Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 17 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. An unknown device was thrown towards an SMM patrol while driving in the north-eastern outskirts of Dokuchaievsk. The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM observed damage due to shelling in Novotroitske and Boikivske. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; the Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. It monitored the situation of civilians travelling across the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. In Kyiv, Kharkiv and Ivano-Frankivsk, the Mission observed public gatherings and followed up on incidents affecting religious communities.

On 17 May, an SMM patrol in the north-eastern outskirts of “DPR”-controlled Dokuchaievsk (30km south-west of Donetsk) heading west behind a green military-type truck (KamAZ-4350), saw a man in military-style clothes on board the back of the truck throw an unidentified device, possibly a smoke grenade, which landed some ten metres in front of the first SMM vehicle. The device was burning and generating white smoke. The patrol returned to its base without any injuries to SMM personnel or damage to SMM vehicles. (See Spot Report 17 May 2017.)

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] including about 421 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 180).

On the evening of 16 May the SMM camera at the “DPR”-controlled Oktiabr mine (9km north-west of Donetsk city centre) recorded an exchange of fire that began with one airburst, and continued, in sequence, with seven tracer rounds in flight from north-west to south-east, one illumination flare, 21 tracer rounds in flight from north-west to south-east, followed by aggregated totals of three illumination flares, 21 tracer rounds in flight from north-west to south-east and 27 projectiles in flight from north-west to south-east, all 6-10km north-east. On the evening of 16 May, the camera also recorded three projectiles in flight from north-west to south-east and one explosion the following day assessed as an impact, all 3-6km north-east.

On the evening of 16 May, the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, one illumination flare in vertical flight, one undetermined explosion, one airburst, eight undetermined explosions, one projectile in flight from north-west to south-east, followed by aggregated totals of 56 tracer rounds in flight (20 from north-west to south-east and 36 from south-west to north-east), 11 projectiles in flight (four from south-east to north-west and seven from north-east to south-west), four illumination flares in vertical flight and 19 undetermined explosions, all 3-6km at south-easterly directions. The following day, the camera recorded 24 explosions assessed as impacts of rounds from unknown weapons, all 4-5km at south-easterly directions.

During the day on 17 May, positioned in Avdiivka, the SMM heard 72 undetermined explosions (11 2-8km at north-easterly directions, 21 1-7km at south-easterly directions and 40 4-10km at south-westerly directions). 

The same day, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 133 undetermined explosions, 72 shots of small-arms fire, seven bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 1-8km at south westerly directions. The SMM also heard one explosion assessed as an outgoing round, 1-3km south, as well as two undetermined explosions and one explosion assessed as an impact, 2-4km north-west.

On the evening and night of 16 May, while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre the SMM heard 29 undetermined explosions, all 4-10km north-west.

On the evening and night of 16-17 May, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, 12 tracer rounds in flight from east to west, eight tracer rounds in flight from west to east, followed by aggregated totals of 340 tracer rounds in flight (231 from west-east and 109 from east-west), two rocket-assisted projectiles in flight from west to east and four undetermined explosions, all at unknown distances north-east.

While in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) on the evening and night of 16-17 May, the SMM heard 305 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, 12 tracer rounds in flight from north-west to south-east, and 114 undetermined explosions, all 1-5km south-east.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including 109 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period.

On the night of 15 May, while in “LPR”-controlled Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 91 undetermined explosions, all 8-10km south-west.

The SMM continued to follow up on reports of damage due to shelling. On 16 May, accompanied by Ukrainian officers of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), the SMM visited two fresh impact sites in government-controlled Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk). At Pervomaiska Street 37, the SMM saw a crater in the garden of a house and another crater 150m west of the house at the edge of a field, as well as metal fragments. The SMM assessed both impacts as caused by rounds of a 30mm cannon fired from an easterly direction. Both the JCCC and a resident of Novotroitske (male, in his fifties) separately told the SMM that shelling had occurred between 09:00 and 10:00 on 15 May.

On 17 May in “DPR”-controlled Boikivske (formerly Telmanove, 67km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM observed six fresh craters (four within the perimeter of a water pump station and two 6-7m north of the station) assessed to have been caused by 122mm or 152mm artillery fired from a south-westerly direction.

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)[2], 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.*

While present in the disengagement areas near government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and “DPR”-controlled Petrivske, the SMM noted a calm situation.

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, an SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted three howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near “DPR”-controlled Bezimenne (30km east of Maripol) on 12 May.

In government-controlled areas an SMM mini UAV spotted a self-propelled howitzer (2S1) and two anti-aircraft artillery systems (2S6M Tunguska) near Novokalynove (29km north-west of Donetsk) on 6 May.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside storage sites, in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw a towed howitzer (D-44, 85mm) transported on a military truck near Bakhmut (formally Artemivsk, 67km north of Donetsk).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[3] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas the SMM saw an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) mounted on a flatbed truck and moving north near Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), and an APC (MT-LB) mounted on a flatbed truck stationary about 2km south of Petrivka (27km north of Luhansk).

The SMM observed the presence of mines while passing a checkpoint on the western edge of “DPR”-controlled Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, 29km north-east of Mariupol). The SMM saw eight mines on a wooden pallet 2m from the road, less than 50m east of the checkpoint.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians travelling across the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. At the government checkpoint north of the bridge, the SMM saw about 900 people queuing to enter government-controlled areas and about 300 people queuing in the opposite direction. The SMM observed a disabled man (in his eighties), accompanied by his wife (approximately mid-seventies) being escorted towards the “LPR” checkpoint south of the bridge by two men in uniform from the State Emergency Service. The two men left the disabled man and his wife approximately 500m from the “LPR” checkpoint. The couple asked the SMM for assistance, at which point, the SMM approached an ambulance parked next to the “LPR” checkpoint, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) staff in the ICRC-operated shelter on the non-government-controlled side of the bridge, and “LPR” members. There were no wheelchairs available and nobody offered any assistance, however. Therefore the SMM used a trolley tyre to move the man south of the bridge. At the “LPR” checkpoint south of the bridge, the Mission saw about 600 people queuing to walk toward government-controlled areas and 15 people queuing in the opposite direction.

The SMM monitored public gatherings in Kharkiv and Kyiv. On 16 May in Kharkiv, at the Constitution Square, the SMM saw about 80 people (approximately 55 men and 25 women, mostly between 25-30 years old) some of whom were holding posters protesting a decree issued on 15 May “On Imposition of personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions)”. The SMM also saw ten law enforcement officials present. The gathering lasted for one hour and ended peacefully. 

On 17 May in Kharkiv city centre the SMM saw five activists of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community (three men and two women, all in their twenties) who were holding rainbow flags and said that they were marking the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. The five activists were surrounded by a group of approximately 50 young men who used derogatory language, burnt an LGBT flag, threw stones at the activists and physically assaulted one of them. The SMM also saw ten of the young men spit at a man in a wheelchair. There were 30 police officers present who intervened and, following scuffles, removed the group of young men from the area and detained one person. The SMM observed that one police officer had suffered a head injury during the altercations and saw three medics transporting the injured police officer and the assaulted activist away from the scene in an ambulance.

On 17 May in Kyiv, the SMM monitored a gathering outside the Cabinet of Ministers building. The SMM observed a group of about 100 protesters (all men, aged between 25-45 years-old), 15-20 of whom were dressed in military-style clothing. Almost all wore a yellow band on their arm. The SMM observed anti-government banners and others related to land sales. A group of about 35-40 teenage boys were also present and some held a banner with a Ukrainian flag. Police and State Protection Service personnel were present at the entrance of the building. The demonstration concluded peacefully.

The SMM followed up on alleged incidents affecting religious communities. On 17 May in Kharkiv, the SMM spoke with representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP) who said that during the day, three men had entered the churchyard and slashed car tyres. In the yard of the church, the SMM saw two vehicles with punctured tyres and scratches on their rear windshields. The SMM also spoke with the police in Kharkiv who confirmed that the incident had been reported.

The SMM also followed up on an alleged takeover of a church building of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) by the UOC-KP in Kynakhivtsi village (125km north-east of Ivano-Frankivsk). The police in Ternopil informed the SMM that on 15 May, followers of the UOC-KP had forced open the back door of the church in Kynakhivtsi, entered it and conducted a religious service. The police also said that there had been altercations between a priest of the UOC-KP and a priest of the UOC, as well as among several dozen followers from the two religious communities. The police told the SMM that the church building is now under the control of UOC-KP and that there was no permanent police presence in the village. The SMM heard the same reports separately from representatives of the Ternopil Eparchy of UOC, the Ternopil Eparchy of UOC-KP, and the Department of Internal Politics, Religions and Nationalities in Ternopil.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Dnipro 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:

• An armed “LPR” member told the SMM that that he could not guarantee the safety of the Mission in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.
• The SMM could not travel across the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia as Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel said no demining had taken place and that the road south of the bridge remained mined. The Mission informed the JCCC.
• The SMM could not travel west from “DPR”-controlled Petrivske due to a lack of security guarantees and the possible presence of mines. The SMM informed the JCCC. 

Other impediments:

• While patrolling “DPR”-controlled Bezimenne, the SMM observed rocks on the road, four men in military-style uniforms standing nearby, and another man, wearing a military-style jacket, shouting and waving a stone and a piece of metal towards the SMM. When a civilian vehicle approached, the SMM saw one of the men remove the rocks to let it pass. The SMM then left 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] Addendum to SMM Daily Report 3 May 2017: The SMM camera in government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska recorded on the evening of 1 May one rocket-assisted projectile (RPG) in flight from north to south 600m south-south-west and a rocket-assisted projectile (RPO-Z) in flight from north to south 320m south-west. Both violations were assessed as taking place inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area.

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