Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 9 February 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. Small arms were fired near SMM patrols near Verkhnoshyrokivske and Vidrodzhennia and toward an SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near Pervomaiske. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it observed a calm situation in all three areas. The Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in Samiilove and at a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area.* The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to essential infrastructure near Artema and Pervomaisk. The Mission visited a border area not under government control. The SMM followed up on the situation of internally displaced persons in Pokrovske. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored two gatherings.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1], including about 95 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 740 explosions).

On the evening and night of 8-9 February, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in a sequence that continued from the previous reporting period, 36 undetermined explosions, 58 projectiles in flight (13 from west to east, 44 from east to west and one undetermined) and three illumination flares, all 0.5-1.5km south. The following day, the same camera recorded four undetermined explosions 0.5-1.5km south.

On the evening of 8 February, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard an explosion assessed as an impact of a mortar round (82mm) and 75 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-4km south-east. The next day, while at the same location, the SMM heard seven explosions assessed as impacts of mortar rounds (one 120mm and six 82mm), ten explosions assessed as outgoing rounds (six of 120mm mortar rounds and four of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) cannon (73mm) fire), three undetermined explosions and 19 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-7km south-east.

Positioned at the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk) for about two hours, the SMM heard six explosions (four undetermined and two assessed as impacts) and 48 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 2-8km south-south-west and west. Positioned at the south-western edge of Yasynuvata for about two hours, the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions and 32 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-8km at directions ranging from south-south-west to north-west.

Positioned at the south-western edge of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) for over five hours, the SMM heard 13 undetermined explosions and about 50 bursts and shots of IFV (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 2-4km south-east and south-south-east.

At 10:32 on 9 February, the SMM stopped on a road between the checkpoints of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the armed formations, about 500m west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (non-government-controlled, formerly Oktiabr, 29km north-east of Mariupol) after it observed three large holes on the ground, about 600m from the checkpoint of the armed formations. At 10:41, the SMM heard two shots of small-arms fire at an undetermined distance east. The SMM proceeded to leave the area, but it was stopped by two armed “DPR” members in military-type clothing near their checkpoint. One of them said that he had fired warning shots because the SMM had stopped in an area where it was not allowed. The SMM was then allowed to proceed.

Positioned 300m west of the western edge of Pervomaiske (non-government-controlled, 68km south of Donetsk), the SMM heard 11 shots of small-arms fire 1.5km east-south-east, assessed as directed at a mini-UAV that the SMM was flying about 1.7km south-east of its position. The SMM took cover behind the armoured vehicles and retrieved the UAV undamaged.

While driving about 400m east-north-east Vidrodzhennia (government-controlled, 66km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about ten shots of small-arms fire 200-500m north-north-east. The SMM left the area immediately and returned safely to its base in Kramatorsk.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations (two explosions) compared with the previous reporting period during which the SMM had recorded ceasefire violations, but no explosions.

Positioned 1.5km east of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two explosions (one assessed as 120mm mortar round and one undetermined) 4-5km south-west.

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.*

During the day on 9 February, positioned near all three disengagement areas, 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.

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 non-government-controlled areas, the SMM observed five self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) present and noted that two self-propelled howitzers (2S1) continued to be missing. The SMM noted that three heavy weapons holding areas continued to be abandoned with eight anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm), 11 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) and nine self-propelled howitzers (2S1) missing. Armed “DPR” members denied the SMM access to another such area.*

The SMM revisited a permanent weapons storage site in a non-government-controlled area and noted that ten tanks (three T-64 and seven T-72) continued to be missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and anti-aircraft guns[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-70) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23-2, 23mm) loaded on a truck near Kyrylivka (26km north-east of Mariupol), an APC (BTR-80) near Petrivka (27km north of Luhansk), an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23-2) near Orikhove (57km north-west of Luhansk) and an IFV (BMP-2) at the northern edge of the disengagement area near Zolote.

In areas outside government control, the SMM saw an anti-aircraft gun (ZSU-23-2) mounted on an APC (MT-LB) near a residential building in Lukove (72km south of Donetsk) and an APC (MT-LB) near a house in a residential area in Kulykove (30km north-east of Mariupol).

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to a pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk) and to the Mykhailivka-Almazna high voltage power line near Pervomaisk (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk).

In Luhansk region, the Mission monitored and facilitated a transfer of funds from non-government- to government-controlled areas; the funds were reportedly in relation to a water utility debt.

The SMM followed up on alleged shooting of a Ukrainian Armed Forces observation post north-east of Harasymivka (government-controlled, 38km north-east of Luhansk) near the international border between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on 8 February. The SMM could not reach the alleged site due to lack of identifiable access roads. At the outskirts of Harasymivka, about 5km west of the place of the alleged incident site, a guard of an agricultural company told the SMM that he had not heard any shooting in the area between 12:20 and 12:33 on 8 February. The SMM contacted a representative of the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) in Luhansk region who referred the SMM to the SBGS press service. The police in Stanytsia Luhanska told the SMM that there was no official confirmation of shooting in the area. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) also told the SMM that he had no information about such an incident. The SBGS commander in Harasymivka told the SMM that he could not lead it to the alleged site, as the position in the area was operated by the Ukrainian National Guard. The commander of the National Guard in Shyrokyi (government-controlled, 38km north-east of Luhansk) told the SMM he was not authorized to provide any information and referred it to National Guard headquarters.

The SMM visited a border area not under government control. The SMM observed no people entering or exiting Ukraine at a pedestrian border crossing point near Ulianivske (61km south-east of Donetsk).

The SMM followed up on the situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs). In Pokrovske (government-controlled, 74km north of Donetsk), village council representatives told the SMM that 21 IDPs lived in the village. They added that IDP pensioners and children were entitled to a monthly social allowance of 800 hryvnia, and that IDPs lived with relatives or friends, as the village council had no capacity to provide accommodation.

The SMM observed public gatherings in Kyiv. The SMM observed approximately 100 people (18-22 years old, 90 per cent men) gathered in front of Shevchenkivsky District Court building at 31A Dehtarivska Street. About 50 of the protesters wore black balaclavas over their faces and black jackets with a C14 (Sich) logo on the sleeve and some 15 young men wore camouflage, military-style jackets. Some of the C14 activists held banners with the portraits of two men who were tried for the murder of a journalist, Oles Buzina, on 16 April 2015. The SMM saw 15 National Guard officers guarding the courthouse as well as two National Guard and two police buses parked nearby. The Mission did not observe any incidents during its presence.

The same day, the SMM observed a protest of approximately 80 people (60-80 years old, 70 per cent women) outside Kyiv City Hall at 36 Khreshchatyk Street. Several of them held signs protesting what they said was the illegal construction of a Ukrainian Orthodox chapel at 2 Volodymyrska Street. The SMM observed two police officers and a police car present. The Mission observed a calm situation.

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, 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 Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government, citing orders to do so. (See, for example, SMM Daily Report 2 February 2018.) The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• Armed “DPR” members, for the sixth time since 3 September 2017, denied the SMM access to a heavy weapons holding area. (See SMM Daily Report 13 January 2018.)
• One armed and six unarmed “DPR” members denied the SMM access to a compound in Samiilove (non-government-controlled, 89km south of Donetsk) and said that the SMM could access the site only accompanied by their superior.

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. An “LPR” member 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.
• The 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 told the SMM by phone that he had no information regarding de-mining in the area during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.[3] 
• The SMM did 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.[3]

Other impediments:

• Medical staff at a hospital in Makiivka (non-government-controlled, 12km north-east of Donetsk) refused to speak to the SMM until permission had been granted by “DPR” members.

[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. Two SMM cameras continue to be tested until the end of February 2018.

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

[3] The SMM informed Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC. Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the JCCC have withdrawn from the JCCC as of 18 December 2017.