Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 14 August 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 SMM followed up on reports of an injured girl in Katerynivka. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas, in Oleksandrivske and again near Zaichenko, Bezimenne, and Novoazovsk, near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to critical water infrastructure near Artema, Obozne, Novotoshkivske and Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, as well as near Stanytsia Luhanska.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1], including about 100 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 200 explosions).

During the evening and night of 13-14 August, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded about 30 undetermined explosions, about 170 projectiles in flight and two muzzle flashes, all 0.5-5km in directions ranging from south to south-west.

During the evening of 13 August, the SMM camera in Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) recorded 14 undetermined explosions, two muzzle flashes and 13 projectiles in flight, all 2-4km in directions ranging from east-south-east to south-east.

On 14 August, positioned about 1km north-west of the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions and about 25 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-6km in directions ranging from south-south-west to north-west.

During the evening of 13 August, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded 30 explosions (27 airbursts and three undetermined), about 80 projectiles in flight, two bursts and nine illumination flares, all 2-4km in directions ranging from north-east to east-south-east.

On the evening of 13 August, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard three undetermined explosions, heard and saw about four bursts and saw 90 bursts, all of anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) fire, all 4-7km in directions ranging from west to north-north-west.

On the evening of 13 August, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard an undetermined explosion and about 150 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 4-5km south-east.

During the evening and night of 13-14 August, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) recorded 11 undetermined explosions, about 90 projectiles in flight, two muzzle flashes and an illumination flare, all 2-5km in directions ranging from north-north-east to south.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 70 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 470 explosions).

Positioned on the north-western edge of Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, non-government-controlled, 44km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 55 undetermined explosions and 200 shots of small-arms fire, all 2.5-6km north.

The SMM followed up on reports of an injured girl. On 10 August, at the Children’s Regional Hospital in Lysychansk (government-controlled, 75km west of Luhansk), the SMM spoke with a girl (16-17 years old) with burns, cuts and scratches on the left side of her face, as well as bandages on her left arm and left leg. She told the SMM that on 8 August she had been in a car near Katerynivka (government-controlled, 64km north-west of Luhansk) when it had been hit by a projectile. Doctors told the SMM that she had blast and shrapnel-related injuries and that she had been admitted on the evening of 8 August. On 11 August, an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted two burned vehicles (a station wagon and a small truck) on a dirt road about 1.5km north-east of Katerynivka and burned grass nearby. Near the vehicles, the SMM mini-UAV spotted a 2.5m tall cross and bouquets of flowers at the base of the cross. The SMM could not determine the cause of the vehicles burning.

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.*

Positioned in the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote disengagement areas, the SMM observed calm situations. Positioned in Bohdanivka (government-controlled, 41km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed a calm situation in the nearby Petrivske disengagement area.

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 government-controlled areas, on 6 August, an SMM mini- UAV spotted three probable self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Vidrodzhennia (66km north-east of Donetsk) (see SMM Daily Report 3 August 2018.) On 14 August, the SMM observed ten self-propelled howitzers (2S1) at the railway station in Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk) as well as a truck transporting a towed howitzer (D-20, 152mm) moving north-west near Kostiantynivka.

In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, on 13 August, an SMM long-range UAV again spotted six multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) at a compound east of Khrustalnyi (formerly Krasnyi Luch, 56km south-west of Luhansk)) and eight MLRS (BM-21) in a compound in the centre of Khrustalnyi,  as well as seven MLRS (BM-21) south of Sadovyi (57km south-west of Luhansk) and four self-propelled howitzers (2S1) south-east of Ternove (57km east of Donetsk). (For previous observations see SMM Daily Report 1 August 2018 and SMM Daily Report 13 August 2018.) The same day, an SMM mini-UAV spotted a probable MLRS (BM-21) south of Bohdanivka (44km west of Luhansk). On 14 August, an SMM mini-UAV spotted three probable towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) near Novohryhorivka (33km west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, on 13 August, an SMM mini-UAV spotted eight MLRS (BM-21) west of Peredove (68km south-west of Donetsk). On 14 August, the SMM observed a tank (T-64) south-west of Kurakhove (40km west of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas, on 13 August, an SMM long-range UAV spotted 18 towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) in one compound and a tank (T-64) in a separate compound – both east of Khrustalnyi – an anti-tank gun (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) near Rovenky (54km south of Luhansk), ten self-propelled howitzers (2S1), 12 towed howitzers (D-30), three surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10) and 11 tanks (T-64) south of Sadovyi; 16 tanks (type undetermined) in Manuilivka (65km east of Donetsk) and 34 tanks (type undetermined) south-east of Ternove. On 14 August, the SMM observed two tanks (T-64) on flatbed trailers traveling south-west of Nahirne (44km south of Luhansk).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft gun[3] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 13 August, an SMM long-range UAV spotted two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-2) north of Shumy (41km north of Donetsk), and an SMM mini-UAV spotted an IFV (BMP-1) near Orikhove (26km north-east of Donetsk). On 13 August, the SMM observed a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (ZSU-23-4 Shilka) and an armoured personnel carrier (MT-LB) near Sopyne (16km east of Mariupol).

In non-government-controlled areas, on 13 August, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted a probable IFV (BMP-1) near Bila Kamianka (51km south 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 table below).

The SMM also continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance works to water systems near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), Obozne (non-government-controlled, 18km north of Luhansk), Novotoshkivske (government-controlled, 53km west of Luhansk) and Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk), as well as to a water channel junction near Stanytsia Luhanska.

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 Coordination (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 (for example, 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:

• At a checkpoint 800m north of Zaichenko (non-government-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).
• At a checkpoint 2.5km west of Bezimenne (non-government-controlled, 30km east of Mariupol), three armed members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage.
• At a border crossing point near Novoazovsk, two armed members of the armed formations again told the SMM they could not proceed, citing an “ongoing operation in the area”.
• A member of the armed formations stopped the SMM south-east of Oleksandrivske (formerly Rozy Liuksemburgh, non-government-controlled, 90km south-east of Donetsk) and said it could not proceed due to an “ongoing exercise”.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                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 he had no information about demining activities in the disengagement area. 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 by telephone that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.5
• 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.

[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 remains 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.