Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 23 June 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM heard small-arms and outgoing mortar fire close to its position in Zolote-4. The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on civilian casualties in Marinka, Luhanske and Kadiivka. The SMM observed damage as a result of shelling in Vesela Hora, Kadiivka, Shchastia and Vodiane. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas and heard shots and explosions in its proximity and saw smoke rising inside the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to power lines in Luhansk region and demining near the Donetsk Filtration Station. The SMM observed that repairs had been conducted at Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. The SMM visited a border area outside of government control in Luhansk region and was prevented from accessing a border area near Novoazovsk in Donetsk region. In Kyiv the SMM continued to observe a peaceful protest.

On 23 June, positioned in government-controlled Zolote-4 (60km north-west of Luhansk) about 300m north of the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM heard high-intensity small-arms fire, two explosions, assessed as outgoing mortar (82mm) fire, and three shots of automatic grenade launcher (AGS-type), all fired approximately 100m south-east. Several minutes later the SMM heard three to four other bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire followed by uncountable small-arms shots 150-200m south-east. At least one shot, assessed as fired from south-east, made a distinct whistle sound while flying overhead, so low that SMM patrol members bent down. The SMM patrol members then boarded their vehicles and left the area, driving west towards a government checkpoint 300m north of the Zolote disengagement area. Several minutes later the SMM patrol reached the top of a hill 1km north of the checkpoint, from where it saw white smoke rising 3km south-east assessed to be inside the Zolote disengagement area. (See SMM Spot Report 23 June.)

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1], including about 160 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 210 explosions).

On the evening and night of 22-23 June the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, nine explosions assessed as impacts, one outgoing explosion, one projectile in flight from west to east, two projectiles followed by at least 25 tracer rounds in flight from north-west to south-east, 25 undetermined explosions, one illumination flare from east to west, four projectiles in flight from west to east, 24 undetermined explosions, 60 tracer rounds in flight from south to north, 100 tracer rounds in flight from west to east, 20 tracer rounds in flight from north-west to south-east, 25 undetermined explosions, two illumination flares from east to west and two projectiles in flight from west to east, all 3-10km east, east-south-east, and south-east. Positioned in Avdiivka the following day, the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions and four shots of small-arms fire, 1-5km east and south-east.

On 23 June, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions and 28 shots of small-arms fire, 2-5km west-south-west, west, and north-west. Approximately 4km west of Yasynuvata, the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 2km north and north-west.

On the evening and night of 22-23 June the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, one outgoing explosion, one tracer round in flight from south-east to north-west, one airburst, and two outgoing explosions, followed by aggregated totals of 287 tracer rounds in flight (one from south-east to north-west, one from north to south, 44 from south to north, ten from west to east, and 231 from east to west) and one explosion assessed as an impact of either a tank round (type unknown, 125mm) or towed anti-tank gun (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm), all at unknown distances north.

On the evening of 23 June, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 17 undetermined explosions, three explosions assessed as impacts of unknown weapons and heavy-machine-gun and automatic-grenade-launcher fire, all 5-12km south-west, west-south-west and west and one explosion assessed as an outgoing round of rocket-propelled grenade fire, and 17 explosions assessed as outgoing rounds of recoilless gun (SPG-9, 73mm) and artillery fire, 6-8km west-south-west and west.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions (about 55), compared with the previous reporting period (20 explosions).

On 23 June, while in “LPR”-controlled Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard six undetermined explosions 5-8km north.

Over 20 minutes, positioned about 2.3km east of government-controlled Toshkivka (60km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 11 explosions assessed as artillery (152mm) rounds 8-12km south-east followed by eight explosions assessed as  artillery (152mm) rounds and four explosions assessed as impacts 8-12km east. The SMM saw smoke plumes from where the explosions impacted. 

The SMM continued to follow up on reports of casualties. On 23 June, the SMM visited a hospital in government-controlled Kurakhove (40km west of Donetsk) following information provided by a Ukrainian officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) that a woman in her forties had been injured when her house on Sadova Street 43A in government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk) was hit by a mortar round due to the shelling occurred in the late morning of 22 June. At the hospital the SMM met with the injured woman and saw her limping and wearing bandages on both of her arms, neck and chin. She told the SMM that she had been on the terrace behind her house when she had heard an explosion at around 10:45 on 22 June, which she believed had occurred on the edge of the house, and then had been hit by what she said she believed was shrapnel. Medical staff at the hospital told the SMM that a female resident (born in 1973) of Marinka had been admitted with shrapnel wounds to her left hip and right lower arm and the left side of her chin. Police in Kurakhove gave the SMM the same information as provided by the woman.

In government-controlled Luhanske (59km north-east of Donetsk), on 22 June, a representative of the Luhanske village council told the SMM that a 57-year-old woman, a resident of Luhanske, had been struck in the head by an unknown object whilst in a field behind the village kindergarten on 15 June. On 23 June,  the injured woman confirmed to the SMM that she had suffered an injury to her head due to shelling and that she was undergoing outpatient treatment after visiting a hospital in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) the day following the incident.

The SMM observed damage and fresh craters as a result of shelling. In “LPR”-controlled Vesela Hora (16km north of Luhansk) the SMM saw that an outhouse had sustained damage to the north-facing side of the roof. The outhouse was located approximately 10-15m south of a house on Sadovaia Street 14, which also showed signs of shrapnel damage on the south-facing wall closest to the outhouse. The SMM assessed that the damage was fresh and caused by a recoilless gun (SPG) fired from a northerly direction. A male resident of the house told the SMM that the shelling had happened around 4:30 the same morning.

In “LPR”-controlled Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk) the SMM saw five shrapnel impacts on the south-facing wall of an outhouse. The outhouse was located about 2m south-east of a house at Dekabristyi Street 15. The SMM assessed that the damage was not fresh. A woman (about 45 years old) present told the SMM she lived nearby and that the shelling had taken place on 7 June, and that a male resident of the home had been injured. On 8 June, medical personnel at the hospital in Kadiivka told the SMM that a man from this address had been admitted on 7 June with injuries to the head, chest and arms.

Near a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint on road T0519 north of government-controlled Vodiane (19km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM saw two fresh craters in the asphalt, which it assessed were caused by 122mm artillery rounds fired from an east-north-easterly direction. The SMM also saw two impacts to a tree above a tent, which the SMM assessed was used as a medical facility tent, at the checkpoint. The tent was completely destroyed.

At an “LPR” checkpoint south of the bridge to government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), an armed “LPR” member (50 years old) showed the SMM four craters. Two of the craters were on the asphalt near the checkpoint and the SMM assessed that they were fresh and caused by mortar (82mm) rounds fired from a northerly direction. Two other craters were located on the asphalt about 100m south of the checkpoint. The SMM assessed the craters to be fresh and caused by mortars (120mm) rounds fired from a northerly direction. There SMM saw tail fins of the two 120mm mortars inside the craters.

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 of 21 June the SMM camera in government-controlled Zolote recorded one undetermined explosion and one projectile in flight from south-east to north-west and one explosion assessed as an impact 9-13km east and east-north-east, and two undetermined explosions and one explosion assessed as an impact 3-5km north-east and east, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On 22 June near an “LPR” checkpoint north of “LPR-controlled Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk), the SMM observed for the first time in this location 12 anti-tank mines on two wooden platforms (six anti-tank mines on each) placed in the middle of the road, about 3km south-west of the disengagement area.

On 22 June, in “LPR”-controlled areas south of the Stanytsia Luhansk bridge, the SMM continued to observe a rusted mortar fin (82mm) on the edge of a paved road, 150m north of the Prince Ihor monument and 50m south of the disengagement area. (See SMM Daily Report 19 June.) On the evening of 22 June the SMM camera in government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska recorded two flares in flight from south to north 800m south-south-west, assessed as inside the disengagement area.

While present in government-controlled Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk) for 30 minutes, the SMM observed a calm situation at the Petrivske disengagement area. The SMM remained unable to access its camera in “DPR”-controlled Petrivske (41km south of Donetsk) due to security considerations.

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

The SMM revisited a heavy weapons permanent storage site in “LPR”-controlled areas, whose location corresponded with the withdrawal line. The SMM noted that all weapons corresponded with inventory lists.

The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to essential infrastructure, co-ordinated by the JCCC. Accompanied by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Russian Federation representatives of the JCCC, the SMM monitored demining activities near the Donetsk Filtration Station.

The SMM monitored repairs to the high voltage power line between Pervomaisk and “LPR”-controlled Kalynove-Borshchuvate (61km west of Luhansk). The SMM saw 26 repair workers and a five-member demining team working at the site.   

The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians travelling across the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. The SMM observed that temporary repairs had been conducted to the damaged wooden beam under the makeshift wooden bridge and ramp spanning the broken part of the bridge. (See SMM Daily Report 23 June.) The beam had been reinforced with additional timber nailed across the broken wood and wooden braces had been placed under the structure to reinforce the damaged areas. Armed “LPR” members told the SMM that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) had contracted carpenters to do the work, and ICRC representatives on site told the SMM the work had been conducted earlier in the morning.

The SMM visited a border area outside of government control in Luhansk region. In Dovzhanskyi (84km south-east of Luhansk), over 60 minutes, the SMM saw three pedestrians and 11 civilian cars (nine with the Russian Federation licence plates, one with Ukrainian licence plates, and one with “LPR” plates), five cargo trucks with closed trailers and Ukrainian licence plates, and four passenger buses with Ukrainian licence plates (Rostov-Stakhanov (almost full), Moscow-Donetsk, Horlivka-Moscow (full) and Yalta-Luhansk (full)), all entering Ukraine. The SMM saw three pedestrians and 23 civilian cars (18 with Ukrainian, four with Russian Federation, and one with Georgian licence plates), four passenger buses with Ukrainian licence plates (two buses Luhansk-Yalta (both full), Krasnyi Luch-Rostov (almost full) and Horlivka-Moscow (almost full)) exiting Ukraine.

In Donetsk region, armed men prevented monitoring of the border area north of Novoazovsk by denying the SMM passage east along road E-58.*

The SMM continued to observe a protest by supporters of the former Aidar volunteer battalion in Kyiv for the fifth consecutive day. (See SMM Daily Report 20 June 2017.) On Bankova Street the SMM saw a gathering of at least 80 people (almost all men, aged between 20 and 50 years old, some of them wearing camouflage fatigues). The SMM saw about 30 National Guard officers, all wearing partial riot gear, and 50 police officers, as well as four police buses and four large detention vehicles. The SMM noted a calm situation in the protest area.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Kharkiv, 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, 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 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.
• Armed “LPR” members positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area (3km north of Pervomaisk) told the SMM that they could not guarantee the safety of the Mission on side roads 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 the road south of the bridge was still mined. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• Two armed men at a checkpoint on road E58 north of “DPR”-controlled Novoazovsk (40km east of Mariupol) prevented the SMM from crossing the checkpoint, citing orders from their “commander”. The SMM informed the JCCC, which told the SMM that it could not facilitate its access.

[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.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate”.