Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 31 July 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and again observed military presence inside the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas, as well as near Zaichenko, Siedove and Shevchenko; at a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region and near Dovzhanske at the border with the Russian Federation. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, including multiple launch rocket systems in the centre of Khrustalnyi. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to critical civilian infrastructure near Zalizne, Artema, Zolote-3 and Stanytsia Luhanska.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1], including about 75 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 245 explosions).

On the evening and night of 30-31 July, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, two explosions assessed as impacts 0.8-1km south and 39 projectiles in vertical flight 2-3km south, followed by totals of 48 explosions (two assessed as impacts of mortar rounds 1-2km south, an outgoing round of an undetermined weapon 2-3km south and the remainder undetermined) and 212 projectiles (including 90 from east to west, about 50 from west to east and about 40 from south-east to north-west), all 0.5-4km south.

On the evening of 30 July, the SMM camera about 1km south-west of Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, a projectile in vertical flight, two projectiles from south to north and six projectiles from north to south, followed by totals of seven undetermined explosions, 132 projectiles (80 from north to south and 52 from south to north) and an illumination flare in vertical flight, all 1-2km east.

On the evening and night of 30-31 July, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, nine projectiles in flight from west to east, two undetermined explosions, 34 projectiles from west to east and two projectiles from east to west, all 1-5km north.

On the evening and night of 30-31 July, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard five undetermined explosions and about 170 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 5-8km at directions ranging from east to south.

During the day on 31 July, positioned about 2km west-south-west of Zalizne (formerly Artemove, government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions 1-2km east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including one explosion, compared with the previous reporting period (22 explosions).

During the day on 31 July, positioned in Holubivka  (formerly Kirovsk, non-government-controlled, 51km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard nine bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 3-6km north-north-east.

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)[2], 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 30 July, while on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard ten shots of small-arms fire 2-3km south-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On 31 July, positioned at a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint on the northern edge of the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM saw a car with military licence plates entering the disengagement area carrying a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier (not visibly armed). The SMM also saw four Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers (not visibly armed) walk into a field inside the disengagement area from a road between the checkpoint and Zolote-4/Rodina (59km west of Luhansk).

The same day, positioned near the Petrivske disengagement area, the SMM did not observe ceasefire violations.

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, on 30 July, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted six multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122m) at a compound in the centre of Khrustalnyi (formerly Krasnyi Luch, 56km south-west of Luhansk) and an additional six MLRS (BM-21) north of the city. The same UAV also spotted five towed howitzers (three 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm and two 2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) in a compound south of Vilkhivka (40km east of Donetsk), eight MLRS (BM-21) south-west of Sadovyi (57km south-west of Luhansk) as well as, again, four self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Vasylivka (47km south of Donetsk) and four self-propelled howitzers (2S1) near Starolaspa (51km south of Donetsk) (see SMM Daily Report 5 July 2018).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas, on 30 July, an SMM long-range UAV spotted 18 towed howitzers (2A65) and an anti-tank guided missile system (undetermined variant) north of Khrustalnyi and three tanks (T-64) near a training area about 3km west of Markyne (94km south of Donetsk). On 31 July, the SMM saw a tank (T-72) heading east in a field about 100m north of a road between Novoazovsk (40km east of Mariupol) and Siedove (106km south of Donetsk), as well as three self-propelled howitzers (2S1) in firing positions and at least 14 tanks (T-72 and T-64), some of which were in firing positions, at a training area near Ternove (57km east of Donetsk) (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 25 July 2018).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, on 31 July, the SMM saw 15 stationary tanks (T-64) in Zachativka (74km south-west of Donetsk) and a stationary anti-tank gun (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) in Khlibodarivka (65km south-west 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 non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, the SMM observed six self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and noted that 12 mortars (11 PM-38, 120mm, and one 2B11 Sani, 120mm) were again missing. In government-controlled areas of Luhansk region, the SMM observed five towed howitzers (2A65) and four anti-tank guns (MT-12) and noted that 34 howitzers (26 2A65 and eight 2A36) and 12 anti-tank guns (MT-12) were again missing.

The SMM revisited permanent storage sites whose locations were beyond withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region and noted that 18 tanks (ten T-72 and eight T-64), nine mortars (2B14 Podnos, 82mm) and 15 anti-tank guns (MT-12) were again missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles, an anti-aircraft weapon[3] and other indications of military-type presence in the security zone. In a government-controlled area, on 30 July, an SMM long-range UAV spotted three infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP variant) east of Talakivka (17km north-east of Mariupol). On 31 July, the SMM saw an IFV (BMP-1) in Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk).

In non-government-controlled areas, on 30 July, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) at a compound near Vilkhivka and four IFVs (BMP variant) and three armoured personnel carriers (APC) (one BTR-70 and two MT-LB) in Bezimenne (30km east of Mariupol). The same UAV also spotted seven IFVs (four BMP-2 and three BMP-1) and an APC (BTR-80) in Khreshchatytske (formerly Krasnoarmiiske, 86km south 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.

On 27 July, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted two recent craters (not visible in imagery from 19 July 2018) assessed as caused by 120mm mortar rounds (unable to assess the direction of fire), about 400m south of the south-eastern edge of Holmivskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km north-east of Donetsk).

The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS, including through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire. Positioned in areas near the DFS, the SMM heard ceasefire violations, despite explicit security guarantees (see the table below).

The SMM also continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance works to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne, the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), a water pipeline between Zolote-3/Stakhanovets (government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk) and Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk) and a water channel in Stanytsia Luhanska.

The SMM visited a border area outside of government control. While at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk) for about ten minutes, the SMM saw seven cars (four with Ukrainian and two with Russian Federation licence plates, and one with “LPR” plates), four covered cargo trucks (all with Ukrainian licence plates) and three buses (all with Ukrainian licence plates) in a queue to exit Ukraine. After ten minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of the 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 (see below). 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:

• Three men in militarystyle clothing (one armed) in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region denied the SMM access to a heavy weapons holding area, citing the need for “permission” from a senior member of the armed formations.
• At a checkpoint 800m north of Zaichenko (nongovernment-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), two armed members of the armed formations again stopped the SMM and denied it passage westward to Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol) and southward to Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol), citing “security reasons”. (See SMM Daily Report 31 July 2018.)
• At a checkpoint at the western entrance of Siedove, near the border with the Russian Federation, two armed members of the armed formations stopped the SMM and denied it access into the village, citing “security reasons”. The SMM saw civilian cars passing through the checkpoint.
• At the eastern entrance of Shevchenko (non-government-controlled, 69km south of Donetsk), three members of the armed formations (one armed) prevented the SMM from proceeding west towards Mykolaivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Mariupol), saying that they had “no orders” from their superior to allow the Mission access to either of the villages.
• At a border crossing point near Dovzhanske, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.

Regular restrictions 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 demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.[4]
• 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 that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC. [4]
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A member of the armed formations 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.
• At a checkpoint of the armed formations on the southern side of the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations told the SMM that mines had not been cleared on the road leading north toward Shchastia. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.

[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] Due to presence of mines, including those on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remained limited; thus, the review of the camera footage may take place days later.

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

[4] 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.