Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 31 May 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

In Donetsk region the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations compared with the previous reporting period. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, but fewer explosions, compared to the previous reporting period. The Mission observed damage from shelling and shooting in Novotoshkivske and Dokuchaievsk, respectively, and followed up on allegations of civilian casualties in Novoazovsk. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and heard a shot of small-arms fire inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The SMM saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. The SMM facilitated and monitored repair works to high voltage power lines in Zolote and to water well drilling in Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM visited one border area outside of government control in Luhansk region. The SMM monitored gatherings in Odessa region and Lviv.

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations,[1] including explosions (about 124), as compared with the previous reporting period (about 560).

On the night of 30-31 May, while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard about 36 undetermined explosions 6-8km north.

On the evening and night of 30-31 May the SMM camera at the “DPR”-controlled Oktiabr mine (9km north-west of Donetsk city centre) recorded, in sequence, five undetermined explosions, one explosion assessed as an impact, 41 tracer rounds in flight from south-east to north-west, four tracer rounds in flight from south to north, 32 tracer rounds from north-west to south-east, 15 airbursts, two explosions assessed as impacts, three airbursts, three explosions assessed as impacts, 51 airbursts, 20 tracer rounds in flight from south to north, 33 airbursts, five flares in vertical flight, one projectile in flight from north-west to south-east, two flares in vertical flight, and one explosion assessed as an impact, all at distances 3-10km north-east. 

On the evening and night of 30-31 May the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, 11 undetermined explosions, four explosions assessed as impacts, 13 tracer rounds in flight from west-north-west to east-south-east, one projectile in flight from west-north-west to east-south-east, 35 airbursts, seven tracer rounds from south-east to north-west, eight airbursts, 25 projectiles from south-east to north-west, and one illumination flare in vertical flight, all 2-6km south-east and east-south-east.

On 31 May, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Oleksandrivka (20km south-west of Donetsk) the SMM heard three bursts and seven shots of small-arms fire 1km north-west.

On 31 May, positioned in government-controlled Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard ten bursts of small-arms fire at unknown distances north-west. The fire was assessed as military training activity, inside the security zone.

On the evening of 30 May, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 42 explosions assessed as recoilless gun (SPG-9, 73mm) rounds (32 assessed as outgoing and ten undetermined), nine bursts of automatic-grenade-launcher fire, two bursts of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) cannon (30mm) fire, 32 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, 15 bursts and two shots of small-arms fire and about ten minutes of continuous and overlapping small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-7km south-west. The SMM also heard a shot of small-arms fire 200m west.

On the evening of 30 May, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 25 bursts of small-arms and 30 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, followed by two explosions assessed as outgoing IFV (BMP-1) cannon (73mm) rounds 3-4km south-east.

On the evening and night of 29-30 May the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, four tracer rounds in flight from east to west, four undetermined explosions, three tracer rounds in flight from east to west, four undetermined explosions, 50 tracer rounds in flight from east to west, one tracer round in flight from west to east, 33 tracer rounds from east to west, eight tracer rounds from west to east, 28 tracer rounds from east to west, an explosion assessed as an impact, 13 tracer rounds in flight from west to east, 15 tracer rounds in flight from east to west, one rocket-assisted projectile in flight from west to east, one airburst, one rocket-assisted projectile from west to east, four tracer rounds in flight from west to east, and 27 tracer rounds in flight from east to west, all at unknown distances to the north and east-north-east.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, but fewer explosions (four), compared with the previous reporting period (about 20 explosions).

Positioned about 3km north of “LPR”-controlled Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard four explosions assessed as outgoing mortar or artillery fire (type unknown) followed by four explosions assessed as the impacts, 3-5km west-south-west.  

In just over 30 minutes, positioned 2km north-east of government-controlled Orikhove (57km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard four undetermined explosions, 18 shots of automatic-grenade-launcher fire, 75 bursts of anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) fire, and some small-arms fire, all 3km south-south-east.  The SMM assessed that the fire was likely coming from the area of “LPR”-controlled Holubivske (51km west of Luhansk).

The SMM followed up on allegations of civilian casualties and damage caused by shelling. At a hospital in “DPR”-controlled Novoazovsk (40km east of Mariupol), the SMM followed up on an allegation on 30 May from a resident of “DPR”-controlled Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol) about a civilian who had been injured on 29 May. According to staff the hospital’s emergency section, a female resident of Pikuzy (age unknown) reported to the hospital on 30 May with bruises and scratches on her upper left hip, which the interlocutor said had come from a bullet. The SMM spoke with another resident (man, mid-fifties) of Pikuzy separately who told the SMM about the same casualty.

On 30 May, near a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint in government-controlled Novotoshkivske (53km north-west of Luhansk), accompanied by Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), the SMM saw a crater about 150m north of the checkpoint on asphalt road, with a diameter of 1m and 30-40cm deep. The SMM assessed the crater to be two to four days old. The SMM could not determine the cause of crater or the direction of fire. About 85m and 100m west of the same checkpoint, the SMM saw a second and third crater. Both were about 1.5m wide and 80-90cm deep. The SMM could not assess the craters due to security restrictions.

On 31 May, following up on allegations of damage from shelling and led by Russian officers of the JCCC, in “DPR”-controlled Dokuchaievsk (30km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM went to an apartment building on Lenina Avenue no. 108. The SMM saw two holes in a west-facing window in a room on the fifth floor in apartment no. 74 and assessed that they were caused by 30mm and 12.7mm rounds. At apartment no. 64, the SMM saw a hole in a south-facing balcony window that the owner said had been caused about two weeks prior. The SMM assessed that the hole was caused by a 12.7mm round.  

On Svobody Street no. 2G, the SMM saw a hole assessed as caused by a bullet in the south-west facing window of a house, as well as a hole in a door inside the apartment. Outside the house, the SMM saw several holes on the gate near the house, assessed as caused by small-arms fire and damage on the main door of the house. The woman living in the house told the SMM that she had seen the hole in the window and glass on the floor that morning. The SMM observed as a Russian officer of the JCCC dislodged a 7.62mm bullet from the door frame, and assessed that it had caused the hole in the window.

At an electrical substation in Dokuchaievsk, an employee of an electric company led the SMM to the site of a fresh crater. The SMM saw possible shrapnel damage on nearby metal boxes and oil leaking out of damaged pipes onto the ground.

On 31 May, in government-controlled Zelenyi Hai (46km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard allegations of shelling from a woman (65-years-old) who told the SMM that she had heard several explosions to the north and north-east the night of 29-30 May. Another woman (50 years old) also told the SMM separately that there had been shelling at that time; however, due to security restrictions the SMM was unable to access the locations of possible impact sites.   

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 31 May, positioned about 500m south-east of the bridge in Stanytsia Luhanska in “LPR”-controlled areas, the SMM heard seven bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 1-2km north-west, assessed as outside the disengagement area, followed by one shot of small-arms fire 300-500m west-south-west, assessed as inside the disengagement area.

The SMM was unable to retrieve camera footage in the Petrivske disengagement area due security restrictions.

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

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines, in government-controlled areas the SMM saw four towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) near Pryvilne (31km north of Mariupol).  

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, in government-controlled areas the SMM saw, on 30 May, an anti-aircraft system (9K33 Osa, 122mm), heading north-west on the road M03 north-east of Bakhmut (formerly Artemivsk, 67km north of Donetsk), and on 31 May, 12 towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) near Khlibodarivka (65km south-west of Donetsk), eight self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) near Kalynove (formerly Kalinine, 65km south-west of Donetsk), and 30 tanks (T-64) at a railway station in Zachativka (74km south-west of Donetsk).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] and fresh tracks assessed as those of armoured personnel carriers in the security zone. In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw one stationary IFV (BMP-1) in Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, 44km west of Luhansk), two IFVs (BMP-1) 2km north-east of Khoroshe (36km west of Luhansk), one IFV (BMP-1) towed by a recovery vehicle heading north-east about 4km north of Mykhailivka (31km west of Luhansk). The SMM also saw tracks assessed as caused by armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) in the south-eastern outskirts of Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk). At the north-western edge of Katerynivka (formerly Yuvileine, 8km west of Luhansk) the SMM observed a convoy composed of three military-type vehicles, three jeeps with blue flashing lights and black tinted windows, and four empty military-type buses traveling west on road E40.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to essential infrastructure, co-ordinated by the JCCC. On 31 May, positioned in “LPR”-controlled Zolote-5, the SMM continued to monitor repair works to high voltage power lines, which provide electricity to western Luhansk region. The SMM saw three tractors and 11 workers and an “LPR” demining team, conducting repairs at pylons six to eight. (See SMM Daily Report 31 May 2017.) In co-ordination with the JCCC, the SMM also continued to monitor and facilitate access for the drilling of a water well approximately 800m north of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (inside the disengagement area). (See SMM Daily Report 30 May 2017.) The SMM observed that the drilling procedure was completed and a small wooden cover was placed over the water pump. The SMM spoke with two ICRC employees on the spot who said that they had connected the water pipe to the ICRC container and were in the process of checking the water quality.

The SMM visited a border area outside of government control in Luhansk region. During 65 minutes, while in Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 69km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed 25 passenger cars (16 with Ukrainian and seven with Russian Federation licence plates, and one with “LPR” plates); one truck with a Ukrainian licence plate and a closed trailer; and 12 pedestrians (five females, six males, and one child) entering Ukraine. The SMM observed 16 passenger cars (11 with Ukrainian and five with Russian Federation licence plates) a bus (marked Sverdlovsk–Gukovo) with Russian Federation licence plates (around 30 passengers); and one shuttle bus with Ukrainian licence plates (around 40 passengers) exiting Ukraine.

On 30 May, the SMM monitored a gathering of about 60 men (aged 18-35) carrying Bulgarian flags in front of the city council building in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi (45km south-west of Odessa). Participants called for the prosecution of people who had allegedly assaulted an ethnic Bulgarian leader during a session of the Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi executive committee on 18 May. About 50 police officers were present. The SMM did not observe any incidents. A city council member told the SMM that the 18 May incident was precipitated by a vote on the allocation of land to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate.

On 31 May, the SMM followed up on the 30 May protest in front of the Lviv regional state administration building. (See SMM Daily Report 31 May.) The SMM saw that a mixed group of about 20 male and female protestors had installed up to ten tents in front of the building. Police officers in front of the building stated that no protesters were or had been inside the administration building that day. Activists told the SMM that they intended to hold a protest during the next scheduled session of the Council on 1 June.

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

Denial of access:

• A Ukrainian officer of the JCCC told the SMM that no demining activities had taken place during the previous 24 hours in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and that, with the exception of the main road, the Mission’s safety could not be guaranteed in the surrounding areas due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.
• An armed “LPR” member told the SMM 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 (20km north of Luhansk) as Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel at the checkpoint north of the bridge said that no demining had taken place and that the road south of the bridge remained mined. The Mission informed the JCCC.

Other impediment:

• When an SMM patrol arrived to monitor civilians crossing at a checkpoint on highway H-15 near the Kargil plant in “DPR”-controlled Kreminets (16km south-west of Donetsk), armed men told the SMM to move their car 50m away. 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.