Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 1 May 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remained restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations, including of ceasefire violations. The Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24-hour period. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* Small-arms fire occurred close to the SMM inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. The SMM monitored two border areas currently not under government control. In Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Odessa, the Mission monitored gatherings marking 1 May.

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, [1] including about 220 explosions compared with the previous 24-hour period (100 explosions).

On the evening of 30 April, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about ten explosions assessed as impacts of mortar (120mm) rounds and over 80 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-5km south-east. On 1 May, at the same location, the SMM heard 123 explosions, of which 85 were assessed as impacts of mortar (120mm) and artillery (122mm) rounds and 38 outgoing recoilless gun (SPG-9, 73mm) rounds, and about 140 bursts and shots of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) and small-arms fire, all 2.5-4km south-east and east.

On the night of 30 April-1 May the SMM camera at the “DPR”-controlled Oktiabr mine (9km north-west of Donetsk city centre) recorded, in sequence, two undetermined explosions, 17 tracer rounds in flight from north to south, three projectiles in flight from south-west to north-east and one illumination flare in vertical flight. Approximately four hours later, the camera recorded 92 projectiles in flight from west to east, one east to west, followed by aggregated totals of 63 projectiles in flight from north to south, 14 south to north, three west to east, all 8-10km north-east.

On the evening and night of 30 April-1 May the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded one projectile from south to north, one undetermined explosion and one projectile in flight from north to south, followed by aggregated totals of three undetermined explosions and 20 projectiles in flight (15 north to south, three south to north and two west to east), all 3-5km east-south-east. The following day, positioned in Avdiivka for about five hours, the SMM heard 36 explosions (24 assessed as outgoing rounds and the remainder undetermined) and about ten bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-4km south-east. Later the same day, the camera recorded 23 explosions assessed as impacts and three projectiles in flight from north-east to south-west, all 3-5km east-south-east.

On the evening and night of 30 April-1 May, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded an explosion assessed as an outgoing round and a rocket-assisted projectile in flight from west to east, at unknown distances north, followed by a total of: seven undetermined explosions, 60 tracer rounds in flight (51 from east to west and nine from west to east), two rocket-assisted projectiles in flight (one east to west and one west to east) and one illumination flare in vertical flight, all at undetermined distances north.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including, however, fewer explosions (about 65), compared with the previous 24-hour period (75 explosions).

On 1 May, positioned in “LPR”-controlled Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, 44km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard over 50 undetermined explosions 5-7km east-north-east. On the same day, positioned in government-controlled Prychepylivka (50km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard five undetermined explosions and about ten bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 5-8km south-east.

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 1 May, positioned about 140m south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM heard three shots of small-arms fire 0.5-0.7km north-east and what were assessed as the consequent impacts 60-70m east of its position. Both the outgoing shots and the impacts were assessed as inside the disengagement area. The SMM left the area immediately. The SMM informed the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) about the incident and requested that it follow up.

On 1 May, positioned north of “LPR”-controlled Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard five explosions at least 2km west, assessed as outgoing rounds of multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm). Positioned north-west of the disengagement area near Zolote (60km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard three undetermined explosion 8-10km west-south-west. All the ceasefire violations were assessed as outside the disengagement area.

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

In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, the SMM again observed, on 1 May, 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; and one tank (T-64) near Nikishyne (60km north-east of Donetsk).

The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage does not comply with the criteria set in the 16 October 2015 notification. On 1 May, in government-controlled areas, the SMM observed that eight holding areas continued to be abandoned with the following weapons missing: 51 towed howitzers (33 2A65 and 18 2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) and 30 tanks (T-64).

The SMM observed an armoured combat vehicle[2] and new trenches in the security zone. In government-controlled areas the SMM saw again on 1 May an armoured personnel carrier (BTR-4) near Makarove (19km north-east of Luhansk).

In non-government-controlled areas, 1km south-west of Sentianivka, the SMM observed newly dug trenches of at least 10m in length located 5m from the road. The SMM had not seen the trenches during its last patrol in the area on 26 April.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians living near the contact line. Ten residents in “LPR”-controlled areas north and north-west of Luhansk city, including Kruta Hora, Raivka, Vesela Hora and Zhovte (17 and 18km north-west of Luhansk, respectively) and Obozne (19km north of Luhansk) separately told the SMM that water was being regularly supplied. (See SMM Daily Report 14 April 2017).

The SMM monitored two border areas currently not under government control. On 1 May, at a border crossing point in Dovzhanskyi (84km south-east of Luhansk), in about one hour, the SMM saw 20 civilian cars (eleven with Ukrainian licence plates, eight with Russian Federation licence plates and one with “DPR” plates), one covered truck with Ukrainian licence plates, one bus (marked “Krasnyi Luch-Rostov”, carrying about 50 people) and 13 pedestrians exit Ukraine. It also observed 19 civilian cars (ten with Russian Federation, eight with Ukrainian and one with Georgian licence plates), two covered trucks (one with Ukrainian and one with Belarusian licence plates) and 16 pedestrians enter Ukraine.

At the border crossing point in Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk), in about one hour, the SMM saw 19 civilian cars (ten with Ukrainian licence plates, seven with Russian Federation licence plates, two with “DPR” plates), five covered trucks (three with Russian Federation, one with Ukrainian and one with Belarusian licence plates), one bus with Ukrainian licence plates (with a sign “Pervomaisk-Moscow”, carrying about 50 people) and twelve pedestrians in a queue to exit Ukraine.

The SMM monitored gatherings and events on the occasion of 1 May in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Odessa. In Kyiv, the SMM observed two separate gatherings marking 1 May: one with about 1,000 people, including families with children, around the Independence Square, while about 2,500 people (mostly women 50-70 years old) gathered around Parliament and Mariinskyi Park. During the Mission’s presence, no incidents were observed.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi.

*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:

• On 1 May, 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.
• On 1 May, 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.
• On 1 May, the SMM could not travel east from government-controlled Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk), as Ukrainian officers of the JCCC said that anti-tank mines were still present on the road. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• On 1 May, at a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint north of the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), Ukrainian Armed Forces officers told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours and that the road south of the bridge was still mined. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.

Delay:

• On 1 May, a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer denied the SMM access to a Ukrainian Armed Forces heavy weapons holding area. The SMM informed the JCCC and, after approximately one hour, the SMM could access the area.  

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