Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 3 February 2019

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 1 and 2 February, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region.
• Compared with the previous 24 hours, between the evenings of 2 and 3 February, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM observed fresh damage from small-arms fire to a school and a house in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka.
• The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region.
• The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside and near the Zolote disengagement area, as well as near the Petrivske disengagement area.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk region.
• The Mission continued to observe long queues of civilians waiting to travel to government-controlled areas at checkpoints in Kreminets and near Olenivka.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas as well as near Zaichenko and Bezimenne and in Voznesenivka, close to the border with the Russian Federation and as well as at a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 1 and 2 February, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 50 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 25 explosions). The majority of explosions were recorded in areas south and south-south-west of the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk), near Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk) and south-east of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk).

Between the evenings of 2 and 3 February, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 65 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas west and north of Yasynuvata and south-south-west and south-west of Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 1 and 2 February, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations (no explosions), compared with the previous reporting period (one explosion). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded inside the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) (see the disengagement areas section below).

Between the evenings of 2 and 3 February, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 60 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The majority of ceasefire violations and explosions were recorded in areas west of Kalynove-Borshchuvate (non-government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk).

Fresh damage from small-arms fire to a school and a house adjacent to a kindergarten

The SMM observed fresh damage to the three-storey building of a functioning school in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk) (for previous observations of damage to the same school, see SMM Daily Report 8 January 2019). At Myru Street, on the ground floor of the building, the Mission saw that the outer pane of a west-facing double-paned window was broken and that its inner pane was scratched. On the first floor, the SMM observed two corresponding holes in a west-facing double-glazed window (one in the outer pane and one in the inner pane) and a corresponding hole in an inner wall opposite the window. On the second floor, the SMM saw that the upper left corner of a west-facing double-glazed window was broken. On the same floor, 5m from the abovementioned window, it observed that the lower left corner of another west-facing double-glazed window was broken and saw a corresponding hole in the inner wall opposite the window. The SMM assessed the damage as caused by small-arms fire. Two school staff members told the SMM that the incident occurred in the early morning hours of 2 February and that no pupils had been present at the time.

At 2 Myru Street, about 150m north-west of the above-mentioned school building, the SMM observed fresh damage to a one-storey house (which is also located 30m from the building of a kindergarten under renovation). The SMM saw two corresponding holes in a north-facing double-glazed window (one in the outer pane and one in the inner pane), assessed as caused by a bullet (probably 7.62mm in caliber). A man, (55 years old) told the SMM that he was the kindergarten’s guard and that on the evening of 31 January, while he had been sitting inside the house, he had heard the sound of a bullet flying over his head and hitting the house.

Disengagement areas[2]

On the evening of 1 February, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded five projectiles in flight at an assessed range of 1.5-3km south-east (assessed as inside the disengagement area), as well as two projectiles at an assessed range of 0.8-1.2km east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

During the day on 2 February, positioned inside the disengagement areas near Zolote and near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk) as well as near the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM observed calm situations.[3]

On the morning of 3 February, positioned on the southern edge of the disengagement area near Zolote for 15 minutes, the SMM heard 11 undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 6-8km west, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On the same morning, positioned about 3km north of Petrivske for about one hour, the SMM heard nine shots of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 2-3km south-south-west, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

During the day on 3 February, positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM observed a calm situation.

Withdrawal of weapons

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

Non-government-controlled areas

1 February

An SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted:

• two self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and four towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) near Bile (22km west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites:

Non-government-controlled areas

1 February

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• four probable self-propelled howitzers (2S1), 12 probable towed howitzers (D-30) and six probable anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) in a training area near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk);
• 21 tanks (11 T-64 and ten T-72) in a training area near Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk); and
• 29 tanks (ten T-72 and 19 T-64) near Bile.

Weapons storage sites:

At permanent storage sites beyond the respective withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region:

2 February

The SMM saw that:

• 23 tanks (nine T-64 and 14 T-72), nine mortars (2B14 Podnos, 82mm) and 15 anti-tank guns (MT-12) were again missing.

Indications of military-type presence in the security zone[4]

Non-government-controlled areas

2 February

The SMM saw:

• an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) near Vuhlehirsk (49km north-east of Donetsk);
• an APC (BTR variant) in Holubivka (formerly Kirovsk, 51km west of Luhansk); and
• an APC (BTR variant) in Holubivske (51km west of Luhansk).

3 February

The SMM saw:

• a mobile jamming communication system assessed as R-330ZH “ZHITEL” entering a compound in Luhansk city.

SMM facilitation of repair works to civilian infrastructure

On 2 and 3 February, the SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate the operation of the pumping station in Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Donetsk) and the DFS.

SMM facilitation of safe departure of civilians who reportedly came under fire in Chermalyk

On 2 February, following reports that three cemetery workers had come under fire at a cemetery in Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to allow them to leave the area.

Long queues of civilians at checkpoints

On the morning of 3 February, at a checkpoint on highway H-15 near the Kargil plant in Kreminets (non-government-controlled, 16km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw a 500m-long queue of cars waiting to travel to government-controlled areas. Four people separately told the SMM that they had been waiting for hours and that the queue was moving very slowly. After about one hour, the SMM saw that the queue had only moved forward by 15m. On the same day, at a checkpoint near Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw a 700m-long queue of cars waiting to travel to government-controlled areas.

Border areas outside of government control

On 2 February, while at a border crossing point in Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) for about one hour, the SMM saw 35 cars (six with Ukrainian, 13 with Russian Federation and one with Lithuanian licence plates, and 15 with “DPR” plates), two buses (one with Russian Federation licence plates and one with “DPR” plates) and 21 covered cargo trucks (16 with Ukrainian and three with Russian Federation licence plates, and two with “DPR” plates) exiting Ukraine, as well as 12 cars (four with Ukrainian and two with Russian Federation licence plates, and six with “DPR” plates) and six covered cargo trucks (three with Ukrainian licence plates and three with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

On 3 February, while at a border crossing point in Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed 15 trucks (eight with Ukrainian licence plates and seven with “LPR” plates), 16 cars (ten with Ukrainian licence plates and six with “LPR” plates) and around 60 pedestrians queuing to exit Ukraine. After five minutes, a member of the armed formations told the Mission to leave the area.*

On the same day, while at the Chervona Mohyla railway station in Voznesenivka, the Mission observed more than 40 cargo rail cars (whose content could not be assessed). After five minutes, a member of the armed formations told the Mission to leave the area.*

On the same day, while at a border crossing point near Ulianivske (61km south-east of Donetsk) for about 25 minutes, the SMM observed a man on a bicycle entering Ukraine.

Also on 3 February, while at a border crossing point in Uspenka for about one hour and a half, the SMM saw ten cars, six trucks, two buses and two minivans exiting Ukraine, as well as 18 cars (four with Ukrainian and four with Russian Federation licence plates and ten with “DPR” plates), three buses (one with Ukrainian, one with Russian Federation licence plates and one with “DPR” plates), one minivan (with Ukrainian licence plates) entering Ukraine.

The Mission continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, 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 (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:

• On 2 February, a member of the armed formations denied the SMM entry to a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region.
• On 3 February, at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.
• On 3 February, at the Chervona Mohyla railway station in Voznesenivka, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.
• On 3 February, two armed members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage through a checkpoint north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), preventing the Mission from travelling west towards Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol). The Mission saw a civilian car travelling through the checkpoint in the direction of Pikuzy.
• On 3 February, at a checkpoint 2.5km west of Bezimenne (non-government-controlled, 30km east of Mariupol), two members of the armed formations (one of them armed) again denied the SMM passage west, citing “orders from their superior”.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.

Delay:

• On 2 February, at a checkpoint on the north-western edge of Yasynuvata, an armed member of the armed formations denied the SMM passage, citing the need for prior permission from his superiors. After about 45 minutes of waiting at the checkpoint, following an intervention by senior members of the armed formations, the Mission was allowed to proceed. (See SMM Daily Report 23 January 2019).

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, winter weather conditions limited the observation capabilities of some of the SMM cameras.

[2] Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] Due to the presence of mines, including on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remains limited, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.

[4] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.