Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 27 July 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas, where its access remained restricted.* The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in Donetsk city. It observed that weapons continued to be absent from storage sites. The SMM followed up on reports that a man was injured in an explosion in government-controlled Zalizne. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs of infrastructure in Shchastia, Artema, Krasnyi Lyman and Zolote. The SMM monitored one border area not under government control. The Mission observed convoys of trucks marked with “Humanitarian Aid from the Russian Federation” in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a protest in support of the former Head of Odessa Regional State Administration. It monitored a religious procession of 15,000 to 20,000 people through Kyiv.

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, including 88 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 100 explosions).[1]

On the night of 26-27 July the SMM, positioned in Donetsk city centre, heard 15 undetermined explosions 8-10km north-west.

While in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) on the same night, the SMM heard 20 outgoing explosions – eight assessed as mortar rounds (82mm) and 12 as infantry fighting vehicle (IFV; BMP-1) cannon rounds (73mm) – three undetermined explosions and bursts and shots of anti-aircraft (ZU-23, 23mm), IFV (BMP-2) cannon (30mm), heavy-machine-gun, automatic-grenade-launcher and small-arms fire 4-6km south-east. A short time later the SMM heard eight explosions assessed as impacts of mortar rounds (82mm), four explosions assessed as impacts and eight undetermined explosions 4-5km south-east. It also recorded one undetermined explosion 1.5km south-east and shots of IFV (BMP-2) cannon fire 2-3km south. On 27 July the SMM heard two explosions assessed as outgoing artillery rounds (122mm).

On the night of 26-27 July the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded a total of 15 undetermined explosions, 127 tracer rounds in flight from east to west, almost 100 tracer rounds in flight from west to east, 40 tracer rounds fired into the air and ten rocket-assisted projectiles in flight from west to east and five from east to west, all at unknown distances north of the camera.

On the same night, the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north-west of Donetsk) recorded a total of 100 projectiles in flight from east to west, 27 from west to east and two from north-west to south-east, all 4-6km east-south-east.

On 27 July positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for about six hours the SMM recorded five undetermined explosions 3-5km west and small-arms fire 2-3km south.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations, including 22 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (20 explosions). Positioned in government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) on the night of 26-27 July the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 5-7km south-east, one undetermined explosion 7-8km south-south-east and four undetermined explosions and bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 10-13km south-south-east. The SMM also heard one undetermined explosion 16-18km south-east, one undetermined explosion 15-20km south-east and six undetermined explosions 15-20km away in a southerly direction, all assessed as artillery rounds (152mm).

The SMM followed up on reports that a man was injured in an explosion in government-controlled Zalizne (42km north-east of Donetsk) on 24 July. The chief police investigator in government-controlled Toretsk (43km north of Donetsk) told the SMM that a security guard at school no.15 in Zalizne sustained leg injuries when a device exploded as he opened the front door of the school. According to the investigator, the school has not been in use for three years. Medical staff at the hospital in Toretsk told the SMM that the man was admitted on 24 July and is being treated there for limb injuries.

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.*

Positioned about 1km south-west of government-controlled Zolote (60km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM heard four undetermined explosions 8-10km east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

While in the Stanytsia Luhanska 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 Package of Measures and its Addendum, as well as the Memorandum.

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines the SMM observed one anti-tank gun (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) being towed in an easterly direction by an armoured personnel carrier (APC; MTLB) about 6.5km east of Donetsk city centre.

The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage does not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification. In “DPR”-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited one such location and observed six towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm). One towed howitzer (2A65 Msta-B) and two self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) continued to absent. One site continued to be abandoned with all six anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira) missing.

The SMM revisited a permanent storage site whose location corresponded with the withdrawal lines. At this “DPR”-controlled site the SMM observed that eight tanks (five T-72 and three T-64) continued to be absent.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and anti-aircraft weapons[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas the SMM observed one IFV (BMP- 2) heading south on the eastern outskirts of a government-controlled part of Zolote, one IFV (BMP-1) moving north-east near Luhanske (59km north-east of Donetsk). In non-government-controlled areas the SMM observed four APCs (MTLB) about 6.5km east of Donetsk city centre, one IFV (BMP-1) being towed north by a truck near an “LPR” checkpoint 3km south-east of “LPR”-controlled Chornukhyne (64km south-west of Luhansk).

The SMM facilitated repairs to essential infrastructure, co-ordinated by the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). The SMM facilitated and monitored maintenance works at the power plant in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk). A representative of the company that owns the plant told the SMM that workers were cleaning canals near the plant’s water pumps. The SMM enabled maintenance works at the Petrivske water pumping station in government-controlled Artema (26km north of Luhansk) so that Popasna Vodakanal workers could remove water from sealed pumps and cut branches that had blocked power lines. Repair works in the government-controlled part of Zolote on the Mykhailivka-Lysychansk high voltage power lines and the Zolote 2/Karbonit 1200mm water pipeline continued with SMM facilitation and monitoring. The SMM also facilitated maintenance of water wells near “LPR”-controlled Krasnyi Lyman (30km north-west of Luhansk). A representative of the Luhansk water company later told the SMM the maintenance had been completed.

The SMM visited one border area not under control of the Government. At the border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-west of Luhansk) for about an hour, the SMM observed 48 civilian vehicles (39 with Ukrainian licence plates and nine with Russian Federation licence plates) queued to leave Ukraine. One driver (a man aged about 45 years old) told the SMM that he had been queuing for more than four hours. The SMM saw seven civilian vehicles enter Ukraine (five with Ukrainian licence plates and two with Russian Federation licence plates), two passenger buses exit Ukraine (one displaying “Stakhanov-Moscow” and one “Luhansk-Moscow” written in the Russian language, both with Ukrainian licence plates) and one bus enter (displaying “St. Petersburg-Luhansk” written in the Russian language, and bearing Russian Federation licence plates).  

In Donetsk region the SMM noted no reports of electricity cuts following the announcement that the state power distributor Ukrenergo had stopped supplying energy to non-government controlled areas.

In both Donetsk and Luhansk regions the SMM observed convoys of trucks with “Humanitarian Aid from the Russian Federation” written in Russian on the side. The SMM observed a convoy of eight to ten covered white trucks about 7km east of Donetsk city centre heading west. At a warehouse complex at 1a Baumana Street in Donetsk city, an unarmed guard (a man aged about 40 years old) said ten trucks had delivered aid. At another warehouse complex at 5b Proletarska Street, an unarmed guard (a man aged about 40 years old) also said trucks had delivered aid. Later, near “DPR”-controlled Ilovaisk (30km south-east of Donetsk) the SMM observed a convoy of 37 white trucks moving north, 14 of which had black Russian Federation military licence plates while the remainder had white civilian Russian Federation plates. Near “LPR”-controlled Prydorozhne (28km south-east of Luhansk) the SMM observed a convoy of 15 covered white trucks, all with white Russian Federation licence plates, heading south-east in the direction of “LPR”-controlled Izvaryne.

In Kyiv the SMM observed a protest in support of former Head of Odessa Regional State Administration Mikhail Saakashvili and his Movement of New Forces party near Bankova Street. The protest followed media reports that a presidential decree had been issued rescinding Saakashvilli’s Ukrainian citizenship. The SMM observed about 150-200 protesters (aged between 25-65 years old, 70 per cent men) who carried Ukrainian flags. Three rows of 150-200 National Guards and police officers were observed nearby. The SMM did not observe any incidents.

Also in Kyiv, the SMM monitored a procession of between 15,000 and 20,000 people (about 80 percent older women) organized by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to commemorate the adoption of Christianity by the Kyivan-Rus state. The SMM assessed about 3,000 police officers and National Guards secured the route as marchers walked between Volodymyrska Hill and Pechersk Lavra. The SMM did not observe any security incidents, and police also reported that there had been no serious incidents.

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

• 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 due to the possible presence of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.
• 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.
• 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.
• The SMM could not travel across the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia as a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC said there were mines on the road south of the bridge. The SMM informed the JCCC.

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as a 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.