Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 5 June 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and in non-government controlled areas of Donetsk region.* The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines and noted weapons missing from holding sites. It confirmed a number of civilian casualties in the Petrovskyi district of Donetsk city, Krasnohorivka and Staromykhailivka, including the death of a woman and the wounding of a nine-year-old boy. The SMM also observed recent shelling damage in the Petrovskyi district and Staromykhailivka. The SMM visited a border area not under Government control.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, including 350 explosions, compared with 144 in the previous 24 hours.[1]

While in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre on the night of 4-5 June the SMM heard 91 undetermined explosions, 3-6km north-west and west.

On the night of 4-5 June the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded exchanges that began with one airburst, one explosion assessed as an impact, followed by one tracer round in flight from west to east and ten tracer rounds in flight from east to west. Thereafter, the SMM recorded a total of 131 tracer rounds in flight from east to west and 59 from west to east, four projectiles in flight from west to east, three in flight from east to west, a burst of 30 shots in flight from east to west and one airburst, all north-east of the camera. During the daytime on 5 June the camera recorded two explosions assessed as impacts 7-10km north.

On the night of 4-5 June the SMM camera at Oktiabr mine (9km north-west of Donetsk city centre) recorded, in sequence, three undetermined explosions, three projectiles in flight from south to north, one in flight from south-east to north-west and two in flight from north-west to south-east, all 6-10km north-east of the camera. The camera then recorded totals of 15 undetermined explosions, 29 airbursts, eight projectiles in flight from north-west to south-east, 12 in flight from south-east to north-west, three in flight from south-west to north-east, one projectile in flight from north-east to south-west, and one tracer round in flight from south to north, all 6-10km north-east of the camera. During the day the camera recorded 37 undetermined explosions and four airbursts 6-8km north-east.

On the night of 4-5 June the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded 14 projectiles in flight from north to south followed by one from south to north, 4-6km east. Thereafter the camera recorded totals of 14 undetermined explosions, 63 airbursts, 45 tracer rounds in flight from south-west to north-east, 38 tracer rounds in vertical flight, 15 projectiles in vertical flight and five projectiles in flight from north-east to south-west, all 4-6km east. On 5 June the camera recorded 60 undetermined explosions all 4-6km east.

Positioned in Avdiivka on 5 June the SMM heard 89 undetermined explosions and seven explosions assessed as outgoing 2-4km east and south-east. The SMM also recorded small-arms fire, over 50 shots assessed as infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) fire and over 100 shots assessed as IFV (BMP-2) cannon or automatic grenade launcher fire.

On 5 June, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard 23 undetermined explosions 2-6km north and west and 5-7km north-north-east, and heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 3-4km west and north-west.

Positioned about 1km north of “DPR”-controlled Zaichenko (26km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM heard four explosions assessed as outgoing mortar fire and six undetermined explosions at an unknown distance south-south-west and saw one airburst 4-5km south-south-west.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including 75 explosions, compared with 27 in the previous 24 hours. Positioned in government-controlled Zolote (60km west of Luhansk) the SMM heard 48 explosions assessed as impacts of artillery rounds 12-15km east.

Positioned in a government-controlled part of Zolote (60km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM heard 26 explosions assessed as impacts of artillery fire and saw four or five plumes of smoke 6-8km east (assessed as outside of the disengagement area) and small-arms fire 2km south-east.

The SMM followed up on reports of a number of civilian casualties. At the Kalinina morgue in Donetsk Forensic Medical Centre the SMM followed up on information provided by Russian officers of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) that the body of a woman had been taken there. Morgue staff told the SMM that a woman had been brought there from Luhovskoho Street, in the Trudivske neighbourhood of Petrovskyi district (15km south-west of Donetsk city centre) on the night of 4-5 June. According to staff, the woman had died as a result of multiple penetrating shrapnel injuries. The SMM observed that the body of the woman had injuries consistent with shrapnel wounds. Staff told the SMM that the woman had been identified as the 37-year-old mother of a nine-year-old boy who had been injured in the same explosion. Residents of the Trudivske neighbourhood, Russian officers of the JCCC and “DPR” members also told the SMM that the woman was the boy’s mother.

At the Donetsk Regional Children’s Hospital the SMM followed up on allegations from Russian officers of the JCCC that the nine-year old boy had been admitted with shrapnel wounds. Hospital staff told the SMM that a nine-year boy had been taken there from the Trudivske neighbourhood of Petrovskyi district in Donetsk city at about 22:00 on 4 June with shrapnel wounds to his torso and abdomen that had required emergency surgery. They also told the SMM that the boy’s mother had been killed in the same incident.

At a hospital in government-controlled Kurakhove (40km west of Donetsk) the SMM spoke with a 64-year-old woman who said she had been admitted on 3 June with fragmentation wounds to her neck. The SMM observed a bandage on her neck and also that she had her arm in a sling. She told the SMM that at around 16:30 on 3 June as she walked near her apartment at 11 Vostochna Street in government-controlled Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk) she heard an explosion. As she ran for cover, she said, she heard another explosion and noticed she was bleeding from a wound on her neck. She added that she had been taken by ambulance to hospital for treatment.

The SMM observed damage to civilian properties in residential areas caused by shelling. Armed “DPR” members initially denied the SMM access to Staromykhailivka (15km west of Donetsk) and then insisted on escorting the SMM to a number of impact sites.* At Komsomolska Street 20 the SMM saw that a projectile had struck a satellite dish mounted on the roof of a house and struck the ground approximately 4m from the north-facing wall, and shattered nearby windows. The SMM saw shrapnel and observed a fresh crater, which the SMM assessed had been caused by an artillery round (152mm) fired from a west-south-westerly direction.

At Komsomolska Street 25 the SMM observed damage to exterior and interior walls of a house and shattered windows in the house and in outbuildings. The SMM observed a fresh impact site close to the west-facing side of the house, but could not assess the direction of fire as the crater had been covered with soil. The SMM did assess that the damage was probably caused by an artillery round of calibre bigger than 100mm. Similarly, at Komsomolska Street 34a, the SMM could not assess the direction of fire as a crater had been filled in but assessed that the damage had probably been caused by an artillery round of calibre bigger than 100mm.  

Nearby, at Komsomolska Street 27 the SMM observed a fresh crater in the yard south-west of a house and shrapnel at the site. The SMM assessed that the crater was probably caused by an artillery round (152mm) fired from a west-south-westerly direction.

On the street outside a house at Komsomolska Street 43a the SMM observed a fresh crater south of a fence. The SMM assessed that the crater had been probably caused by an artillery round of calibre bigger than 100mm. The SMM spoke with a 55-year-old male resident of the house who said he had been injured in an explosion at around 03:30 on 5 June. The man showed the SMM his bandaged lower leg and he said he had sustained wounds when the round exploded outside his house. He told the SMM that he had been treated at Hospital 24 and had been then discharged.

The SMM also observed shelling damage in Trudivske, a neighbourhood in Donetsk’s Petrovskyi district. Armed “DPR” members initially denied the SMM access to the area citing security concerns.* On Amudarinska Street on the western edge of Trudivske, the SMM saw a crater on the asphalt and small pieces of shrapnel. The SMM could see blood stains on the asphalt about 3m east of the crater. The SMM assessed that the crater had been caused by the impact of an 82mm calibre mortar round. The SMM could not assess the direction of fire.

At Amudarinska Street 28, the SMM saw two holes in the roof of a house and a hole in the roof of a shed. The SMM could also see damage to the exterior walls of the house and broken windows. The SMM assessed that the damage had been caused by the direct impacts of projectiles fired from a southerly direction. The SMM could not assess the type of projectile. Two residents (a woman and a man, both aged in their sixties) of the house told the SMM that the shelling had started at around 04:15 on 5 June.  

At Amudarinska Street 34, the SMM observed damage to a house, including shrapnel marks on walls and several broken windows on the north-west side of the house. The SMM saw a spent round from an IFV (BMP-1) cannon (73mm) 3-4m north-west of the house.  A female resident (in her fifties) told the SMM that the shelling had occurred around 04:30 on 5 June.

At Luhovskoho Street 31, the SMM observed damage to the north-west-facing roof and walls of a house, broken windows, damaged trees in the yard and garden. The hole in the roof had been boarded up and the SMM was unable to assess the type of weapon or direction of fire.

Near a market at the north end of Amudarinska Street the SMM observed a crater on the pavement with a 2-3m shrapnel splash. The SMM assessed that the crater had been caused by mortar round of unknown calibre. The SMM could not determine the direction of fire.

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.*

The SMM observed a calm situation as it monitored the disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.

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

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines the SMM observed ten multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near “LPR”-controlled Khrustalnyi (formerly Krasnyi Luch, 56km south-west of Luhansk).

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 beyond the respective withdrawal lines the SMM observed one mortar (2B11 Sani, 120mm) for the first time and 26 tanks and four howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm). The following weapons were missing: five mortars (three PM38, 120mm and two 2B9 Vasilek, 82mm), five self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), 18 towed howitzers (D20, 152mm), 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S3), six self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and six towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm). At one site the SMM noted that 30 tanks and two surface-to-air missile systems (9K33 Osa, 120mm) were observed as missing for the first time. At another site, five mortars (one 2B11 and four M-120-15 Molot (120mm) were observed as missing for the first time while ten mortars (four 2B11 and six M-120-15) continued to be observed as missing.

In government-controlled areas the SMM continued to observe that two sites had been abandoned, with a total of 18 mortars (12 2B11) and six PM-120/PM-42 (120mm) missing.

The SMM was unable to visit one weapons holding area as it was located off road which the SMM could not travel on due to security restrictions. The SMM was not able to enter a Ukrainian Armed Forces weapons storage site – that had been previously observed as abandoned - as the gates were locked and no guards were present. The SMM informed the JCCC.*

The SMM revisited permanent storage sites, whose locations corresponded with the withdrawal lines. In “LPR”-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited one such location and observed the following weapons continued to be missing: one towed howitzer (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm), one MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm), three self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and five towed howitzers (D30, 122mm).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas the SMM observed two armoured personnel carriers (one BTR-4 and one BRDM) both stationary in government-controlled Makarove (19km north-east of Luhansk).

The SMM followed up on the presence of anti-tank mines that had been placed near a checkpoint in “LPR”-controlled Pervomaisk (see SMM Daily Report 5 June). A Russian officer of the JCCC told the SMM that he would ask “LPR” members to remove the mines and would inform the SMM when he had received confirmation from them that the mines had been removed.

On 2 June an SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over “DPR”-controlled Lukove (72km south of Donetsk) spotted five recent craters (probably caused by 120mm mortar or 122mm artillery rounds) in a field, some within 50m of farm buildings. Adjacent to the farm buildings the UAV spotted military-type cargo trucks under a tree line. Trenches, bunkers, vehicle revetments and camouflage netting were also visible in the area. The UAV also spotted at least eight recent mortar (120mm) round craters in a field, with the closest only 30m from civilian farm buildings. On 2 June an SMM patrol assessed craters and damage but did not see military-type trucks (see SMM Daily Report 3 June).

In government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) the SMM observed a group of about ten Ukrainian Armed Forces members next to a stationary military truck, one of whom simulated firing a gun at the SMM with his hands. The SMM informed the JCCC.

The SMM visited one border area not under control of the Government. At the Marynivka border crossing point (80km east of Donetsk) the SMM observed, over a period of 50 minutes, 21 cars (eight with Russian Federation licence plates, seven with Ukrainian licence plates, one with Georgian licence plates, one with Polish licence plates and four with “DPR” plates), five vans (with Ukrainian licence plates), one fuel truck with Russian Federation licence plates and two trucks with Ukrainian licence plates leave Ukraine and eight cars (three with Russian Federation licence plates, one with Ukrainian licence plates and four with “DPR” plates), two trucks (with Ukrainian licence plates) and two buses (one with Ukrainian licence plates, one with “DPR” plates) enter. As the SMM left the area it observed, about 1km north of the crossing point, a convoy of three vehicles (all with “DPR” plates) driving at high speed towards it. The SMM observed that the drivers wore military-type uniforms.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, 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. 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 SMM’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.
• The SMM could not travel across the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) as Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel said there were mines on the bridge. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM was not able to enter a weapons storage site in a government-controlled area as the gates were locked and no guards were present.
• Armed “DPR” members stopped the SMM at a checkpoint near Staromykhailivka (15km west of Donetsk) and delayed the SMM for 75 minutes. The SMM informed the JCCC and then left the area.

Conditional access:

• The SMM was told by phone by a “DPR” member that the patrol could return to Staromykhailivka where it would be given access. On arrival to the checkpoint, armed “DPR” members again denied the SMM access. After 45 minutes of waiting, “DPR” members escorted the SMM into the town.
• At a checkpoint in Trudivske, a neighbourhood in Petrovskyi district, two armed “DPR” members told the SMM that it could not enter the area, citing security concerns. They referred the SMM to their “superiors”, who were located at a bus station approximately 50m away. The “DPR” “superiors” made several telephone calls, and after 15 minutes the SMM was allowed to pass under escort of three armed men, who drove in front of the SMM patrol and remained with the SMM throughout.

[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.