Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 23 October 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations both in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. In the Trudivski area of Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district, the SMM heard small-arms fire near the area where it was flying an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), assessed as aimed at the UAV.* The Mission saw damage to an office building in Lutuhyne. The SMM continued monitoring all three disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance to essential infrastructure near Svitlodarsk, Shchastia, Krasnyi Lyman and Artema. The SMM visited four border areas not under government control. The Mission continued to monitor a gathering in front of the national Parliament building in Kyiv. 

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] including, however, fewer explosions (about 50), compared with the previous 24 hours (about 90 explosions).

On the evening of 22 October, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in government-controlled Maiorsk (45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded 28 tracer rounds in flight, all at unknown distances and directions. 

On the evening of 22 October, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, four projectiles in flight from east to west, two undetermined explosions, two projectiles from south to north, 25 projectiles from east to west, one projectile from west to east, two undetermined explosions and 18 tracer rounds in flight from west to east, all 0.5-2km south.

On the evening and night of 22-23 October, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 13 undetermined explosions, four explosions assessed as outgoing infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1, 73mm) cannon fire and about 350 bursts and shots of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 1-10km at directions ranging from east to south.

On the evening and night of 22-23 October, the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, 106 tracer rounds in flight from south-east to north-west, one projectile in flight from north-west to south-east, three tracer rounds from north-west to south-east, one projectile from south-east to north-west and five undetermined explosions, all 3-5km east-south-east.

During the day on 23 October, positioned on the south-western edge of government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) for about five hours, the SMM heard nine undetermined explosions and two explosions assessed as impacts, all 2-5km east and east-south-east, and three undetermined explosions 4-6km south-south-west.

Positioned at the railway station in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for about four hours, the SMM heard four undetermined explosions and bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 2-5km west-south-west and west.

Positioned in government-controlled Chermalyk (31km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard about 40 bursts of small-arms fire 1-2km east.

Positioned on the north-eastern edge of government-controlled Lebedynske (16km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard two explosions assessed as outgoing rounds and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 1-2km east-south-east and east.

On the morning of 23 October, positioned on Kobrynskoi Street in the Trudivski area of “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city's Petrovskyi district (15km south-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM heard four-five bursts of small-arms fire 50-100m 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 landed safely.* The SMM had informed the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) of the flight one hour before, as well as of its plans to conduct an additional flight. The SMM decided not to conduct the second UAV flight.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including 14 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (four explosions).

On the evening and night of 22-23 October, while on the northern edge of government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard six shots of IFV (BMP-2, 30mm) cannon and small-arms fire, all 3-6km east-south-east and south-east.

During the day on 23 October, positioned on the southern edge of “LPR”-controlled Krasnyi Lyman (30km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM heard an undetermined explosion and small-arms fire, all 3-5km north-north-west.

Positioned in “LPR”-controlled Obozne (18km north of Luhansk) the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions 10km north-west, assessed as live-fire training inside the security zone, in violation of the decision of the Trilateral Contact Group of 3 March 2016 that prohibits the conduct of live-fire training (exercises) in the security zone. 

Positioned 2km north-west of government-controlled Plotyna (28km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM heard four undetermined explosions 5-6km west-north-west.

The SMM observed damage in a residential area. On 23 October, the SMM followed up on reports of damage by explosion to an office building on Haharina Street in “LPR”-controlled Lutuhyne (20km south-west of Luhansk). The SMM saw a fresh crater 5m south of the south-facing porch entrance of the building and that the plastic entrance door had been twisted and a piece of the porch (2m in diameter and 1m high) was missing. The SMM was unable to assess the cause of the damage. The SMM also saw pieces of glass and broken window panes on the ground in front of the building and a man replacing two glass window panes on the second floor of the south-facing side of the building. The SMM saw people inside the building wearing military-type clothing. While at the building, three men (all aged 45-55) separately told the SMM that they had heard an explosion nearby at around 23:00 on 19 October.

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 of 22 October, while on the eastern edge of government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 3-4km south, assessed as outside the disengagement area. The following day, positioned 100m south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 5-10km north, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

Positioned in government-controlled Zolote and 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 accordance with the Package of Measures and its Addendum, as well as the Memorandum.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACV)[2] in the security zone. In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw an ACV (BTR-variant) moving north near Slovianoserbsk (28km north-west of Luhansk) and a stationary armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-70) near Molodizhne (63km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM observed mine hazard signs. In a field, 400-600m south and south-west of the south-western edge of Avdiivka, the SMM saw three mine signs (red squares) for the first time. On a road 2.5km south of government-controlled Myronivskyi (62km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw a mine hazard sign for the first time (“warning” written in Ukrainian language with a skull-and-crossbones and images of ammunition), as well as three pyramid-shaped concrete blocks and razor wire across the road, blocking access south of the village.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance works, co-ordinated by the JCCC, to the power lines in Svitlodarsk, the thermal power plant in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), water wells near Krasnyi Lyman and the Petrivske water pumping station near government-controlled Artema (26km north of Luhansk).  

The SMM visited four border areas not under government control. At a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk), in about half an hour, the SMM saw 33 cars (12 with Ukrainian and 12 with Russian Federation licence plates, and nine with “DPR” plates), 12 covered cargo trucks (11 with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates) and one passenger bus (with Ukrainian licence plates, marked “Rostov-on-Don”) in a queue to exit Ukraine. The SMM saw 27 cars (ten with Ukrainian, 12 with Russian Federation and one with Georgian licence plates, three with “DPR” plates and one with plates marked “South Ossetia”), three covered cargo trucks (one with Belarusian licence plates and two with plates that could not be seen) and one passenger bus (with Ukrainian licence plates, marked “Moscow-Donetsk”) enter Ukraine.

While at the pedestrian border crossing point in Ulianivske (61km south-east of Donetsk) for 30 minutes, the SMM did not observe any movement.

At a pedestrian border crossing point near Verkhnoharasymivka (57km south-east of Luhansk), in 40 minutes, the SMM saw 11 pedestrians (five women and six men, aged 35-50) in a queue to exit Ukraine and two pedestrians (one man and one woman, aged 35-50) enter Ukraine. The SMM observed 18 parked cars (12 with Ukrainian and five with Russian Federation licence plates, and one with “LPR” plates).

At a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk), in one hour, the SMM saw 18 cars (12 with Ukrainian and six with Russian Federation licence plates), three passenger buses (with Ukrainian licence plates, marked “Stakhanov-Kharkiv”, “Luhansk-Saint Petersburg” in Russian language and one without the itinerary marked, each carrying about 50 passengers) and 67 pedestrians (42 women and 25 men) exit Ukraine. The SMM saw 22 cars (15 with Ukrainian, six with Russian Federation and one with Lithuanian licence plates), one covered cargo truck (with Ukrainian licence plates) and 32 pedestrians (19 women and 13 men) enter Ukraine.

In Kyiv, the SMM continued to monitor the gathering in front of the national Parliament building. (See SMM Daily Report 21 October 2017.) On 21 October, the SMM saw about 100 people in the area of tents in front of the Parliament building. On the morning of 22 October, around 1,500-2,000 protestors (70 per cent men, aged 40-60) had gathered at the same location; 300 police and National Guard officers were also present. By the afternoon, the SMM noted that the majority of protestors had left and about 300 protestors remained in the area near the tents. The SMM did not observe any incidents during its presence.

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.

Denial of access:

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The SMM was prevented from accessing parts of 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 de-mining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.

• < >he SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. Armed “LPR” members positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.< >he SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC at a checkpoint north of the Zolote disengagement area told the Mission that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. 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 said there were mines on the road south of the bridge. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Other impediments:

• On the morning of 23 October, positioned in Trudivski area of “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city's Petrovskyi district, the SMM heard four-five bursts of small-arms fire 50-100m east of its position – in the area where the SMM was flying a mini UAV, assessed as aimed at the UAV.

[1] Please see the annexed report 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. 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.