Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 24 April 2017
This report is for the media and the general public.
The SMM conducted limited patrolling in Donetsk and Luhansk regions following the serious security incident that involved an SMM patrol on 23 April in Pryshyb, which affected its observations, including of ceasefire violations. The SMM observed about 40 ceasefire violations in Donetsk, including about 35 explosions, and about 220 ceasefire violations in Luhansk region, including two explosions. The SMM camera in Stanytsia Luhanska recorded ceasefire violations assessed as inside the disengagement area. Aerial imagery revealed weapons in violations of the withdrawal lines. The Mission monitored a border area currently not under government control. The SMM monitored the continuation of protests at branches of Sberbank of Russia in Kyiv, Odessa and Kharkiv.
In Donetsk region the SMM recorded about 40 ceasefire violations,[1] including about 35 explosions. The SMM’s limited patrolling affected its ability to record ceasefire violations.
On the evening and night of 23-24 April, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 36 undetermined explosions 3-6km south-east, three bursts of three-five rounds each of small-arms fire 2-4km south-east and four bursts (three-five rounds each) of heavy-machine-gun fire 5-6km south-east.
In Luhansk region the SMM recorded about 220 ceasefire violations. The SMM’s limited patrolling affected its ability to record ceasefire violations.
On the evening of 23 April, the SMM camera in Stanytsia Luhanska recorded, in sequence: on outgoing explosion assessed as caused by an artillery round of unknown calibre, one projectile in flight from west to east, one airburst and two illumination flares, five tracer rounds in flight from north to south (0.9km south), two undetermined explosions, one explosion assessed as caused by an outgoing artillery round, one undetermined explosion assessed as caused by an artillery round, two explosions assessed as impacts of artillery rounds (1.5km south), one tracer round in flight from south to north, one tracer round in flight from west to east and two tracer rounds in flight from south to north (all 1.5km south), one tracer round in flight from north to south (0.9km south), one tracer round in flight from north to south, one airburst, one tracer round in flight from north to south, two undetermined explosions (0.7-0.8km south-south-west), one illumination flare, one explosion assessed as an impact of a round from an unknown weapon (0.5km south-south-west), two undetermined explosions, two tracer rounds in flight from south to north-west and two undetermined explosions (0.2km south). With the exception of three undetermined explosions, all ceasefire violations were assessed as inside the disengagement area.
On 24 April, positioned in “LPR”-controlled Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two explosions, assessed as outgoing mortar (82mm) rounds, 50 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and 50 bursts of small-arms fire, 2-3km north-west.
On the evening of 23 April, following up on the serious incident, in which one SMM patrol member died near “LPR”-controlled Pryshyb (34km north-west of Luhansk) (see SMM Spot Report 23 April 2017), the SMM assessed the incident site.
The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons, in implementation of the Package of Measures, its Addendum, and the Memorandum.
Aerial imagery revealed the presence of 35 self-propelled howitzers near “DPR”-controlled Ternove (57km east of Donetsk) on 20 April in a known training area, in violation of respective withdrawal lines.
On 23 April, an SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted one tank (T-64) 4km north-west of “LPR”-controlled Smile (31km north-west of Luhansk), in violation of respective withdrawal lines. The imagery also showed at least 20 heavy-vehicle tracks.
Beyond respective withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, aerial imagery revealed the presence of 77 tanks (type undetermined) near Ternove on 20 April at the abovementioned training area. At the same location, the aerial imagery revealed also the presence of 13 armoured combat vehicles (type undetermined).
The SMM monitored a border area currently not under government control. On 23 April, in over ten minutes at a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (102km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw four civilian vehicles in a queue to exit Ukraine.
The SMM monitored the continuation of protests in front of branches of Sberbank of Russia in Kyiv, Odessa and Kharkiv. (See SMM Daily Report 22 April 2017.) At 46 Volodymyrska Street in Kyiv, the SMM saw eight protesters in front of the branch, four tent booths and about 15 flags of the National Corps. The office was guarded by three National Guard officers. The bank was open and the SMM saw people freely enter and exit. At 1 Donetz Zakharzhevskoho in Kharkiv, the SMM saw six protesters outside the branch, which was guarded by seven police officers. The SMM noticed that the branch office was still closed. (See SMM Daily Report 22 April 2017). At 26 Yevreyska Street in Odessa the SMM saw that the protest in front of a branch of the bank continued for the twelfth consecutive day and noticed the presence of a group of three protesters (male, 19-40 years old) and two booth tents. One of the protesters was carrying a flag with National Corps’ symbols.
The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Dnipro and Chernivtsi.
[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.