Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 11 September 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and recorded a ceasefire violation near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere.* The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Khlibodarivka and Zhelanne. An SMM unmanned aerial vehicle spotted 40 tanks near Manuilivka and aerial imagery revealed almost 60 military-type trucks in the security zone near Kalmiuske. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure near Shchastia and Artema. The Mission continued to monitor the situation of schools near the contact line on both sides. The SMM visited two border areas not under government control.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations,[1] including about 70 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (94 explosions).

On the evening of 10 September, while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard 20 undetermined explosions 4-10km north.

On the evening of 10 September, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 14 undetermined explosions and two bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 4-12km south-west and west.

On the evening of 10 September, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 18 undetermined explosions 6-9km south-west and about 30 bursts of small-arms fire 3-5km south.

On the night of 10-11 September, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, four tracer rounds in flight from west to east, 26 tracer rounds from east to west, and one tracer round from west to east, followed by aggregated totals of 148 tracer rounds (119 from east to west and 29 from west to east), all at undetermined distances north.

On 11 September, positioned 1km north-east of government-controlled Pyshchevyk (25km north-east of Mariupol), in about 40 minutes, the SMM heard 12 explosions at undetermined distances north-east.

Positioned in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion, 36 shots of small-arms fire and three bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 2-3km south.

Positioned at the railway station in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 5-7km west-south-west. Positioned in the south-western part of Yasynuvata, the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 5-7km north-west and about 30 shots of small-arms fire 1-5km west.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 30 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (the SMM recorded one flare).

While in government-controlled Sievierodonetsk (74km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard about 25 undetermined explosions 5-10km east.

Positioned in government-controlled Zolote-4 (60km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard one explosion assessed as an impact 3-4km north-east.

Positioned in government-controlled Zolote (60km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 5-8km north-east. Positioned 1.7km west of government-controlled Komyshuvakha (68km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 10km east, assessed as the same explosion heard from its position in Zolote.

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 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 9 September, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded one projectile in flight from north-east to south-west 4.5-7km east, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On 11 September, positioned in government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska, and in government-controlled Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk), west of the Petrivske disengagement area, the SMM observed calm situations.

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 withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw four stationary multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near Khlibodarivka (65km south-west of Donetsk) and six anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) near Zhelanne (36km north-west of Donetsk).

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, in an area outside of government control, an SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle spotted 40 stationary tanks (type unknown) in a compound near Manuilivka (65km east of Donetsk).

The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage did not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification from the SMM to the signatories of the Package of Measures on effective monitoring and verification of the withdrawal of heavy weapons. In government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM noted 12 towed howitzers (2A65 Giatsint-B, 152mm) were present and 21 towed howitzers (2A65) remained missing. At another site, the SMM noted 12 anti-tank guns (MT-12) were present, as previously observed, and that another such site continued to be abandoned with four mortars (2B9 Vasilek, 82mm) missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles,[2] military-type armoured vehicles and fresh tracks assessed as those of a tank in the security zone. In a government-controlled area the SMM saw, on 11 September, one armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BRDM-2) travelling east and fresh tracks assessed as those of a tank (T-64) near Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk).

In areas outside of government control, on 11 September, the SMM saw a stationary infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) near Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, 44km west of Luhansk), an APC (BTR-70) travelling south near Michurine (61km south of Donetsk), a stationary APC (BRDM-2) near Sontseve (55km south-east of Donetsk) and a stationary APC (BTR-70) near Starolaspa (51km south of Donetsk). Aerial imagery revealed the presence on 8 September of eight military-type armoured vehicles and almost 60 military-type trucks in Kalmiuske (formerly Komsomolske, 42km south-east of Donetsk), in a zone within which deployment of heavy armaments and military equipment is proscribed according to Point 5 of the Memorandum of 19 September 2014.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance, co-ordinated by the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), to the power plant in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) and to the Petrivske water pumping station near government-controlled Artema (26km north of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to monitor the situation at schools near the contact line on both sides. In government-controlled areas, the SMM visited schools in Trokhizbenka (32km north-west of Luhansk) and Vynohradne (10km east of Mariupol).

The director of the school in Trokhizbenka told the SMM that 67 pupils were enrolled and that there continue to be regular power cuts and water shortages. The director of the school in Vynohradne told the SMM that there were 135 pupils enrolled, 45 of whom travel daily from Berdianske (18km east of Mariupol), Sopyne (16km east of Mariupol), Pionerske (14km east of Mariupol) and Prymorske (13km east of Mariupol) and cross a government-controlled checkpoint about 2km east of Vynohradne to reach the school.

In areas not under government control, the SMM visited two schools in the Kuibyshevskyi district of Donetsk city (7km north-west of Donetsk city centre). At the first school, the director told SMM that there were over 300 pupils enrolled, compared with 200 in 2016. At the second school, the director said that there were 310 pupils enrolled compared with about 270 in 2016. Both directors separately told the SMM that the increase was due to people returning to the area.

The SMM visited two border areas outside government control. At the border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk), in about one hour, the SMM saw 45 cars and six covered trucks (21 with Russian Federation and 16 with Ukrainian licence plates, seven with “DPR” plates and seven with plates that could not be seen) in a queue to leave Ukraine and 12 cars (five with Ukrainian, five with Russian Federation and one with Lithuanian licence plates, and one with “DPR” plates), three minibuses (one with Ukrainian licence plates, and two with “DPR” plates), one passenger bus (with Ukrainian licence plates) and two pedestrians (one man and one woman) enter Ukraine.

At the border crossing point in Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk), in about one hour, the SMM saw 15 cars (ten with Ukrainian and five with Russian Federation licence plates), three buses (one marked “Krasnyi Luch-Rostov” with about 60 passengers, one marked “Lugansk-Yalta” with about 40 passengers and one marked “Lugansk-Rostov” with about 15 passengers, all with Ukrainian licence plates), three covered trucks (with Ukrainian licence plates) and six pedestrians (three men and three women) exit Ukraine. The SMM also saw seven cars (five with Ukrainian and two with Russian Federation plates), six covered trucks (with Ukrainian licence plates) and four pedestrians (two men and two women) enter 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 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.

Denial of access:

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The SMM was prevented from accessing areas in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, with the exception of the main road, due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that no demining activities had taken place during the previous 24 hours in the area. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.
• The possible presence of mines and UXO prevented the SMM from accessing secondary roads north of the Zolote disengagement area. At a checkpoint on the northern edge of the area a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that no demining had taken place over the previous 24 hours. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The possible presence of mines and UXO prevented the SMM from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area. Armed “LPR” members positioned on the southern side of the disengagement area told the SMM that no demining activity had been conducted in the area. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.
• The SMM could not travel across the bridge in Shchastia due to the presence of mines. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that mines on the road south of the bridge were still present. The SMM informed the JCCC.

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During this reporting period the SMM camera at the Oktiabr mine (Donetsk) remained non-operational.

[2] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.