Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 10 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. The Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling and civilian casualties in the Kuibyshevskyi district of “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city and shelling in “DPR”-controlled Bezimenne. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The Mission observed public gatherings in Dnipro and Odessa.
In Donetsk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including 512 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (273 explosions).
On the evening and night of 9-10 May, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard a total of 250 explosions (32 undetermined, 188 assessed as outgoing artillery (122mm) rounds and 30 assessed as impacts of artillery (122mm) rounds 10-12km south, and about 50 undetermined explosions, 340 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and 120 shots of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) fire, all 5-7km south-east. The SMM also heard 16 explosions assessed as outgoing artillery (122mm) rounds 3-5km west-north-west.
On the evening and night of 9-10 May the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, one airburst, four undetermined explosions, three tracer rounds in flight from east to west, one projectile in flight from east to west and ten tracer rounds in flight from west to east, followed by aggregated totals of one airburst, seven undetermined explosions, 19 projectiles in flight (two north-east to south-west, two east to west, five south-west to north-east and ten north-west to south east), 89 tracer rounds in flight (17 north-east to south-west, 30 east to west, 40 south-east to north-west and two south-west to north-east) and three illumination flares in flight (two from east to west and one from south-east to north-west), all 3-6km east-south-east. The following day, positioned in Avdiivka, the SMM heard 22 undetermined explosions 2-6km at directions ranging from east to south-east.
On the evening and night of 9-10 May the SMM camera at the “DPR”-controlled Oktiabr mine (9km north-west of Donetsk city centre) recorded, in sequence, one airburst, five undetermined explosions, one airburst, two projectiles in flight from south-west to north-east, two undetermined explosions, and one projectile in flight from north-east to south-west, followed by aggregated totals of four undetermined explosions, 131 projectiles in flight (three west to east, 80 north-west to south-east, 19 north-east to south-west, 21 south-east to north-west, six south-west to north-east and two east to west), 114 tracer rounds in flight (23 west to east, two east to west, 21 north-east to south-west, 17 south-east to north-west, 47 north-west to south-east and four north-north-west to south-south-east) and ten illumination flares in flight (nine from north-east to south-west and one from south-west to north-east), all 8-10km north-east.
On 10 May, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for about five hours, the SMM heard 44 undetermined explosions and about 500 bursts and shots of small-arms fire, all 2-5km west and north-west.
On the evening of 9 May, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 83 undetermined explosions 8-10km south-west.
On the evening and night of 9-10 May the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, 35 tracer rounds from east to west, three rocket-assisted projectiles in flight from west to east, six tracer rounds in flight from west to east, two rocket-assisted projectiles in flight from west to east, 46 tracer rounds from south-east to north-west and one rocket-assisted projectile in flight from east to west, all at unknown distances north, north-north-east and north-west.
In Luhansk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 80 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 40 explosions).
On the evening of 9 May, while in “LPR”-controlled Luhansk city, the SMM heard ten explosions assessed as outgoing artillery rounds of unknown calibre 5km west. On the night of 9-10 May, while in “LPR”-controlled Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 52 undetermined explosions 10km north-north-west.
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 8 May, the SMM camera in government-controlled Zolote recorded an explosion assessed as caused by artillery or mortar fire 5km south-south-east and assessed as outside the disengagement area.
Positioned about 500m south-east of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, on 10 May the SMM heard 14 undetermined explosions 3-4km north-north-west, assessed as outside the disengagement area.
The SMM followed up on reports of shelling and civilian casualties. On 10 May, the SMM visited several sites in Kuibyshevskyi district in northern parts of “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city. At Chervona Street 118, the SMM saw a fresh crater in the garden of a house (on the eastern side of the house). The crater was 210cm in diameter and about 75cm deep. The SMM assessed that it was caused by a projectile fired from a northerly direction. The SMM saw shrapnel damage to the rear wall and roof of the house and broken windows. A resident of the house, a 48-year-old woman, told the SMM that an explosion had occurred during the night of 9-10 May and that at the time, there had been seven people in the house. At Myrhorodska Street 98, the SMM saw two fresh craters 15cm in diameter in the garden on the south-east side of a house. The SMM also saw a broken window, damage to the balcony door, and shrapnel damage to the outside wall and roof, all on the east-south-east side of the house. The SMM assessed that the damage was caused by impacts of artillery (120-125mm) rounds. A resident of the house, a 61-year-old man, told the SMM that the impact had occurred during the night of 9-10 May around 03:40. At Rustaveli Street 38, the SMM saw a fresh crater in a garden about 4m away from a house (on the eastern side). The crater was 2.5m in diameter and about 1.5m deep; the SMM could not determine the direction of fire. At Rustaveli Street 40, the SMM saw a fresh crater about 4m away from a house (on the eastern side). The crater was 75cm wide and about 25cm deep; the SMM could not determine the direction of fire.
At Spartaka Street 74, the SMM observed that a house had been directly struck by a projectile and that the brick chimney on the northern side of the house had been completely destroyed. The SMM saw holes in the roof of the house, shattered glass panes from all the windows, and that the interior brick walls and all of the household appliances in the kitchen were heavily damaged. On the eastern side of the house, about 25-30m away, the SMM saw a fresh crater that was 2m wide and about 1.5m deep. The SMM assessed that a 120-125mm tank projectile had struck the northern side of the house but could not assess the direction of fire. While onsite the SMM spoke to a resident of the house, a 28-year-old woman, who had cuts on her face, legs and hands and bandages on her head. She said she had been inside the house with three other family members when it had been hit the night before. The woman told the SMM that her eight-year-old daughter had also been wounded and hospitalized following an explosion. At the Donetsk Regional Children’s Hospital, medical staff told the SMM that an eight-year-old girl had been admitted earlier in the morning with injuries to her head and chest.
The SMM spoke to nine residents who separately stated that they had heard shelling between 03:30 and 03:45 on the night of 9-10 May.
Following up on reports from a Russian Federation officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), on 10 May the SMM saw four fresh craters (two on the north side of the road and two in a yard adjacent to the road) and damage to a nearby house in “DPR”-controlled Bezimenne (30km east of Mariupol), about 50m-100m from a “DPR” compound. The SMM assessed that they were caused by artillery (122mm) rounds fired from a north-westerly direction.
The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons, in implementation of the Memorandum, the Package of Measures and its Addendum.
In violation of respective withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas the SMM saw five self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Tarasivka (43km north-west of Donetsk), 16 self-propelled howitzers (2S1) near Kremenivka (27km north-west of Mariupol) and 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S3M Akatsiya, 152mm) near Zelene Pole (40km north-west of Donetsk).
In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw three tanks (T-72) and seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1) with their engines running at an aerodrome on the south-eastern outskirts of “LPR”-controlled Luhansk city. The SMM also saw six multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) 500m south-west of “LPR”-controlled Malomykolaivka (36km south-west of Luhansk).
Beyond withdrawal lines but outside storage sites the SMM saw the following in government-controlled areas: two self-propelled mortars (2S9 Nona, 120mm) at the railway station in Kostiantynivka (60km north-west of Donetsk), and two towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) near Topolyne (19km north-west of Mariupol).
In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw nine towed howitzers (five 2A-65 Msta-B, 152mm and four D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) near “LPR”-controlled Malomykolaivka.
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 SMM observed thirty tanks (T-64) and two air-defence missile systems (9K33 Osa) and noted that six self-propelled howitzers (2S1) continued to be missing. The SMM noted that one area continued to be abandoned and that six 120mm mortars (six PM-120/PM-42) were absent.
The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] in the security zone. In non-government-controlled areas the SMM observed an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR) driving in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre.
In government-controlled areas on 9 May, the SMM observed an APC (BTR-80) heading south near Myrna Dolyna (67km north-west of Luhansk).
The SMM monitored public gatherings in Dnipro and Odessa. In Dnipro, the SMM saw about 100 people (approximately 90 men and ten women) gathered in front of the regional police headquarters. Nearby, the SMM saw another group of about 150 people (mostly older men dressed in military-style clothing), who marched in an orderly line toward to the regional police headquarters and joined the demonstration, escorted by two police vehicles. One of the police officers present told the SMM that the gathering was in protest of police actions during the 9 May commemoration. The SMM saw about 25 law enforcement officials present and several patrol vehicles blocking roads. In Odessa, the SMM saw about 60 people, many of whom were wearing insignia of organizations such as Right Sector and Odessa Self-Defence, gathered in front of the regional police headquarters. In a speech to the demonstrators, one of the event organizers said that the gathering was in protest of the lack of police enforcement of the law related to the display of certain symbols during 9 May commemorations in Odessa. The SMM saw ten riot police and five patrol officers present. After 40 minutes, the demonstrators left the area and the demonstration concluded peacefully.
The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, 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:
- 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 on side roads due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. The SMM informed the JCCC.
- Armed “DPR” members prevented the SMM from moving west from “DPR”-controlled Petrivske. The SMM informed the JCCC.
[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.