveling near “LPR”-controlled Pryshyb (34km north-west of Luhansk) when one of the vehicles, with three members on board, was severely damaged as a result of an explosion, possibly after coming into contact with a mine.[1] As a result of the explosion, a male paramedic died and two patrol members (one male, one female) were taken to Luhansk Regional Hospital for further medical examination. (See 23 April SMM Spot Report, the joint statement from the OSCE Secretary General and Chairperson-in-Office, and the statement from the SMM Chief Monitor.)
In Donetsk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[2] between the evenings of 21 and 22 April, including about 58 explosions compared with the previous reporting period (about 330 explosions) and more between the evenings of 22 and 23 April, including more than 260 explosions, compared with the previous 24-hour period.
On 22 April, positioned at the Donetsk central railway station (6km north-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM heard 19 undetermined explosions and bursts and shots of small-arms fire. On the evening and night of 22-23 April, while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard 139 undetermined explosions 8-12km north-north-west.
On the night of 21-22 April the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded 15 tracer rounds in flight from west to east, all 3-5km east-south-east. On the night of 22-23 April, the SMM camera recorded an exchange of fire that began with six projectiles in flight from north to south, followed by 57 projectiles from south to north, and totals of 162 additional projectiles in flight from south to north and 52 projectiles in flight from north to south, all 3-5km east-south-east. Positioned in Avdiivka on 23 April, the SMM heard 22 undetermined explosions and seven bursts of small-arms fire 2-4km south-east.
On the evening of 21 April the SMM camera at the “DPR”-controlled Oktiabr mine (9km north-west of Donetsk city centre) recorded one explosion assessed as an impact of an unknown weapon 10-12km north of the camera’s location. On the evening and night of 22-23 April, the SMM camera recorded 141 projectiles in flight from east to west followed by three projectiles in flight from west to east, all 8-10km north-east.
On 22 April, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 25 undetermined explosions and shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 2-6km south-west, west-south-west and west. On 23 April, positioned in Yasynuvata, the SMM heard 30 undetermined explosions and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 2-5km south-west, west-south-west and west.
On the evening and night of 21-22 April, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions and bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire all 2-6km south-east, south, and south-west. On 22 April, at the same location, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 4-6km south-west. The evening of 22-23 April from the same location, the SMM heard 69 undetermined explosions and shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 3-12km from directions ranging from south-east to west-south-west.
On the night of 21-22 April, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded 58 tracer rounds in flight from east to west, followed by nine tracer rounds in flight from west to east, and one tracer round in flight from east to west, at unknown distances north, north-north-east and north-east. The following night of 22-23 April, the SMM recorded an exchange of fire beginning with seven tracer rounds in flight from west to east and followed by, in totals, 89 tracer rounds in flight from east to west and 84 tracer rounds in flight from west to east, all at unknown distances north-north-east.
In Luhansk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations between the evenings of 21 and 22 April, including about 40 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 22 explosions) and fewer ceasefire violations overall, but about the same number of explosions, between the evenings of 22 and 23 April.
On 22 April, positioned in “LPR”-controlled Veselohorivka (64km west of Luhansk) the SMM heard 27 undetermined explosions 5-7km north.
On the evening of 22 April, from “LPR”-controlled Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions and over 50 shots of heavy-machine-gun fire 8-10km west.
On the morning of 23 April, positioned about 1.5km north of government-controlled Trokhizbenka (32km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard four explosions assessed as impacts 10km south-west.
On 23 April at 10:04 and 10:15, positioned approximately 2.5km south-west of Pryshyb the SMM heard two explosions assessed as outgoing artillery fire between 5-20km north and north-west.
On 23 April, positioned 1.5km north-east of government-controlled Lopaskyne (23km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard four explosions assessed as impacts of a round from an unknown weapon 10km west. Positioned 600m north-west of government-controlled Lobacheve (17km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 1km south. Positioned in “LPR”-controlled Obozne (18km north of Luhansk), the SMM heard four undetermined explosions 20-25km north-west.
The SMM saw damage caused by shelling and gunfire on both sides of the contact line. On 22 April, in Novooleksandrivka (65km west of Luhansk), the SMM saw three fresh impacts on the west side of a house at 21 Haharina Street, which were assessed as caused by rocket-propelled grenades fired from a westerly direction. All three craters were 70-80cm in diameter and 20cm in depth and located at 8m, 20m and 30m from the house. The SMM saw fragments of the explosive devices and shrapnel near the craters. A tree about 20m from the house was also damaged. A man and woman (40 and 65 years old respectively), told the SMM that they had heard five impacts nearby between 17:00-18:00 on 20 April.
On 22 April, in “DPR”-controlled Dokuchaievsk (30km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw damage to six properties. At 100 Lenina Street, the SMM saw a large hole in the plastic enclosure of a balcony, which appeared to be fresh. At 102 Lenina Street, the SMM observed a broken window on a west-south-westerly-facing wall. The SMM could not determine if the damage was fresh. At 104 Lenina Street, the SMM saw a round hole in a west-south-west-facing window as well as damage to a door-frame on the opposite wall inside the apartment. The SMM could not determine if the damage was fresh. At a different location inside the same building, the SMM observed a broken window on the first floor of a stairwell on the west-south-west side of the building, as well as damage to the opposite wall. At 106 Lenina Street, the SMM observed about ten small indentations on the balcony door and ceiling of an apartment facing west-south-west. The SMM could not determine if the damage was fresh. At 93 Tsentralna Street, the SMM observed a broken window in the kitchen of an apartment on the ground floor, as well as a hole in the opposite wall. The damage to the window and the hole in the wall was covered with tape and the SMM could not determine if it was fresh. The SMM assessed that the damage was caused by 12.7mm calibre bullets fired from a west-south-westerly direction; however, the SMM did not see any bullets at the damage sites.
On 22 April in “DPR”-controlled Syhnalne (23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw a hole in the ground located next to a fence surrounding a vegetable storehouse that was partially destroyed. The SMM could not determine the cause of the hole. A man and a woman who told the SMM that they live nearby said that the hole had been caused on 7 March. At 6 Pionerskaia Street, the SMM saw damage to the western side of the house and roof, as well as holes in parts of the metal gate and damage to nearby trees. A crater in front of the metal gate had been filled with soil. The SMM could not determine what caused the crater. Two residents of the house (a man and woman in their sixties) told the SMM that their house had been damaged on 7 March.
On 23 April in government-controlled Katerynivka (64km west of Luhansk), the SMM saw a fresh impact on the hard surface less than 70m north-west of a civilian house and 150m north-east of a Ukrainian Armed Forces position. The crater measured about 40cm in diameter and 2cm in depth and the SMM assessed that it was likely caused by automatic-grenade-launcher (AGS) fire. The SMM could not assess the direction of fire.
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 21 April, the SMM camera in Stanytsia Luhanska recorded five tracer rounds in flight from an easterly to a westerly direction at unknown distances to the south-east or east-south-east (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area).
On 22 April, positioned in Zolote-4, the SMM heard 50 shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 3-4km south-west (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area). Later the same day at a location about 1.5km west of Zolote-4, the SMM heard 300 shots of heavy-machine-gun fire 2-3km south-west (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area), followed by two undetermined explosions and 27 shots of IFV (BMP-2) cannon fire, all 4-5km west and assessed as occurring outside the disengagement area. From a different location in Zolote later in the afternoon, the SMM heard six explosions assessed as caused by mortar (82mm) rounds, nine shots of IFV (BMP-2) cannon fire and 300-350 shots of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-4km south-south-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area).
On 22 April, positioned in Katerynivka the SMM heard about 63 shots of IFV (BMP-2) cannon fire 3-4km south-west (assessed as outside the Zolote disengagement area).
On 22 April, positioned in “LPR”-controlled Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 570 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and IFV (BMP-2) cannon fire 3km north (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area) followed by 120 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and IFV (BMP-2) cannon fire and five explosions assessed as impacts of mortar (82mm) rounds, 4km north-west (assessed as outside the Zolote disengagement area).
The morning of 23 April, positioned in Zolote-4, the SMM heard six undetermined explosions 15-20km south-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area). Later the same day, positioned about 2km east of Katerynivka, the SMM heard eight shots of small-arms fire 1-2km south, (assessed as inside the Zolote disengagement area).
The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons, in implementation of the Package of Measures, its Addendum, and the Memorandum.
In violation of the respective withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas the SMM saw four multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) in a military compound near government-controlled Ivanivka (59km south-west of Donetsk).
In non-government-controlled areas, on 22 and 23 April, the SMM continued to observe seven MLRS (BM-21), seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), ten towed howitzers (five D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm; and five 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm), and seven tanks (T-72) at an aerodrome in the south-eastern outskirts of Luhansk city. (See SMM Spot Report 5 April 2017.)
Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of storage sites in non-government-controlled areas on 22 April the SMM saw at least six tanks (type unknown) at a compound near Ternove (57km east of Donetsk).
The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[3] and new trenches in the security zone. In government-controlled areas on both 22 and 23 April, the SMM saw an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-3) stationary near Makarove (19km north-east of Luhansk); on 22 April, the SMM saw an IFV (BMP-1) in Stanytsia Luhanska (outside of the disengagement area); and on 23 April, the SMM continued to see an APC (BRDM-2) near Orikhove (57km north-west of Luhansk), a stationary IFV (BMP) and a light armoured vehicle Kraz Cougar mounted with a heavy machine-gun, and an APC (BRDM) all in Zolote (outside the disengagement area), and an APC (BTR-80) near Avdiivka.
In non-government-controlled areas, on 22 and 23 April, the SMM observed 16 APCs (ten MTLB and six BTR-80) and seven IFVs (BMP-2), all stationary at the aerodrome in the south-eastern outskirts of Luhansk city. On 23 April, near Lyman (12km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed newly dug trenches at least 50m in length located 20-30m east of the main road. The SMM assessed that the trenches had been dug since the last SMM patrol in the village on 20 April.
The SMM noted the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) in populated areas. On 14 April, along a road running north-east of a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint near Zolote-4, the SMM observed several nylon strings running low to the ground between short wooden posts to trees and connected to devices that appeared to be flare grenades. The SMM saw five flare grenade devices stretching approximately 275m and located about three metres from the north-west side of the road. The same day the SMM had notified a Ukrainian officer of the JCCC and visited the site with Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel and expressed concern about the explosive devices in a populated area on a road that both the SMM and civilians use regularly. On 21 April, the JCCC submitted a letter to the SMM indicating that the road had been demined and that the signal flares had been removed. Nonetheless, on 22 and 23 April, the SMM saw again five flare grenades connected with nylon strings.
On 23 April, the SMM continued to observe two pieces of UXO in Katerynivka assessed as two recoilless gun (SPG-9) rounds (see SMM Daily Report 19 April). The SMM informed the JCCC about the presence of UXO.
On 23 April on the eastern side of a road about 2km north-west of “DPR”-controlled Luhanske (15km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw a round tube lying on two small metal structures The SMM assessed the object as a possible tube for a rocket-propelled grenade.
The SMM monitored three border areas currently not under government control. On 22 April, at the Uspenka border crossing point (73km south-east of Donetsk), in about 35 minutes, the SMM saw 72 cars (64 with Ukrainian licence plates, five with Russian licence plates and three with “DPR” plates) and 17 trucks (12 trucks covered with tarps, three refrigerated trucks, and two curtain-sided trucks; 14 with Ukrainian licence plates, two with Russian licence plates, and one with “DPR” plates) queued to exit Ukraine. The SMM also saw four civilian cars entering Ukraine. In about 30 minutes at the Ulianivske (61km south-east of Donetsk) border crossing point, the SMM saw three civilians exit Ukraine. At the pedestrian border crossing point in Leonove (formerly Chervonyi Zhovten (82km south of Luhansk), the SMM noted that the crossing point was unstaffed from both sides of the border and did not observe any pedestrian or vehicle traffic.
The SMM monitored and facilitated, in co-ordination with the JCCC, repairs to power lines in government-controlled Teple (31km north of Luhansk) on 22 April and government-controlled Nyzhnoteple (26km north of Luhansk) on 23 April.
The SMM continued to monitor the protest sites at former blockades of roads and railway routes. On 22 April, at government-controlled Bakhmut (formerly Artemivsk, 67km north of Donetsk) the SMM saw 10-15 people present and continued to note that all obstacles on the railroad tracks and other items from the activist camp were no longer present (see SMM Daily Report 21 April 2017).
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, 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:
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On 22 and 23 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 each time.
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On 22 and 23 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 each time.
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On 22 and 23 April, in Katerynivka, a Ukrainian officer of the JCCC told the SMM that no demining had taken place and therefore the SMM was unable to travel south-east into the Zolote disengagement area along the railroad track. The SMM informed the JCCC each time.
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On 22 and 23 April, the SMM could not travel westward from “DPR”-controlled Petrivske through the disengagement area due to a lack of security guarantees and the possible presence of mines. The SMM informed the JCCC each time.
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On 22 and 23 April, at a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint north of the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer told the SMM that no de-mining activities had taken place during the previous 24 hours and that the road south of the bridge is still mined. Based on this information, the SMM did not consider it safe to proceed. The SMM informed the JCCC each time.
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On 22 April, about 1km south-west of “LPR”-controlled Verhulivka (64km west of Luhansk), the SMM was stopped by armed “LPR” members at an improvised checkpoint consisting of a rope stretched across the road. The armed “LPR” members told the SMM that the road is closed for demining in the area. The JCCC was not informed.
Condittional access:
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On 21, 22 and 23 April, while in “DPR”-controlled Petrivske, armed “DPR” members insisted on accompanying and/or being present with the SMM while it accessed the SMM camera site.
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On 23 April, at a checkpoint in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), armed “DPR” members demanded that the SMM open the trunks. They searched the trunks and then allowed the SMM to pass.
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On 23 April, in “DPR”-controlled Syhnalne (23km south-west of Donetsk), an armed “DPR” member insisted on accompanying the SMM during its patrol in the village citing dangers posed by mines and UXO contamination within the settlement.
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On 23 April, in “LPR”-controlled Diakove (70km south-west of Luhansk) two armed “LPR” members stopped the SMM and asked about the purpose of its visit to the border area, and recorded the names of the patrol members as well as the vehicle licence plates. Ten minutes later, two additional armed “LPR” members arrived in a civilian vehicle with “LPR” plates and insisted on “escorting” the SMM throughout their patrol to the border crossing point and surrounding area.
Delay:
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At a checkpoint in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka, armed “DPR” members demanded to see national passports of SMM members. The SMM refused and showed SMM identification cards. After 19 minutes the SMM was allowed to pass. The SMM did not inform the JCCC.
Other impediments:
On 23 April at a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint in government-controlled Staryi Aidar (20km north-west of Luhansk), one unarmed and one armed Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel approached the SMM patrol and began speaking aggressively to the SMM demanding personal information and that SMM patrol members get out of the cars. Both personnel were visibly intoxicated. The SMM did not comply with the demands. After ten minutes, the SMM was allowed to pass. The SMM informed the checkpoint commander as well as the JCCC.
[2] 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.
[3] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.