Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 9 July 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

Between the evenings of 7 and 8 July the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, and no explosions in Luhansk region. Between the evenings of 8 and 9 July the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including no explosions in Luhansk region, though more explosions in Donetsk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM assessed a fresh impact site in Pisky. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area and saw a white signal flare fired south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. The SMM’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including to a heavy weapons holding area.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Novookhtyrka. It visited two border areas not controlled by the Government in Luhansk region.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1] in Donetsk region between the evenings of 7 and 8 July, including about 110 explosions, compared with about 45 explosions in the previous reporting period. It recorded fewer ceasefire violations, though more explosions (about 360), between the evenings of 8 and 9 July, compared with the previous 24 hours.

On the evening and night of 7-8 July, the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, two undetermined explosions, eight illumination flares in vertical flight, nine undetermined explosions, 39 tracer rounds in flight from west to east, 18 tracer rounds in flight from south to north, three tracer rounds in flight from east to west, six tracer rounds in flight from north to south, followed by aggregate totals of 21 undetermined explosions, 15 projectiles and 14 tracer rounds in flight from west to east, 21 projectiles in flight from east to west, 14 projectiles in flight from north to south and seven illumination flares in vertical flights, all 3-6km east-south-east. On the evening and night of 8-9 July the same camera recorded, in sequence, one undetermined explosion and one airburst, followed by aggregate totals of three undetermined explosions, of which two assessed as impacts, 17 tracer rounds and one projectile in flight from south-west to north-east, eight tracer rounds and five projectiles in flight from north-west to south-east and one projectile in flight from south-east to north-west, all at 3-5km east-south-east. On 9 July, positioned for over three hours in Avdiivka, the SMM heard 24 explosions, assessed as outgoing, and two bursts of small-arms fire, all 3-5km south-east.

On the night of 7-8 July, while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 8-10km north. On the night of 8-9 July, it heard 17 undetermined explosions 8-10km north-west.

On 8 July, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for over five hours, the SMM heard 11 undetermined explosions and over 100 shots and bursts of small-arms fire 1-5km ranging from south-west to north-west. On 9 July, positioned in Yasynuvata for over six hours, the SMM heard about 120 undetermined explosions, about 80 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and 40 shots and bursts of small-arms fire, all 2-5km ranging from south-west to north-west. 

On the night of 7-8 July the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, four tracer rounds in flight from east to west, one tracer round in flight from west to east, followed by aggregate totals of seven undetermined explosions, 238 tracer rounds in flight (119 east to west, 89 west to east, five south to north, 25 south-east to north-west) and one rocket-assisted projectile in flight from south to north, all at unknown distances north. On the evening and night of 8-9 July the same camera recorded, in sequence, 21 tracer rounds in flight from east to west, one tracer round in flight from west to east, followed by a total of 50 tracer rounds in flight (36 east to west and 14 west to east), 30 undetermined explosions and three rocket-assisted projectiles in flight from east to west, all at unknown distances north. 

On 8 July, positioned in government-controlled Mykolaivka (40km south of Donetsk), the SMM heard 11 explosions assessed as impacts, 13 shots of heavy-machine-gun fire, 45 shots of anti-aircraft cannon (ZU-23, 23mm) fire and seven shots of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) fire, all 1.2km north-west.

On 8 July, positioned for over two hours 1.5km south of government-controlled Lebedynske (16km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions at unknown distance east-north-east. On 9 July, positioned for about half an hour at the north-eastern edge of Lebedynske, the SMM heard seven explosions (six assessed as outgoing mortar rounds and one as an impact) and 12 bursts and shots of small-arms fire at an unknown distance east.

On 8 July, positioned 2.2km south of “DPR”-controlled Sakhanka (24km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard 32 explosions (six assessed as outgoing, 13 as impacts and the remainder as undetermined) at unknown distances ranging from south-west to north-west, one burst of heavy-machine-gun fire, as well as uncountable and overlapping shots of small-arms fire, all 2-3km ranging from south-south-west to west-north-west.

On 8 July, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions 5-8km north.

On the night of 8-9 July, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 7-9km west, 38 undetermined explosions and 29 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 6-8km east and south-east. On 9 July the SMM heard about 110 explosions (54 assessed as outgoing rounds of recoilless gun (SPG-9,  73mm) fire, six as impacts and the remainder undetermined) and about 30 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-7km ranging from south-south-east to south-west.  

On 9 July, positioned 2km west of “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 5-8km west.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations between the evenings of 7 and 8 July, though no explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (two explosions). Between the evenings of 8 and 9 July, it recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including no explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours.

On 8 July, accompanied by a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer, the SMM assessed an impact site in government-controlled Pisky (11km north-west of Donetsk). The SMM saw one fresh crater on the soft ground immediately next to the paved road on Naberezhna Street. The SMM assessed it as caused by an artillery round (of at least 122mm calibre) fired from a north-easterly direction.

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near 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 between 6-7 July, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded, in sequence, one illumination flare in flight from north-west to south-east and 32 projectiles in flight from north-west to south-east, 3km east, all assessed as outside the disengagement area. On 7 July the same camera recorded one illumination flare in vertical flight and one projectile in flight from south-east to north-west 4-5km south, both assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On 8 July, positioned south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge at approximately 11:30, the SMM saw a stationary military-type truck facing north and carrying two machine-guns, one heavy machine-gun and 20 armed “LPR” members. About 20 minutes later, while a patrol was positioned 70m south of the “LPR” checkpoint and another was crossing the bridge, the SMM saw a white signal flare fired 50m north of the “LPR” checkpoint, still within the “LPR”-controlled area south of the bridge. An “LPR” member, who was present on the bridge together with three Russian Federation officers of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), told the SMM that the flare indicated readiness to disengage.

On 9 July the SMM visited the Petrivske disengagement area and observed a calm situation.

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

In violation of withdrawal lines, on 8 July, in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw four stationary self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) 4.5km north-east of Novookhtyrka (55km north-west of Luhansk). On 9 July, 2km east of Novookhtyrka, the SMM saw two stationary self-propelled howitzers (2S1) on flatbed trailers.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw ten self-propelled howitzers (2S1) loaded on two trains at the train station in Rubizhne (84km north-west of Luhansk).  

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. On 8 July, in “DPR”-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM observed 11 howitzers (six towed 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm and five 2S1). The SMM observed that five howitzers (one towed 2A65 and four self-propelled 2S1) were again missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (APC)[2] and tracks assessed as those of tanks in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 7 July, the SMM saw four APCs (BTR-70) transported on the back of trucks 3km north-east of Peredilske (24km north-west of Luhansk) heading south on road H21. On 8 July the SMM saw one stationary IFV (BMP-type) near Slavne (26km south-west of Donetsk). The SMM saw numerous tracks, assessed as those of tanks near Myrna Dolyna (67km north-west of Luhansk), heading east and south.

The SMM saw mine hazard signs inside the security zone. On 8 July the SMM saw again a mine sign on road M-03 on the south-western edge of Debaltseve. On 9 July the SMM saw, for the first time, two red mine signs (with “Danger mines” written in white letters in English and Ukrainian) on both sides of a checkpoint, about 2m from the paved road, in government-controlled Taramchuk (29km south-west of Donetsk).  

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor ongoing repairs, co-ordinated by the JCCC, to the high-voltage Mykhailivka-Almazna power line near Pervomaisk. (See SMM Daily Report 7 July 2017.)

The SMM visited two border areas not controlled by the Government. Over one hour at the border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed 81 civilian vehicles (59 with Ukrainian and 22 with Russian Federation licence plates), 13 trucks (with Ukrainian licence plates and covered cargos) and two buses with Ukrainian licence plates (one with signs indicating the line “Pervomaisk –Moscow” and the other “Stakhanov-Kharkov”) in a queue to leave Ukraine. The SMM observed two buses (one with Ukrainian licence plates, marked “Moscow-Luhansk” and the other marked “Moscow-Pervomaisk” with “LPR” plates) and 14 vehicles (the SMM could not see their licence plates) entering Ukraine.

Over one hour at the Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk) border crossing point, the SMM observed five vehicles in a queue to exit Ukraine; the SMM was only able to see the licence plates (Ukrainian) of the last vehicle in the queue. The SMM saw nine vehicles (seven with Ukrainian and two with Russian Federation licence plates), a minivan (with Ukrainian licence plates and a covered cargo), and two motorcycles (both with Ukrainian licence plates) entering Ukraine. During its stay at the crossing point, the SMM saw 17 vehicles (seven with Russian Federation and ten with Ukrainian licence plates), one truck with a trailer and covered cargo truck (with Ukrainian licence plates), two buses (both with Ukrainian licence plates, one with no route marked and approximately 40 passengers on board, the other marked “Sverdlovsk - Gukovo” with approximately 20 passengers on board) exiting 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 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:

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• On 9 July 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.
• On 8 and 9 July armed “LPR” members positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area (3km north of Pervomaisk) told the SMM that 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.
• On 9 July at a checkpoint on the northern edge of the Zolote disengagement area a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that no de-mining had taken place over the previous 24 hours and that, due to the possible presence of mines and/or UXO, they could not guarantee the SMM’s safety. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.
• On 8 and 9 July 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 road south of the bridge. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Conditional access:

• On 8 July two armed “DPR” members initially denied the SMM access to a heavy weapons holding area, saying that its visit had not been co-ordinated in advance, and refused to call their “commander”. After about half-an-hour delay, they allowed the SMM access but only after it had left its mobile phones at the gates, upon request of the “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.