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

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a similar number of ceasefire violations, although more explosions, in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. In Holmivskyi the SMM heard small-arms fire near the area where it was flying an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas where its access remained restricted.* The SMM camera recorded explosions inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. An SMM UAV spotted a mortar within the respective withdrawal lines inside a residential area in Pikuzy. The SMM facilitated the recovery of the body of a dead civilian in the Trudovskyi area of Petrovskyi district in Donetsk city. It monitored repairs of a bridge near Yenakiieve and followed up on reports of a lack of electricity in parts of Zolote. The Mission visited a border area not under government control in Luhansk region. The SMM monitored protests in Kyiv, Kherson and Kharkiv.

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations,[1] including about 60 explosions compared with 100 explosions in the previous reporting period. Almost all ceasefire violations were concentrated in the Donetsk airport-Avdiivka-Yasynuvata area, areas south-east of Svitlodarsk and north-east of Mariupol, all known hotspots.

On the night of 12-13 July, while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions 8-10km north-west.

On the same night the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, one projectile in flight from north-west to south-east, six tracer rounds and one projectile in flight from south-east to north-west, five projectiles north-west to south-east, 31 projectiles south-east to north-west, one projectile north-west to south-east, two explosions assessed as impacts, one projectile south-west to north-east and one illumination flare in flight from south-east to north-west, all 3-5km east-south-east. During the day on 13 July the camera recorded four undetermined explosions and three explosions assessed as impacts, all 4-5km east-south-east. Positioned in Avdiivka for over five hours, the SMM heard nine undetermined explosions 3-5km south-east.

On 13 July, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for over five hours, the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions 2-6km south-west and west.

On the evening of 12 July, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 19 undetermined explosions, ten bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, as well as 15 bursts and about 50 shots of small-arms fire, all 3-5km south-east. The following day the SMM heard and saw one explosion assessed as an impact 5km south-east.

On the night of 12-13 July the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, one undetermined explosion, one tracer round in flight from east to west and one undetermined explosion, 15 tracer rounds east to west, one undetermined explosion, five tracer rounds west to east, followed by aggregated totals of six undetermined explosions, about 70 tracer rounds in flight from east to west and 73 from west to east, all at undetermined distances north.

In “DPR”-controlled Holmivskyi (49km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard five shots of small-arms fire 100m north-east of its position – in the area where the SMM was flying a mini UAV. The SMM assessed the shots as aimed at the UAV, which the SMM managed to land safely.  A Russian Federation officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) and a “DPR” member were present and, about 25 minutes later, upon receiving additional security guarantees from them, the SMM continued the UAV flight.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations, however, more explosions (64) than in the previous reporting period (about 20 explosions).

On the evening of 12 July, while in “LPR”-controlled Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 12 explosions: 11 assessed as impacts of artillery rounds and one as outgoing artillery fire, all 10km west.

On 13 July, positioned 5km east of “LPR”-controlled Alchevsk (40km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard, within one hour, 47 undetermined explosions, 31 bursts and six shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 5-10km east-south-east, assessed as being part of a live fire exercise. Positioned in “LPR”-controlled Slovianoserbsk (40km west of Luhansk) the SMM heard about 50 shots of cannon (30mm) fire from an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) 5km north-west.

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 11 July, the SMM camera in government-controlled Zolote recorded six tracer rounds and four projectiles in flight from north-west to south-east, 3-6km east-north-east, assessed as having occurred outside the disengagement area.

On the evening of 12 July, the SMM camera in government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska recorded four explosions assessed as impacts of 120mm mortar rounds 1.6km south, assessed as having occurred inside the disengagement area.

On 13 July, armed “LPR” members showed the SMM a fresh impact site and the tailfin of an exploded 120mm mortar round on a north-facing hillslope 150m south of the “LPR” checkpoint, south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, and 10m from a parking lot, inside the disengagement area. The SMM also saw shrapnel on the ground about 7m from the mortar tailfin and sand and gravel about 10m from the mortar tailfin. The SMM assessed the direction of fire to be from the north.

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

In violation of withdrawal lines, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted a mortar (probably 120mm) under netting in the centre of a north-eastern residential neighbourhood  of “DPR”-controlled Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol) on 11 July.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and anti-aircraft guns[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 11 July, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted two armoured personnel carriers (APC) (BRDM-2) and two IFVs (BMP-2) near Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk). On 12 July, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted two probable APCs (BTR-60) under netting and one IFV (BMP-1Ksh) near Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk). On 13 July, the SMM saw a stationary anti-aircraft gun (ZU 23-2) mounted on the back of a truck south-east of Lomakyne (15km north-east of Mariupol), an APC (BRDM) heading north near Kapitanove (49km north-west of Luhansk) and one APC (BRDM) heading south-east near Shchastia.

In non-government-controlled areas, on 11 July, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted two IFVs (BMP-1) and one APC (MT-LB) stationary inside a residential neighbourhood north-east of Pikuzy (see above). On 13 July, the SMM saw five stationary APCs (MT-LB), one of which had a probable anti-tank gun (ZU-23) mounted on top, near Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk).

On 13 July, the SMM saw also two new “T”-shaped trenches, one on each side of road M-03 on the western edge of Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk).

An SMM mid-range UAV spotted again, on 12 July, the presence of two rows of six and eight anti-tank mines each about 100m west of a “DPR” checkpoint at the south-western edge of Pikuzy, 80m from the closest house, as well as eight anti-tank mines on a road north-west of Pikuzy that leads to government-controlled Talakivka (17km north-east of Mariupol). (See SMM Daily Report 21 June 2017.)

The SMM, in co-ordination with the JCCC, facilitated the recovery of the body of dead civilian in the Trudovskyi area of Petrovskyi district (15km south-west of Donetsk city centre). The SMM observed a group of “DPR” members recover the body of a 54-year old man who, according to his widow, had died on 8 June 2017 possibly due to coming into contact with a mine.

The SMM monitored the ongoing repair of a broken bridge north-east of
“DPR”-controlled Yenakiieve (41km north-east of Donetsk). The SMM also observed recently installed electric wires on the railway which connects Yenakiieve with “DPR”-controlled Vuhlehirsk (49km north-east of Donetsk) and passes under the damaged bridge.

The SMM followed up on reports of a lack of electricity due to shelling-related damage in government-controlled parts of Zolote-4 (60km north-west of Luhansk). On 12 July, a local official in Zolote-4 told the SMM that the area has had no electricity since 9 July as repairs of power lines were still pending. A group of four residents of Zolote-4 (three women and a man) told the SMM that they had had no electricity for more than four days. According to a local official in Popasna, about 300 residents living on four streets in Zolote-4 were affected by the lack of power.

The SMM visited a border area not under government control. During one hour at the border crossing point in Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk) the SMM saw eight pedestrians (three women and five men), 13 cars (including two with “LPR” plates), one truck with Ukrainian licence plates with a closed cargo area, and one cargo truck with Russian Federation licence plates, with a black sign on the windshield indicating “Ministry of Emergency Situations”, enter Ukraine. Fifteen cars (ten with Ukrainian and five with Russian Federation licence plates) and two pedestrians were in a queue to leave Ukraine. The SMM also saw four cars (one with “DPR” plates), three trucks (one with closed and two with open empty cargo areas) and two buses with Ukrainian licence plates in a queue to leave Ukraine.

The SMM continued to monitor protests in Kyiv related to anti-corruption and immunity of members of Parliament (MPs) (see SMM Daily Report 13 July 2017). On the morning of 13 July the SMM saw about 800 people divided into two groups: one with about 500 people (men and women, aged between 20 and 50) in front of the Parliament and another, with about 300 people (mostly men, aged between 20 and 30), gathered on Hrushevskho Street. The SMM observed the latter group blocking the street and throw what it assessed as smoke canisters. About 400-500 police and National Guard officers, many of whom were wearing riot gear and standing in formation, were present. Media reported on clashes between the protesters and law enforcement officers, which the SMM did not observe when onsite.

The SMM observed a protest of the same scope in Kharkiv where about 30 people (men and women, different age groups) were gathered in front of the main office of the Opposition Block making statements in support of the lifting of immunity of a member of parliament from Kharkiv. Twelve police officers were present. The gathering concluded peacefully.

On 11 July in Kherson, the SMM monitored a protest in front of the office of the Presidential Representative of Ukraine for Crimea. The SMM noted 27 participants, both Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians, who had set up two tents and an improvised field kitchen outside the office building and were demanding the resignation of the Representative. Most of them wore camouflage attire and some wore black T-shirts of a Crimean Tatar battalion. On 13 July, the SMM observed 13 individuals in front of the building as well as some others inside the first floor of the building. Two police officers were present.

In Kharkiv, the SMM monitored a protest in front of the Russian Consulate building. The SMM saw 30 people (women and men, different age groups) gathered outside the Consulate holding banners and heard them calling for the liberation of a Ukrainian filmmaker and writer, who, they stated, was sentenced in the Russian Federation on charges of plotting terrorism acts. The SMM saw about 30 police officers present, joined later by about 35 National Guard officers. The protest ended peacefully.

The SMM continued monitoring in Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, 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, 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:

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• 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 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.
• 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.

[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.