Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 18:00 (Kyiv time), 4 November 2014
This report is for media and the general public.
The provisions of the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum as well as the activities of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination remained at the focus of SMM monitoring. In Donetsk and Luhansk the situation remained tense. In Donetsk the SMM heard shelling from the northern outskirts of the city.
The SMM visited the IDP (internally displaced person) transit centre in Lysychansk, controlled by Ukrainian forces (90km NW of Luhansk) and spoke with a group of IDPs, who said that since 1 November they only receive bread distributed by the Ukrainian Red Cross and no additional food is provided to them. Some of them said that they are now struggling to feed their families. According to one IDP interlocutor the district administration had advised him to find accommodation, as the government-paid transit centre is meant to be a temporary solution. By renting an apartment IDPs are eligible for state assistance, as foreseen by the recently passed Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 505 which anticipates monthly targeted support for basic living needs.
The SMM visited the district of Markivka, territory controlled by Ukrainian forces (150km N of Luhansk), located 14km west of the border between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. The head of the district administration informed the SMM that the situation at the border remains calm and no incidents were reported. The interlocutor said that currently there are 2,000 registered IDPs in the district with 340 school-aged children. According to the interlocutor’s estimation, there are approximately 5,000 unregistered IDPs living in the Markivka district. Around 120 IDPs have been employed, the majority in the agriculture industry and as school teachers.
The overall situation in the city of Donetsk and surrounding areas was tense. The SMM heard intermittent shelling in the northern outskirts of the city where the airport is located.
In Hrabove, controlled by the “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”), (80km E of Donetsk) the SMM accompanied the Dutch MH17 crash site recovery team to the aircraft crash location. The purpose of the team’s visit was to recover human remains. The SMM and the Dutch teams remained on site for approximately three hours. Periodic heavy shelling was heard to the NW at a distance of 15km.
In Stepnoe, in the Ukrainian-controlled Marynski district (30km SW of Donetsk), the SMM heard heavy incoming artillery shelling from the east at an unspecified distance. The SMM spoke to locals who said that, according to them, shelling occurred near the village of Taramchuk (7km NE of the village of Stepnoe). According to the local inhabitants, Ukrainian military units from the National Guard are stationed in the vicinity of that village.
In the vicinity of “DPR”-controlled Olenivka (30km S of Donetsk), the SMM heard the sound of multiple rounds and observed traces of anti-aircraft fire in the sky. Upon arrival in town, the SMM saw one BMP-2 and one Kraz truck fitted with anti-aerial 30mm automatic cannon, both with soldiers in position. In the southern outskirts of the town, the SMM observed a “DPR” checkpoint with around 10 members who were in combat mode, equipped with self-propelled anti-tank grenades AG-7 and light anti-tank weapons (LAWs).
In the vicinity of Hranitne, controlled by Ukrainian forces (57km S of Donetsk), the SMM heard unspecified artillery shelling at 15:00hrs from an eastern direction. In Hranitne the SMM monitored the distribution of humanitarian aid at a local school. The SMM found the process to be well organized. According to the Hranitne village representative, who was overseeing the aid distribution, local volunteers were also delivering assistance to pensioners.
In Debaltseve (73km NE of Donetsk) at 11:20hrs the SMM heard sounds of explosions at an unspecified distance and direction. The SMM spoke to the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) operations room which suggested that the explosions were the result of a BM-21 (Grad) attack hitting the area between Debaltseve and Chernukhyne where a Ukrainian supply convoy was located. No casualties or material damages were reported.
The situation in Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Kherson was calm.
In Odesa the SMM monitored the “Russian March” which was due to start at 16:00hrs at Cathedral Square and end at the statue of Catherine II. The “Russian March” was to take place on the Day of National Unity, celebrated in Russia with “Russian Marches”. At 15:45hrs about 25 “Svoboda” supporters hooded in balaclavas arrived at the square. They were vocal and chanted abusive slogans, but left after 30 minutes. At both ends of the square about 50 riot police officers were standing in rows. There were another 100 uniformed police officers in the area. The SMM observed three additional buses of riot police parked in one corner of the square. The SMM saw that there were over 100 Euromaidan activists and only a few people came to participate in the “Russian March” (the participants were mainly female and elderly).
The situation in Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk and Lviv was calm.
In Kyiv the SMM intended to observe the “Russian March” planned to commence at Independence Square and end at Sofiyivski Square. About 50-70 people, including a large number of journalists gathered on Independence Square when the SMM arrived at 12:00hrs. The gathering was mainly made up of young people and predominantly male participants. However, there was no indication that the “Russian March” would take place. The gathering was peaceful and no incidents were noted while the SMM was present. Approximately 10-15 uniformed police officers were present at Independence Square.