Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 6 June 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

In Donetsk region the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations and fewer explosions compared with the previous reporting period. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations and more than eight times the number of explosions. The SMM confirmed three civilian casualties from Kruta Balka and observed impact sites in Pavlopil. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations in Zolote. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* In violation of withdrawal lines, an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle spotted a tank near Bezimenne. The Mission monitored demining and facilitated electrical repairs at Donetsk Water Filtration Station. The SMM monitored one border area not under government control in Dovzhanskyi.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, including fewer explosions (about 80), compared with 350 in the previous reporting period.[1]

On the evening and night of 5 and 6 June, the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, one explosion assessed as impact, one projectile in flight from east to west, one explosion assessed as impact, one projectile in flight from east to west, 27 tracer rounds in flight from north-east to south-west, 66 tracer rounds, three projectiles, six tracer rounds, four projectiles, 22 tracer rounds, three projectiles and six tracer rounds, all in flight from east-west, 17 tracer rounds and 12 projectiles in flight from south-west to north-east, 30 tracer rounds and three projectiles in flight from north-west to south-east and one projectile from south-west to north-east, all 3-5km east-south-east.

On the evening of 6 June, the SMM camera at the “DPR”-controlled Oktiabr mine (9km north-west of Donetsk city centre) recorded, in sequence, five undetermined explosions, two explosions assessed as impacts, one projectile in flight from north-west to south-east, two explosions assessed as impacts, 24 projectiles in flight from north-west to south-east, one explosion assessed as impact, seven projectiles, 20 tracer rounds and 52 projectiles, all in flight from north-west to south-east, one explosion assessed as impact, 63 projectiles and 47 tracer rounds in flight from north-west to south-east, 37 tracer rounds in flight from south-east to north-west, and two projectiles and 12 tracer rounds in flight from north-west to south-east, all 6-8km north-east. 

On the evening and night of 5 and 6 June, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, 20 tracer rounds from west to east, one undetermined explosion, ten tracer rounds in flight from west to east, one tracer round form east to west, one undetermined explosion and two rocket-assisted projectiles in flight from west to east, all at unknown distances north-north-east.

On the evening of 5 June, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), in about two hours, the SMM heard about 15 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and five undetermined explosions, 4-6km west-south-west. 

On the evening of 5 June, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 25 explosions assessed as outgoing mortar rounds (type undetermined) and automatic grenade launcher fire, one undetermined explosion, 120 bursts of anti-aircraft cannon (ZU-23, 23mm), heavy-machine gun and small-arms fire, and about ten heavy-machine gun tracer rounds in vertical flight, all 2-6km at south-easterly directions.

On 6 June, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for about one hour, the SMM heard 20 undetermined explosions 3-10km north and north-west and one shot of small-arms fire 1-2km west.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including 600 explosions, compared with 75 in the previous reporting period.

On 6 June, positioned in “LPR”-controlled Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, 44km west of Luhansk), in about one hour, the SMM heard about 480 explosions (outgoing and impacts) assessed as artillery fire (unknown calibre) and about 1,700 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, 2-12km at distances ranging from north-west to north-east. The SMM also heard three explosions assessed as impacts of mortar rounds (type undetermined) 250m north-west.

Positioned in a government-controlled part of Zolote (60km west of Luhansk), in about 20 minutes, the SMM heard 22 undetermined explosions 10km north-east. Positioned in government-controlled Zolote-Karbonit (60km west of Luhansk), in about 15 minutes, the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions and three bursts of heavy-machine gun fire, 10km south.

Positioned in government-controlled Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk), in about one hour, the SMM heard 20 explosions assessed as outgoing artillery rounds (122mm) 2km south-west and ten explosions assessed as impacts of artillery rounds (122mm) 4km south-east. Positioned 10km south of Muratove, the SMM heard 25 explosions assessed as outgoing mortar rounds (82mm and 120mm), 22 explosions assessed as outgoing rounds of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) cannon (73mm), 25 bursts of small-arms fire, all 1-5km at south-westerly directions, and five explosions assessed as impacts of automatic grenade launcher rounds 1-2km south-south-east.

Positioned in government-controlled Putylyne (44km north-west of Luhansk), in about one hour, the SMM heard two undetermined explosions at unknown distances south-west and 19 explosions assessed as artillery rounds (152mm) 10km south-west.

The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties and observed non-civilian casualties. On 6 June at the central hospital in Yasynuvata in the trauma department, medical staff informed the SMM about three male casualties who had been admitted to the hospital on 5 June, all from “DPR”-controlled Kruta Balka (16km north of Donetsk). The SMM spoke with two of the men.

The first man (59-years old) told the SMM that he had been injured at about 13:00 on 5 June during shelling while at his home at 30 Shyroka Street. He said he was outside when the shelling started and ran into his garage where he suffered shrapnel wounds to his right hand. The SMM saw bandages on his right arm and an intravenous line in his left hand. Medical staff told the SMM that he had fragmentation wounds and soft tissue damage to his right hand.

The second man (70-years old), from 20 Shyroka Street, told the SMM that he was on the street talking to his wife and his neighbour when an impact occurred between him and the neighbour (the third casualty) and he felt a pain in his back. The man was lying on a hospital bed. Medical staff told the SMM that he had several fragmentation wounds and soft tissue damage to his chest.

Medical staff told the SMM that it could not speak with the third man as he was in the critical care department. Medical staff said that he was 64-years old from 32 Shyroka Street and had suffered fragmentation wounds, abdominal damage and internal bleeding in his chest. The SMM also spoke to the patient’s wife who confirmed that the injured man had been in the street with the second casualty when the impact occurred.

On 6 June, in the Trudivske neighbourhood of Petrovskyi district (15km south-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM spoke with a man in his twenties who said that he had been injured during shelling while outside his house at 11 Klymashkina Street on 5 June at around 19.00. He said that he had suffered an injury to his right leg and his that father had taken him to the hospital in Petrovskyi district. The SMM saw bandages on his right leg above the knee and shrapnel marks on the front of the house.

While in Sentianivka, the SMM observed a military-type ambulance and an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) parked outside the barracks. The SMM saw one injured "LPR" member being attended to by five unarmed "LPR" members (three men and two women) in military-style clothes, and another member lying in the APC (MT-LB) with blood around his feet.

The SMM observed damage to civilian properties in residential areas caused by shelling in government-controlled Pavlopil (26km north-east of Mariupol). In the compound of a former school north-east of Pavlopil, observed by the SMM as occupied by military personnel, the SMM saw one fresh crater 10m west-south-west of the school building, two fresh craters 25m east of the building (all 120cm in diameter and 40cm deep) and damage to the building’s eastern wing. North of the crater west-south-west of the building, the SMM saw shrapnel damage to a pipe. The roof of the school and its east-facing wall had a hole measuring 1m by 0.5m and the eastern side of a room had a hole in its ceiling measuring 30cm by 40cm and a broken window frame knocked westwards. The SMM assessed that all damage was caused by 122mm artillery rounds fired from an easterly direction, and that one of the rounds which had struck the former school building had not exploded on impact. The SMM saw technicians repairing damaged electricity lines to the east of the compound.

The SMM also saw four fresh craters in a field 50m east of the same compound and one fresh crater in a private garden 50m west of the compound; the SMM could not assess the craters due to security restrictions.

In Pavlopil, the SMM spoke with a border guard commander at the compound who said the shelling occurred between about 18:30 and 19:00 on 5 June. He said that there were no casualties. The SMM spoke with two residents (a man and a woman in their sixties) who lived 300m north of the compound and separately to three women (in their sixties) at a shop in Pavlopil, all of whom confirmed the time of the shelling.

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 and night of 4 and 5 June, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded aggregated totals of one undetermined explosion 3km south-south-east, seven tracer rounds in flight from south-east to north-west 3.3km south, nine projectiles in flight from south-west to north-east 3.6km south and south-west, and three projectiles form north to south 3km east, all assessed as inside the disengagement area. The same camera also recorded one flare in vertical flight 1.4km east-south-east, two projectiles in flight from south-west to north-east 3.5-5km south-south-west and four undetermined explosions 1-3km south-east, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On 5 and 6 June, the SMM observed a calm situation while present in or near the disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote.

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 withdrawal lines an SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted a tank (T-72) near “DPR”-controlled Bezimenne (100km south of Donetsk) on 3 June.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas on 2 June an SMM mid-range UAV spotted two IFVs (BMP-2) near Novotoshkivske (53km west of Luhansk). On 3 June, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted three IFV (BMP-2), one probable IFV (BMP-2), at least two additional IFVs (BMP-variant) and one large armoured tracked vehicle near government-controlled Novohnativka (40km south of Donetsk). On 5 June, about 1km north of government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk), the SMM observed a flat-bed truck loaded with an IFV (BMP-1) traveling north. On 6 June, the SMM saw two IFVs (BMP-variant) in a field camouflaged with trees and branches about 700m from the road 3km south-south-east of Novohnativka.

In non-government-controlled areas on 3 June, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted three IFVs (two BMP-1 and one BMP-2), five APC (BTR-70), three probable APCs (BTR-70) and two multi-purpose tracked vehicles (MT-LB) near Bezimenne. On 3 June an SMM mid-range UAV spotted one probable IFV (BMP-2) in Petrivske. On 6 June the SMM observed one APC (MT-LB) in Sentianivka and a camouflaged IFV (BMP-1) near Dovhe (22km north-west of Luhansk), both stationary.

The SMM continued to observe the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). On 5 June, the SMM observed an unexploded rocket-propelled grenade (RPG-7) attached to a fence 15km west of the broken part of the bridge in Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM informed an “LPR” member who said that it would be removed. On 6 June, the SMM could no longer see the grenade.

In Yasynuvata, on road H-20, the SMM monitored and facilitated demining activities, co-ordinated by the JCCC, in order to facilitate electrical repairs to the Donetsk Water Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk). The SMM saw a Ukrainian emergency services demining team and a “DPR” demining team separately working on road H-20. The Ukrainian demining team showed the SMM UXO that they said they had removed which consisted of six rounds of rocket-propelled grenades (PG-7M), four rounds of grenade launchers (PG-7L), five under-barrel grenade launchers (four VOG-25 and one VOG-25P) and 43 12.7mm bullets (including MDZ incendiary bullets of instant action). On the same day, near Donetsk Water Filtration Station along road H-20, the SMM observed the completion of repair works to pylons and cables by the power supply company.

On 6 June, the SMM monitored and facilitated demining and repair works to the Mykhailivka-Almazna power line in an “LPR”-controlled part of Zolote (61km north-west of Luhansk) and in Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk). In Zolote, the SMM saw electricians transferring cables between pylons and in Pervomaisk, a demining team was clearing the area.

The SMM monitored one border area not under government control. At the border crossing point in “LPR”-controlled Dovzhanskyi (84km south-east of Luhansk), in about 10 minutes, the SMM saw 17 civilian cars parked in the parking lot (the SMM could not see the licence plates), five covered cargo trucks and trailers inside the customs zone and 22 pedestrians (both men and women) entering Ukraine.

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 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. 

Conditional access:

• The SMM was stopped at a checkpoint in Trudivske, a neighbourhood in Petrovskyi district, and after ten minutes, an unarmed “DPR” member told the SMM that it could only proceed on foot, accompanied by two unarmed “DPR” members. 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.