Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 18:00 (Kyiv time), 11 February 2015

The SMM continued to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum and the work of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). The SMM continued observing widespread and recurrent shelling in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. In Dnepropetrovsk the OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier started an official two-day visit to Ukraine. 

In Donetsk, on 11 February from 10:00 to 11:30hrs, the SMM observed the aftermath of a shelling incident in the morning of 11 February at the central bus station and a metal works factory located in Leninskyi district (“Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled). At the bus station the SMM saw two burnt-out buses, one of them struck by an artillery shell. The SMM could not determine the precise type of artillery shell or the direction of fire. At the metal works factory, the SMM observed three shelling impacts around the factory. Based on its observations and crater analysis, the SMM assessed that the impacts were caused by mortar shells fired from the north-west.  Staff at the Donetsk Central Hospital later confirmed to the SMM that the shelling at the two sites had caused four civilian casualties and injured three.

On 11 February the SMM followed-up on the shelling which hit Kramatorsk (government-controlled, 80km north of Donetsk) – see Spot report by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM): Shelling in Kramatorsk, 10 February 2015. The SMM conducted crater and impact analysis and assessed the angle of the fall of rocket remnants at two different sites: behind an apartment building at No.42 Lenin Street (on its south-eastern side) and in front of a building at No.37 Kramatorsk Boulevard (on its south-eastern side). The SMM confirmed the rocket remnants were from 300mm ammunition. The strike was fired by one single launcher system - probably a BM-30 Smerch or Tornado Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS). The observation is consistent with the duration of the strike heard on 10 February. Based on the aforementioned analysis, the SMM assessed the shelling was coming from a south-south-easterly direction.

The SMM observed that all rockets were equipped with sub-munition dispenser canisters. The SMM examined the clusters and assessed that they were consistent with anti-tank and anti-personnel type of ammunition. The SMM subsequently contacted the head of Donetsk Regional Emergency Services. The interlocutor said that his team would remove all remnants and unexploded ordnance (UXOs) in Kramatorsk and map the locations of any sub-munitions resulting from the attack.

At their location in Kramatorsk near the city centre, the SMM heard at 08:03hrs and 12:45hrs the sound of four outgoing surface to air missiles fired from a south-eastern sector of Kramatorsk airport. The SMM could see the smoke trails left by the missiles. At 12:45hrs the SMM observed that a missile hit its target, which created a fireball and scattered debris in the sky above the airport. The SMM could not identify the targets of the missiles.

At the “DPR”-controlled Uspenka international border crossing point (74km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw approximately 100 private vehicles and three passenger busses lining up at the “DPR” checkpoint in order to cross the Ukrainian international border towards Russian Federation territory. The SMM headed to “DPR”-controlled Ulyanivske border crossing point (62km south-south-east of Donetsk) driving north to south on the T0519 road. “DPR” armed personnel stopped the SMM at a checkpoint on the T0519 road, preventing the SMM from continuing towards Ulyanivske. The “DPR” armed personnel did not provide an explanation.

In government-controlled Sloviansk (110km north of Donetsk), the SMM attended a meeting focusing on the recent increase of persons fleeing the fighting near the contact line, organised by the acting mayor of Sloviansk, social protection departments from other neighbouring cities, UNHCR and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The interlocutors expressed their frustration about the fact that no evacuation had been conducted since 8 February despite constant heavy shelling in the government-controlled Debaltseve area (55km north-east of Donetsk). They added that the Ukrainian Ministry of Emergencies had already allocated 20 buses to the local authorities in Sloviansk to support any future evacuation. They went on to say that the total number and condition of the remaining inhabitants in the areas around Debaltseve remain unclear and are currently being assessed by the local authorities and international NGOs and inter-governmental organisations. They underlined that the government-controlled districts in the Donetsk region cannot accommodate more evacuees as their administration’s resources and accommodation capacity are stretched to their limits.  

In government-controlled Myrne (60km south of Donetsk) – located 10km west of the contact line – the SMM spoke to representatives of the local administration and inhabitants who reported shelling which had hit the village on 5, 9 and 10 February. The SMM observed damage to local residential houses. While in Myrne, the SMM heard between 10:15 and 10:45hrs continuous distant artillery shelling, approximately 15km south of the SMM’s position. The SMM could not estimate the origin and direction of the shelling.

In government-controlled Bila Hora (78km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard from 10:15 to 11:15hrs continuous MLRS outgoing shelling. The SMM assessed that the shelling was coming from 10km east of Bila Hora but could not determine its direction.

In the southern outskirts of government-controlled Tsarivka (45km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard at 10:57hrs sporadic shelling and distant detonations south-west of Tsarivka. In the western outskirts of government-controlled Raihorodka (23km north of Luhansk), the SMM heard sporadic outgoing heavy artillery, explosions and fire arms bursts coming from a south-western direction. The SMM was unable to estimate the distance, origin and direction of the aforementioned shelling and shooting.

In government-controlled Borivske (96km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard between 10:01 and 10:15hrs eight outgoing MLRS salvos. The SMM assessed that the shelling occurred 10km south-east of the SMM’s position. In the western outskirts of government-controlled Kapitanove (72km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard at 14:00hrs heavy outgoing and incoming MLRS shelling six to eight kilometres south-east of its position. On both occasions, the SMM could not specify the direction of the fire.

At Izvaryne border crossing point (“Lugansk People’s Republic” (“LPR”)-controlled, 60km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed 70 private vehicles lined up to cross towards Russian Federation territory. The SMM spoke to male and female individuals sitting in some of the vehicles. Most of the interlocutors said that they were crossing to Russia for private, professional or medical reasons and intended to return to Ukraine.

In Dnepropetrovsk the OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier started an official two-day visit to Ukraine.

In Odessa the SMM followed-up on the bomb explosion which reportedly hit a hostel in central Odessa on 10 February. The SMM contacted a spokesperson from the regional headquarters of the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) who confirmed the explosion of 10 February around 23:00hrs. The interlocutor said that the explosion only caused property damage. The interlocutor added that the MIA had started a criminal investigation based on terrorist action related charges. The SMM visited the site of the explosion where Ukrainian police officers were still conducting their investigation. The SMM could observe the damage caused by the explosion inside and outside the hostel’s premises. The SMM spoke to two young men who said that they were inside the hostel during the explosion. The interlocutors confirmed that the explosion did not cause any casualties.

In Kyiv, on 10-11 February, the SMM followed-up on media reports indicating the deployment of concrete roadblocks around the city’s main access points. The SMM spotted concrete protective shooting posts at the four following positions: on the north-western flank of the city on M07 highway-1027 road junction, on the south-western flank on the M05 highway, on the southern flank on the M01 highway and on the north-eastern flank on the E 95 highway. All the aforementioned positions were staffed by Ukrainian traffic police officers.

The SMM also continued monitoring the situation in Kharkiv, Kherson, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi and Lviv.