Latest from the Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine - based on information received up until 7 May 2014, 19:00 (Kyiv time)
The situation in Kharkiv was calm. In Luhansk tensions remained. The Regional Prosecutor’s Office was re-occupied and remains so. The Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) observed six men in black body armour and unmarked military gear carrying assault rifles, stationed at the entrance of the office.
SMM observed about 400 to 500 people in front of the Regional Police building. About 200 mainly middle-aged men and women were close to the front of the building in the road, while the rest were spread around the square in small groups as passive onlookers. Two small groups of men aged 25 to 35 in old mixed pattern military battledress carrying military trenching tools (small folding spades) were at the side of the square and not associating with the crowd. No sign of violence was noted.
The overall situation in Donetsk remained tense. At the state security service (SBU) building SMM saw that the entrance was unmanned with a barricade of empty ammunition boxes in front of it. SMM observed that the Regional Prosecutor’s Office building was still under the control of self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” activists. Two masked men in camouflage stood at the entrance. The main entrance to the building was fortified with sandbags. No unusual activity at the nearby City Police Station was noted by SMM.
At the Regional Administration Building in Donetsk SMM observed three groups each comprised of four men who were in camouflage outfits and masks, carrying AK-47 rifles. They wore badges marked “Rayon 1” and “Rayon 2” alongside a crowd of about 100 people. At 13:00 a miners’ demonstration made its way to the Regional Administration building where some 250 to 300 miners then gathered. One was carrying a banner with “Makiyivka” written on it.
SMM went to see the situation at the Military Academy following reports of an attempt by the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” forces to take over the premises on 6 May. SMM observed “Donetsk People’s Republic” and “People’s Militia of Donbas” flags outside one of the buildings. Sandbags were observed inside the building, but no barricades were observed outside the buildings. The main entrance to the barracks displayed a Ukrainian flag. Behind the gate SMM observed a group of five men with black uniforms and berets. SMM could not confirm whether the building was occupied.
At the TV transmission centre SMM observed no change: the armoured personnel carrier (APC) remained in front of the building, and several armed guards were observed. SMM passed by the City and Regional police station which remained fortified.
On the way to Debaltseve (72 km south of Donetsk) SMM observed roadblocks established by separatists in “Yasynuvatsky Rayon” at “Chervonyi Partyzan”. After Panteleimonivka a barricaded roadblock with “Donetsk People’s Republic” signs at a railroad junction was noted by SMM. There was a roadblock near Channel Sievierodonetsk Donbas. On the exit from Yenakieve east towards Debaltseve, the team passed a roadblock with civilians carrying metal and wooden sticks. At the exit from Vuhleghrsk (72 km north of Donetsk), a road observation post with three civilians and two individuals in camouflage were observed. SMM left Donetsk for Mariupol and Novoazovsk. SMM observed no new block posts in addition to the already existing ones on the road.
In Volnovakha (60 km south of Donetsk) there were only traffic police officers, whereas at the northern entrance into Mariupol, SMM observed additional military personnel and APCs (BMP-2) fully equipped with soldiers, one on each side of the post. While transiting Mariupol, at the eastern exit of the city, SMM observed a similar post to the one at the northern entrance of the city, also equipped with two BMP-2s with soldiers. Traffic police and Special Force Personnel were also present at the checkpoint. While continuing to the eastern border, on the northern outskirts of Novoazovsk, SMM observed another checkpoint with only five traffic police officers present.
In Dnepropetrovsk the situation was assessed as calm.
In Kherson the situation remained calm. SMM was told by representatives of the Special Black Sea Regional Administration of the Border Guard Service of Ukraine that the security situation in Kherson was stable for the moment, but that it was unpredictable.
In Odessa the situation remained tense. SMM observed that concerns about the security situation have increased not only in Odessa but also in the towns outside, particularly in the south-west of the region, around the towns of Bilhorod-Dnistrovsky (85 km southeast of Odessa), Izmail (250 km southeast of Odessa) and Reni (310 km southeast).
The situation in Ovidiopol (40 km south of Odessa) and Ilyichevsk (30 km south of Odessa) appears calm but there are also signs of increased concern there. The checkpoint at Ovidiopol may now be the only checkpoint close to the town of Odessa which is still active.
In Chernivtsi the situation remained calm.
The situation in Ivano-Frankivsk remains calm. SMM observed in Kolomyia (62 km south of Ivano-Frankivsk) a barricade of sandbags next to the building hosting the self-defence group and some piles of tires in the vicinity of the district administration building. SMM assessed the general situation in Kolomyia as calm. In Kalush (35 km west of Ivano-Frankivsk) SMM saw no gathering of “Self-Defence” or “Right Sector” groups. All administrative buildings were freely accessible.
In Lviv nothing unusual has been reported.
In Kyiv the situation remained calm. SMM checked four roadblocks on Brest-Lytovske Shose, Hostomelskoe- Minsk Shose, Dnipropetrovske Shose, Prospect Bazhana and Odeske Shosse. SMM noticed that most positions were guarded by members of “Samooborona” groups, Ukrainian traffic police and Ukrainian Special Police Forces.