Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 16 July 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 14 and 15 July compared with the previous 24 hours. Between the evenings of 15 and 16 July it recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, but fewer in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission monitored and facilitated the retrieval of civilian remains near Raivka, and followed up on a report of a death in Pokrovske. The SMM observed damage to residences from shelling in Zolote-4 and Donetsk city. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas; its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The SMM continued to observe the presence of mine hazard signs and unexploded ordnance on both sides of the contact line. It visited three border areas not under government control. In Lviv, the SMM followed up on reports of an incident at a monastery. The Mission monitored a peaceful gathering in Dnipro.

In Donetsk region between the evenings of 14 and 15 July the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] including about 65 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (about 50 explosions). Between the evenings of 15 and 16 July the SMM again recorded more ceasefire violations compared with the previous 24 hours, including almost 550 explosions.

In the early morning of 15 July, while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard about 30 undetermined explosions 8-10km north-west. On the night of 15-16 July, while in the same location, the Mission heard almost 160 undetermined explosions 6-12km west-south-west.

In the late evening of 14 July, the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded 15 tracer rounds in flight from south to north, 4-5km east-south-east. On the evening and night of 15-16 July, the camera recorded, in sequence: two undetermined explosions 4-6km south-east; 12 explosions assessed as impacts, one projectile in flight from west to east, one projectile from north to south, and three explosions assessed as impacts, all 4-5km east-south-east; four projectiles from south-west to north-east 3-5km east-north-east; two projectiles from east to west, one explosion assessed as an impact, and eight tracer rounds in flight from south to north, all 3-5km east-south-east; ten tracer rounds in vertical flight assessed as anti-aircraft cannon fire 3-6km east; and 34 tracer rounds from south to north, one tracer round from south-west to north-east, 11 tracer rounds from north-west to south-east, and three tracer rounds from west to east, all 4-6km east-south-east.

During the day on 15 July, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for about six hours, the SMM heard 15 undetermined explosions, as well as heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-7km at westerly directions.

In the late evening of 14 July, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard five undetermined explosions, as well as heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-7km south-east. On the night of 15-16 July, while in the same location, the SMM heard about 170 undetermined explosions, as well as heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-15km south-east.

The same night, while in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 140 undetermined explosions and small-arms fire – including about 20 minutes of uncountable, overlapping bursts and shots – all 3-10km at north-westerly directions.

In the late evening of 15 July, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 25 explosions assessed as impacts of 120mm mortar rounds 4km west.

On the night of 14-15 July the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, one rocket-assisted projectile in flight from south to north, three tracer rounds in flight from west to east, one rocket-assisted projectile from south to north, ten tracer rounds from west to east, one undetermined explosion, 24 tracer rounds from east to west, one rocket-assisted projectile from south to north, one rocket-assisted projectile from south-east to north-west, four rocket-assisted projectiles from west to east, ten tracer rounds from west to east, one rocket-assisted projectile from west to east, one rocket-assisted projectile from south to north, one tracer round from east to west, seven tracer rounds from west to east, one rocket-assisted projectile from west to east, 13 tracer rounds from west to east, one rocket-assisted projectile from south to north, two tracer rounds from west to east, eight tracer rounds from east to west, two tracer rounds from west to east, and six tracer rounds from south-west to north-east, all at unknown distances north.

On the night of 15-16 July the same camera recorded, in sequence, three tracer rounds in flight from south-east to north-west, one tracer round in vertical flight, one tracer round from west to east, two rocket-assisted projectiles from east to west, two tracer rounds from west to east, six tracer rounds from east to west, four tracer rounds from west to east, five tracer rounds from east to west, one rocket-assisted projectile from west to east, one tracer round from west to east, eight tracer rounds from east to west, one rocket-assisted projectile from west to east, 17 tracer rounds from east to west, 15 tracer rounds from west to east, eight tracer rounds from east to west, 35 tracer rounds from west to east, eight tracer rounds from east to west, two undetermined explosions, and one rocket-assisted projectile from west to east (and a subsequent explosion assessed as its impact), followed by aggregated totals of 11 undetermined explosions, 18 rocket-assisted projectiles (12 from east to west, six from west to east), almost 500 tracer rounds (285 from east to west, 180 from west to east, and 26 in vertical flight), and one illumination flare in vertical flight, all at unknown distances north.

In Luhansk region between the evenings of 14 and 15 July the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 220 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (three explosions). Between the evenings of 15 and 16 July the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations compared with the previous 24 hours, including about 170 explosions.

On the night of 14-15 July, while in government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard six explosions assessed as artillery rounds (five 152mm and one 122mm) 12-15km south-south-west. The Mission also heard 130 undetermined explosions, about 70 bursts of anti-aircraft cannon fire, eight shots of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) fire, and almost 20 bursts of automatic-grenade-launcher fire, as well as heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-15km at directions ranging from north-north-east to south.

The same night, while in “LPR”-controlled Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard over 80 undetermined explosions 10km west-south-west.

In the late evening of 15 July, while in government-controlled Sievierodonetsk (74km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two series of explosions assessed as outgoing salvos of at least ten rounds of multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) fire each, 3-5km east. Within less than a minute, the Mission saw reflections of light in clouds at an undetermined distance south-east, assessed as impacts of rounds, possibly of MLRS fire.

On the night of 15-16 July, while in Popasna, the SMM heard about 30 explosions assessed as artillery and mortar rounds 6-7km north-east, as well as three explosions assessed as mortar rounds, 80-100 explosions assessed as artillery and mortar rounds, about 35 undetermined explosions, and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 6-10km south-south-west.

On 16 July, the SMM monitored and facilitated the retrieval of the remains of a man and woman (in their fifties) near “LPR”-controlled Raivka (16km north-west of Luhansk), co-ordinated by the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). The Mission observed eight men place the bodies in a van and depart the area. A Russian Federation officer of the JCCC told the Mission that the couple had been killed by an explosive device on 15 July near the Siverskyi Donets river.

On 15 July, the SMM followed up on a police report regarding a death in government-controlled Pokrovske (74km north of Donetsk). The police in government-controlled Bakhmut (formerly Artemivsk, 67km north of Donetsk) told the SMM via telephone that a woman (aged 53) died in the early morning of 15 July after an unknown person threw a grenade into her house at 13 Haharina Street. The Mission visited the site but it had been sealed as a crime scene. The medical examiner of the morgue in Bakhmut told the SMM via telephone that the woman had been brought to the central district hospital with wounds to her lower back. Staff at the hospital reiterated this information to the Mission via telephone.

The SMM continued to observe damage to residences from shelling. On 14 July, the SMM saw fresh shrapnel damage on the north-facing wall of a house in government-controlled Zolote-4 (60km north-west of Luhansk). A man and woman (aged 60-70) at the house told the Mission that shelling had occurred the night of 8-9 July. About 50m north, the SMM saw minor splintering on the north-facing edge of the roof of a house. About 30-40m north were two fresh impact sites, assessed as caused by small-calibre rounds fired from a northerly direction. The SMM also saw a new asbestos plate on the north-west-facing wall of a school building about 200m from the houses, and a hole in a damaged plate lying on the ground below, assessed as caused by a bullet fired from a westerly direction.

On 15 July, accompanied by a Russian Federation officer of the JCCC and an armed “DPR” member, the SMM saw damage at five fresh impact sites in the Trudivskyi area of Petrovskyi district (15km south-west of Donetsk city centre).

At 11 Dzhalilia Street, the SMM saw a small hole in the metal sheeting of a flat roof spanning a courtyard between two buildings, a light scratch to a south-facing wooden door about 3m above the ground, and a small piece of fresh shrapnel lying on the roof. The Mission could not determine the weapon type used or direction of fire. The property owner (woman in her fifties) told the Mission that shelling occurred at about 20:00 on 14 July.

At 44 Maksymelianivska Street, the SMM saw a large hole and missing bricks in the south-west-facing corner of a house, a satellite antenna blown off the west-facing wall, broken roof tiles, and dust and debris inside the house, as well as a destroyed boiler. The Mission saw the tailfin of a 120mm mortar round, assessed to have fallen to the ground after hitting the house’s west-facing wall. The SMM assessed that a 120mm mortar round had been fired from a westerly direction. The property owner (man in his sixties) told the SMM that shelling had occurred at about 21:00 on 14 July.

At 36B Karnavalna Street, the SMM saw a crater on the south side of the road in front of a north-facing wall with several bricks blown off the top of it, along with soil thrown onto its north side. The Mission assessed that the crater was caused by a round of a calibre no greater than 120mm (weapon type unknown) but could not determine the direction of fire. A nearby resident told the SMM that shelling had occurred between 21:00 and 22:00 on 14 July.

At an unnumbered site on Maksymelianivska Street, the SMM saw a small crater in a playground, assessed as caused by a round of a calibre no greater than 120mm (weapon type unknown). The Mission could not determine the direction of fire. It could not approach the site to assess damage, due to security considerations.

At 24 Chornohorska Street, the SMM saw a crater in a garden about 30cm west of a west-facing metal fence that had crumpled outward toward the east. A stone beside the crater had been destroyed, and an east-facing window on a building about 7m west of the crater had been broken, as had a north-facing window of a building about 5m to the south-west. The Mission assessed that a 120mm mortar round had been fired from a direction between west-south-west and 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 night of 13-14 July, the SMM camera in government-controlled Zolote recorded, in sequence, one undetermined explosion 5km south, one undetermined explosion 5km east-north-east, and three projectiles in flight from north-west to south-east 3-5km east-north-east, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On the night of 14-15 July, the same camera recorded, in sequence, one burst of heavy-machine-gun fire 4.9km east, 26 tracer rounds in flight from north-west to south-east 3-5km east, one illumination flare in descending vertical flight 3-4km east, one projectile in flight from south-east to north-west 8-10km south-south-west, one projectile from north to south 3-5km east-north-east, and one projectile from south-east to north-west 4-5km south-south-east, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On 16 July, positioned on the southern edge of the disengagement area, the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 8km west-south-west, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On 15 July the SMM noted a calm situation while present in government-controlled Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk) near the disengagement area south-west of “DPR”-controlled Petrivske. On both 15 and 16 July, the SMM noted a calm situation while present at the disengagement area south of government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska.

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

Beyond the respective withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw on 16 July a tank (T-72) on a stationary flatbed truck near Selidove (41km north-west of Donetsk) and, later in the day, a tank (T-72) on a flatbed truck travelling east near Memryk (33km north-west of Donetsk).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft gun[2], as well as tracks of tanks, in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw, on 14 July, an IFV (BMP-2) and an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LBu) near Popasna and an APC (BRDM-2) travelling north near Novozvanivka (70km west of Luhansk); and on 15 July, an APC (MT-LB) near Artema (26km north of Luhansk) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) being towed by a truck travelling east near Karlivka (25km north-west of Donetsk).

In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw, on 15 July, 12 IFVs (BMP-1) in “DPR”-controlled Nova Marivka (64km south of Donetsk), and on 16 July, six tracked military-type vehicles, including at least one APC (MT-LB), in Petrovskyi district of Donetsk city, as well as fresh tracks assessed as those of at least two tanks (T-72) about 3km south-west of the city centre.

The SMM continued to observe the presence of mine hazard signs and unexploded ordnance (UXO). On 15 July, the SMM again observed a mine hazard sign at the eastern edge of Nova Marivka. (See SMM Daily Report 11 July 2017.) At the southern entrance of the village, the Mission again observed an unexploded 120mm mortar round half-embedded on the side of an asphalt road.

The SMM again saw the tailfin of an unexploded 120mm mortar round sticking out of the asphalt road about 75m south of a “DPR” checkpoint 2km east of government-controlled Staromarivka (62km south of Donetsk). (See SMM Daily Report 11 July 2017.) The Mission saw another 120mm mortar round tailfin about 20m away.

On 14 July the SMM saw a mine sign (white skull on red background) in a crater in the middle of a tarmac road 100m north of a government checkpoint 1km north-east of Popasna.*

On both 15 and 16 July, about 40-50m south of an “LPR” checkpoint south-east of government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), the SMM again observed three tail fins of 120mm mortar rounds.

The SMM visited three border areas not under government control. On 15 July, during just over half an hour at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw 35 cars (15 with Ukrainian and 17 with Russian Federation licence plates, and three with “DPR” plates), four buses (three with Ukrainian licence plates and one with “DPR” plates), and ten trucks with covered cargo areas (all with Ukrainian licence plates) in a queue to exit Ukraine. During one hour at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw 49 cars (40 with Ukrainian and four with Russian Federation licence plates, and five with “LPR” plates) in a queue to exit Ukraine and four cars (all with Ukrainian licence plates) entering Ukraine. The Mission also saw four pedestrians (three men aged about 18 and one woman aged about 20) exiting Ukraine and nine pedestrians (five women aged 20-50 and four men aged 15-18) entering Ukraine.

On 16 July, during more than an hour at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw about 100 pedestrians (men and women of different ages), 62 cars (35 with Ukrainian, 24 with Russian Federation licence plates, and three with “LPR” plates), three buses (two with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates), and four trucks with covered cargo areas (two with Ukrainian and two with Belarusian licence plates) in queues to exit Ukraine, and one bus (Ukrainian licence plates), eight cars (five with Ukrainian and three with Russian Federation licence plates), and about 50 pedestrians (men and women of different ages) entering Ukraine.

The SMM followed up on reports of an incident at Saint Elias the Prophet Contemplation and Adoration Monastery of the Vasylian Sisters in Briukhovychi (9km north-west of Lviv). On 15 July, the SMM visited the site at 27 Shkilna Street and saw an outer wall that had been blackened by billowing smoke, with the discolouration centred on the plastic windows of the first and second storeys of the building. Police told the Mission that bottles of flammable liquid had been thrown into the monastery at around midnight on 13 July and that 20 nuns were treated at the Lviv regional hospital for health issues as a result of gas from the combustion of the liquid. Medical staff at the hospital told the SMM that 20 nuns had been admitted to the hospital and given supplemental oxygen. Two nuns told the Mission that there had been attacks on the monastery in the past. The mayor of Briukhovychi and representatives from two non-governmental organizations separately reiterated to the SMM the same information received from the police. The police told the Mission that the incident was under investigation.

On 14 July, the SMM monitored a gathering in Dnipro in front of the regional council building. The Mission saw about 100 people (about 70 per cent men, aged 20-35) carrying National Corps, Right Sector and Svoboda political party flags, two National Corps tents and two tents with Right Sector symbols. Participants told the Mission they wanted the regional council to approve an appeal to the central authorities regarding several issues. About 100 police officers were present. When the SMM returned to the site in mid-afternoon, the gathering had ended and the tents had been removed.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, 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, 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:

• On 14 July, the SMM could not proceed along a road north-east of Popasna due to a mine hazard sign.
• On both 15 and 16 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 both times.
• On both 15 and 16 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 both times.
• On both 15 and 16 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 both times.
• On 15 July, the SMM could not travel across the bridge in Shchastia as Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel said there were mines on the road south of the bridge. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Delay:

• On 15 July, “DPR” members at a checkpoint delayed SMM access for 30 minutes to the Trudivskyi area of Petrovskyi district in Donetsk city. The Mission 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.