Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 13 June 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM confirmed civilian casualties in Petrovskyi district of Donetsk city and in its Trudovskyi settlement and observed damage caused by shelling to civilian properties in Trudovskyi and Zolote-4. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it observed ceasefire violations near Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The Mission facilitated and monitored repairs to Vasylivka water pumping station and to high voltage power lines between Mykhailivka and Almazna.

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] including explosions (about 400), compared with the previous reporting period (about 190 explosions).

On the evening and night of 12-13 June, while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard 51 undetermined explosions, mostly at locations ranging from 3km to 8km north-west.

On the evening and night of 12-13 June the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded five airbursts 3-4km south-east, followed by a total of 39 undetermined explosions, 27 projectiles in flight (11 north to south, one south to north, 15 in vertical flight) and two tracer rounds in flight west to east, at distances ranging from 3km to 7km east-north-east, east, south-east and east-south-east. The following day, the camera recorded 109 undetermined explosions 4-6km east-south-east, 107 of which were within 90 minutes in the late afternoon.

On the evening and night of 12-13 June, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 104 undetermined explosions (67 of which were 10-13km west-south-west and 37 at distances ranging from 3km to 7km south and south-east). The same night, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions 8-10km north-north-west and bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 4-6km west-south-west.

On 13 June, positioned near a water pumping station in “DPR”-controlled Vasylivka (20km north of Donetsk) for about four hours, the SMM heard 26 shots and five bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire 0.5km north-west and 38 shots and 28 bursts as well as two episodes of uncountable overlapping shots and bursts of such fire 0.5km north-east.

On 13 June, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for about six hours, the SMM heard 14 undetermined explosions and bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, at locations ranging from 2km to 10km west-south-west, west and north-west.

Positioned near “DPR”-controlled Trudovskyi settlement of Petrovskyi district (19km south-west of Donetsk city centre) in about 90 minutes, the SMM heard 34 explosions assessed as caused by outgoing mortar rounds and four shots of small-arms fire 1km north-west.

Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Betmanove (formerly Krasnyi Partizan, 23km north-east of Donetsk), within 15 minutes in the afternoon, the SMM heard 30 explosions assessed as impacts of 82mm mortar rounds 5-7km south-south-west.

On the night of 12-13 June the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded 17 tracer rounds in flight from east to west, followed by a total of 11 undetermined explosions, two rocket-assisted projectiles in flight (one from east to west, one from west to east) and 652 tracer rounds in flight (382 from west to east, 263 from east to west and seven vertical), all at undetermined distances north and north-north-east.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including 38 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 270 explosions).

On the evening and night of 12-13 June, while in “LPR”-controlled Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions assessed as caused by mortar or artillery rounds of unknown calibre and 50 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 6-10km north-west.

Positioned near government-controlled Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk), in about 40 minutes the SMM heard 20 undetermined explosions assessed as caused by mortar rounds of unknown calibre and ten bursts of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) fire 5km south-east.

The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties* and observed damage to civilian properties caused by shelling. On 12 June, at Hospital number 14 in “DPR”-controlled Petrovskyi district (15km south-west of Donetsk city centre), medical staff told the SMM that on 11 June a man had been treated for injury to his lower leg and had been released the same day. The staff refused to provide additional information and referred the SMM to “DPR” members.* The SMM was able to determine the identity of the individual in question but was  unable to confirm the type of injury, which was reportedly due to gunfire.

On 13 June, in the Trudovskyi settlement the SMM confirmed that an elderly woman and a middle-aged man (reportedly mother and son) had been killed at their home at 25 Luhovskoho Street. After a delay caused by “DPR” members (see below) and the SMM hearing outgoing mortar fire (see above), the SMM was led by armed “DPR” members and Russian officers of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) to the incident site. The SMM saw one fresh impact at the foundation of a south-facing wall of the main house, fresh shrapnel damage to a west-facing porch, four broken south-west facing windows and a broken glass on a door, and a broken window on the north-facing wall of the summer kitchen building (separate from the main building). The SMM assessed that the damage had been caused by a projectile 30mm in calibre or less fired from a south-westerly direction. Two women, one of whom presented herself as the daughter and sister of the deceased woman and man, respectively, told the SMM that the bodies had been discovered by a neighbour in the morning and he had said that there had been a loud explosion around 21:00 on 12 June. The SMM saw the remains and injuries of the two casualties in a burial services van as it passed the checkpoint at the entrance to the Trudovskyi settlement.

In government-controlled Zolote-4 (60km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM saw damage to three houses. At 10 Pavlyka Morozova Street, the SMM saw a broken rear window and several small holes in a wall, all facing east. The SMM was not able to assess the weapon type used and whether the damage was fresh. A man, who presented himself as the owner of the house, told the SMM that the damage had occurred the previous night. At 11 Pavlyka Morozova Street, the SMM observed several small holes in an east-facing window. The SMM also observed a small impact site in the garden about 15m south-east of the house. The SMM assessed the site to be fresh but could not assess if the damage on the window was fresh or not. A man, who presented himself as the owner of the house, told the SMM that the damage had occurred at around 22:30 the previous night. At 13 Pavlyka Morozova Street, the SMM saw a broken south-facing window about 3m off the ground.  The SMM was not able to assess the cause of the damage or whether the damage was fresh. A man, who presented himself as the owner of the house, told the SMM that the damage had occurred between 22:00 and 23:00 the previous night.

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 night of 11 June the SMM camera in government-controlled Zolote recorded one projectile in flight from south to north 7-10km east, assessed as outside of the disengagement area.

Positioned in “LPR”-controlled areas south of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, while conducting a mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight, the SMM observed an unmarked dark-grey fixed-wing UAV, flying at an altitude of about 250m in a straight line from west to north along the Siverskyi Donets river. Less than five minutes later, the SMM saw another UAV (a dark-coloured unmarked quadcopter), also flying along the river, but from east to west at an altitude of around 75m approximately 800m north of the SMM position on the government-controlled side of the river.

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

The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage does not comply with the criteria set in the 16 October 2015 notification. In government-controlled areas the SMM observed two surface-to-air missile systems (9K33, Osa). The SMM continued to note as missing four towed howitzers (D-20, 152mm).

The SMM revisited a Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent storage site and continued to note that 21 tanks (T-72) were missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] and tracks of military-type vehicles in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw one stationary IFV (BMP-2) north of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (16km north-east of Luhansk, outside the disengagement area).

On 12 June, on the road M04 between “LPR”-controlled Novosvitlivka (16km south-east of Luhansk) and Mykolaivka (15km east of Luhansk), the SMM observed fresh tracks of approximately ten IFVs (BMP variant). The SMM followed the tracks and saw they ended near “LPR”-controlled Lobacheve (17km north-west of Luhansk).

On 12 June, an SMM mini UAV spotted two camouflaged vehicle positions, one of which was possibly occupied by an IFV (BMP variant) at a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint between government-controlled Novotoshkivske (53km west of Luhansk) and “LPR”-controlled Zholobok (47km west of Luhansk). Additionally four rows of anti-tank defences were seen laid out on the road from the checkpoint towards Zholobok. In another area, 800m south of Novotoshkivske the UAV spotted two vehicles, possibly IFVs (BMP variant), under tree cover. The UAV also spotted a probable IFV (BMP-2) in an open area 1km south of Novotoshkivske. Some 250m further to the south, the imagery revealed trenches and bunkers, some under construction.

The SMM saw two unmarked UAVs inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area (see above).

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to essential infrastructure, co-ordinated by the JCCC. The SMM facilitated and monitored additional repairs to a water pumping station in Vasylivka. An engineer present told the SMM that the station services 1.5 million people, including the city of Mariupol. He stated that the repair work should be completed in about seven days, as all of the surrounding villages, towns and cities that were using their water reserves would otherwise be left without water supply. According to him, 400,000 people would be directly affected on both sides of the contact line.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repair works to the high voltage Mykhailivka-Almazna power lines between “LPR”-controlled Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk) and “LPR”-controlled Molodizhne (63km north-west of Luhansk). (See SMM Daily Report 13 June 2017.)

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Lviv, Odessa, 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, including at the disengagement area near Petrivske.

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.
• The SMM could not proceed further east into the Zolote disengagement area from government-controlled Katerynivka (64km west of Luhansk) due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. The SMM 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 no demining had taken place and that the road south of the bridge remained mined. The Mission informed the JCCC.

Delay:

• Four armed “DPR” members delayed the SMM for 40 minutes near a checkpoint at the entrance to the Trudovskyi settlement. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• Three armed “DPR” members delayed the SMM for 32 minutes at a checkpoint on highway H-15 near the Kargil plant in “DPR”-controlled Kreminets (16km south-west of Donetsk) and placed a stop sign in front of the SMM vehicles. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Other impediments:

• Three armed “DPR” members stopped the SMM and pulled a spike trip chain in front of the SMM vehicles at the abovementioned checkpoint on highway H-15 near the Kargil plant when the SMM tried to pass the checkpoint in the direction of “DPR”-controlled Oleksandrivka (20km south-west of Donetsk). The SMM explained its mandate and three minutes later was allowed to proceed.
• Later in the day, two armed “DPR” members again stopped the SMM and pulled a spike trip chain in front of the SMM vehicles at the abovementioned checkpoint on highway H-15 near the Kargil plant. One of the armed men then made a phone call and subsequently removed the chain, so the SMM was able to proceed within five minutes of being stopped.
• Medical staff at Hospital number 14 in Petrovskyi district refused to provide the SMM information about a man reportedly injured by gunfire and referred the SMM to “DPR” members.

[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.