Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 14 February 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission observed fresh damage caused by gunfire to a house in Hranitne and to a wall at the Donetsk Filtration Station. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including in Mineralne and Nova Tavriia.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Bila Hora. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to essential infrastructure near Marinka and Yasynuvata. The Mission visited a border area not under government control. The SMM followed up on reports of alleged arson in Lviv.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including more explosions (about 320) compared with the previous reporting period (about 280 explosions).

On the evening and night of 13-14 February, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, two projectiles in flight from east to west, eight projectiles from west to east and four undetermined explosions, followed by totals of 28 undetermined explosions, 65 projectiles (30 from east to west, 35 from west to east) and two illumination flares (trajectory undetermined), all 0.5-1.5km south. The following day, the camera recorded, in sequence, six projectiles from west to east, two undetermined explosions and four projectiles from west to east, followed by totals of 22 undetermined explosions, nine projectiles from west to east and a projectile from east to west, all 0.5-1.5km south.

On the night of 13-14 February, the SMM camera 1km south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, an undetermined explosion, a projectile in flight from west to east, two undetermined explosions, four projectiles in flight from east to west and an undetermined explosion, all 5-8km north.

While in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk) on the evening and night of 13-14 February, the SMM heard 94 undetermined explosions 4-15km at directions ranging from east to south-west.

The SMM also heard about 800 shots and bursts of automatic-grenade-launcher, infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm), heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 4-12km at directions ranging from east to south-west. The following day, while at the same location, the SMM heard 14 undetermined explosions and about 40 shots of automatic-grenade-launcher and small-arms fire 4-10km at directions ranging from south-east to south-south-west.

Positioned 3km south-west of Chermalyk (government controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol) for about one hour, the SMM heard 46 undetermined explosions and nine bursts of small-arms fire, all 4-10km at directions ranging from east to south.

Positioned 2.5km south-south-east of Lomakyne (government-controlled, 15km north-east of Mariupol) for 20 minutes, the SMM heard 16 undetermined explosions 2-4km north-east and 55 bursts of small-arms fire 2-3km east-north-east.

Positioned in Trudivske (government-controlled, 47km south of Donetsk) for 20 minutes, the SMM heard 20 undetermined explosions and 40 bursts of small-arms fire, all at undetermined distances south.

Positioned 1km south-east of Kamianka (government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk) for about two hours, the SMM heard 34 undetermined explosions 3-6km north-west and four shots of small-arms fire 2-4km at directions ranging from east to south.

Positioned on the south-western edge of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) for about four hours, the SMM heard 34 bursts and shots of small-arms fire 2-4km east-south-east and south-east and three undetermined explosions 2-5km east-south-east.

Positioned in Oleksandrivka (non-government-controlled, 20km south-west of Donetsk) for about five hours, the SMM heard 31 bursts and shots of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 2-5km west and west-north-west.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions (about 490), compared with the previous reporting period (17 explosions).

On the evening and night of 13-14 February, while in Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, non-government-controlled, 50km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard around 445 undetermined explosions and 20 bursts of IFV (BMP-2) cannon fire 10-20km west and south-west, as well as 39 explosions (15 assessed as explosions of multiple launch rocket system rounds (BM-21 Grad, 122mm and the remainder undetermined), all 8-20km west and south-west.

Positioned in Kalynove (non-government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) for about two hours, the SMM heard five undetermined explosions 5-10km south-west and west, as well as 26 shots of small-arms fire 1-4km south-east and south-west.

The SMM followed up on reports of damage caused by gunfire to civilian properties in residential areas. At 19 Beida Street in Hranitne (government-controlled, 60km south of Donetsk), the SMM saw a shattered east-facing kitchen window and a hole in the east-facing interior wall, both on the ground floor of a one-storey house. The SMM was unable to determine the type of weapon used or the direction of fire. The SMM also observed a fresh hole in the east-facing outer wall of the house; the SMM assessed it as caused by a bullet fired from an easterly direction. The owner of the house (a woman in her sixties) told the SMM that the damage had occurred on 13 February around 12:00 while her husband was in the garage of the house and she was not at home.

The SMM observed fresh damage caused by gunfire to a concrete wall at the Donetsk Filtration Station. The SMM saw a hole (15-20mm deep, 30-40cm long) in a south-facing wall 1.5m from the main water purification building of the Donetsk Filtration Station. The SMM assessed it as caused by a round from an undetermined weapon most likely of a calibre smaller than 30-40mm fired from an east-south-easterly direction. On 14 February, two employees of the Donetsk Filtration Station told the SMM that the incident had occurred on the night of 10-11 February.

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 near Zolote, the SMM heard nine undetermined explosions 2-8km at directions ranging from south-east to south-west (four assessed as inside the disengagement area, two assessed as outside the disengagement area and three that the SMM was unable to assess as inside or outside the disengagement area).

Positioned near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM observed a calm situation.

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 on 13 February, an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle spotted four anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) (three attached to one armoured personnel carrier each (APC) (MT-LB), and one next to an APC (MT-LB)) 700m west-north-west of Bila Hora (government-controlled, 54km north of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas on 14 February, the SMM observed three stationary tanks (one T-72 and two undetermined) near Ternove (57km east of Donetsk) and two stationary tanks (type undetermined) near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk).

In government-controlled areas, the SMM observed two stationary tanks (T-72) near Manhush (25km south-west of Mariupol).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] and other indications of military presence in the security zone. In non-government-controlled areas, on 13 February, an SMM mini-UAV spotted three IFVs (BMP-1) near Sofiivka (40km north-east of Donetsk). In government-controlled areas, on 14 February, the SMM saw an IFV (BMP-1) and four armoured reconnaissance vehicles (a BRDM-2 and three BRDM-1) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) and three stationary armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2) near Orikhove-Donetske (44km north-west of Luhansk). Aerial imagery revealed the presence, on 7 February, of four newly established positions about 1km north-east, south-east, south-west and north-west of the sludge reservoir near the phenol factory in Novhorodske (government-controlled, 35km north of Donetsk).

The SMM observed demining activities. Near the Donetsk Filtration Station, the SMM monitored clearing of anti-personnel mines, conducted by “DPR” members near H20 road about 1km south-west of the Donetsk Filtration Station.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance works to the water pipeline network in the north-western outskirts of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk) and to the electrical transformer near Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk).

The SMM visited a border area not under government control. While at a border crossing near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) for about 30 minutes, the SMM saw ten cars (four with Ukrainian, four with Russian Federation licence plates, and two with “DPR” plates) and two cargo trucks with “DPR” plates exiting Ukraine. The SMM also saw five cars (two with Ukrainian, two with Russian Federation licence plates, and one with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

The SMM followed up on media reports of alleged arson in Lviv at a branch office of Sberbank in the early morning of 14 February. At a Sberbank branch office located on the ground floor of a building at 143 Horodotska Street in Lviv, the SMM observed a destroyed street-facing window and burned or destroyed office equipment and furniture inside the premises, as well as on the pavement in front of the building. The SMM also saw a police car and a police officer present at the scene. A security guard, who said he was on duty at the time of the incident, told the SMM that he had been made aware that the bank’s surveillance cameras had been reviewed and revealed two unidentified individuals breaking one of the windows and throwing a bottle into the premises, which immediately caused a fire, at 06:00 that morning. The guard also told the SMM that police and firefighters had arrived shortly thereafter and successfully extinguished the fire. Police in Lviv told the SMM that a criminal investigation on intentional damage of property was underway.  

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, 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 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 report 13 February). 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:

• An armed “DPR” member denied the SMM access at a checkpoint in Mineralne (non-government-controlled, 10km north-east of Donetsk).

• Two “DPR” members (one armed and one unarmed) stopped the SMM at the western entrance of Nova Tavriia (non-government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) and told the latter to leave the location stating that they were expecting incoming indirect fire.

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 he had no information regarding demining activities over the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC on both occasions.[3]

• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. An armed formation 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.

• < > 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.

  The SMM did not travel across the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk) 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.

[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.