Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 19:30 (Kyiv time), 18 August 2015

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The SMM observed a decrease in ceasefire violations at and around Donetsk airport and a tense situation east of Mariupol. In the Luhansk region the SMM observed sporadic ceasefire violations and conducted crater analysis in several locations. The SMM observed long lines of civilian vehicles queuing to cross the line of contact in both directions.

The number of ceasefire violations observed at and around the destroyed “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled airport (9km north-west of Donetsk) decreased in comparison with the previous day. Between 09:00 and 12:59hrs, from its position at the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) observation point at “DPR”-controlled Donetsk railway station (8km north-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM observed 94 explosions – both incoming and outgoing – mostly at 10-11km south of its position. Between 15:34 and 17:13hrs, the SMM observed five explosions - one incoming and four undetermined - 3-8km north, west, north-west and north-north-west of its position[1].

The SMM followed up on information about casualties of shelling that had occurred during the night of 16 August around the government-controlled area of Sartana (15km north-east of Mariupol). In addition to two civilians that had been killed in the shelling (see SMM Daily, 18 August), the SMM was informed by the head of the village council and his deputy that a third seriously injured woman died at the hospital in the morning. The information was subsequently corroborated by neighbours of the casualty. Whilst there, the SMM observed that workers continued repairing the electricity lines.                                          

The situation around the Mariupol area was tense. The SMM noted an increased military presence of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Sopyne (government-controlled, 16km east of Mariupol). The SMM observed parked military trucks and soldiers with shovels who started digging new mortar positions on the side of the road, at a location that in the past was marked with a mines sign. While in Sopyne at 13:00hrs, the SMM heard several rounds of outgoing 120mm mortar fire 2km north of its position and immediately after saw two smoke clouds rising up above Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol). At 13:18hrs the SMM heard several incoming 120mm mortar rounds fired from an easterly direction which impacted 2km north of its position. Earlier, the SMM spoke to a group of three residents in Sopyne who said that the previous night, between 20:30 and 22:30hrs, they had heard several rounds of mortar and three bursts of small-arms fire.

At the Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint in Kurdiumivka (government-controlled, 54km north of Donetsk), the SMM observed 370 civilian vehicles waiting to enter the “DPR”-controlled area. 170 civilian vehicles were queuing in the opposite direction. The Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint commander told the SMM that between the 15th and 18th of every month a large number of vehicles cross the checkpoint, as many people travel to receive pensions.

At the Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint in Volnovakha (government-controlled, 53km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed 160 civilian vehicles waiting to cross into the “DPR”-controlled area. 302 civilian vehicles were queuing in the opposite direction. The SMM spoke to two female passengers who said that they had been waiting in line for around ten hours.

At the border crossing point at the Ukraine-Russian Federation state border near Novoazovsk (“DPR”-controlled, 40km east of Mariupol), the SMM observed 20 civilian vehicles waiting to cross into the Russian Federation, mostly with Ukrainian registration plates.

The head doctor at municipal hospital No. 5 in government-controlled Kostyantynivka (58km north of Donetsk) told the SMM the hospital currently provides on-going treatment to Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers, 90 hospitalised in May and June, and 114 in July and August.

The overall situation in Luhansk remained tense. The SMM recorded several ceasefire violations, the most serious of which occurred near government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), where at a “Lugansk People’s Republic” (“LPR”)-controlled checkpoint the SMM heard three incoming 82mm mortar rounds approximately 2.5km north-west of its position.

At an “LPR”-controlled checkpoint south of government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), the SMM met two female residents in their sixties, who had been affected by the shelling that had occurred the previous week during the night. One woman showed the SMM an impact on the exterior wall facing a northerly direction of her house. The SMM observed shell fragments on the ground assessing that shelling had been caused by an 82mm mortar. The other woman showed to the SMM a mortar shell that had partly exploded in her garden. The SMM observed a tail 82mm mortar in the ground and assessed that it had been fired from a northerly direction. The woman told the SMM that her shoulder had been injured by the shrapnel.

Near government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (18km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed two craters close to the “LPR”-controlled checkpoint, which it assessed to have been caused by an automatic grenade launcher (AGS 17) and a 120mm mortar round that had hit the railing of the bridge. Between the “LPR”-controlled and government-controlled checkpoints at each side of the bridge, the SMM observed eight unexploded ordnances (UXO) from 120mm mortars on the road and assessed that they had been fired from the south. The Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel at the checkpoint on the government-controlled side of the bridge told the SMM that the mortar shelling occurred on the night of 12 August between 22:00 and 03:00hrs. The SMM observed 11 UXO from a 120mm mortar around the checkpoint area and assessed that it had been fired from a southerly direction.

In “LPR”-controlled Zhovte (17km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM analysed four one meter wide craters and found on the soil remnants of tank munitions, concluding that tank shelling had caused them. Later, one male in his sixties corroborated the information adding that he saw an unspecified number of tanks in the government-controlled area close to the line of contact by the river on 16 August.

The deputy head of the civil-military administration in government-controlled Novotoshkivske (53km north-west of Luhansk) told the SMM that his administration was planning to open on 24 August a “humanitarian logistic centre” in the nearby area of checkpoint 29 located at the contact line, which would allow people on both sides of the contact line to access banking services and buy food and medicine.

The SMM revisited four “DPR” and two Ukrainian Armed Forces heavy weapons holding areas, whose locations comply with the respective withdrawal lines. At one Ukrainian Armed Forces holding area, the SMM observed that all weapons previously recorded were present. At the other, the Ukrainian personnel allowed the SMM to enter and see weapons only from a distance, and not to verify serial numbers*.  One “DPR” holding area was abandoned. At the second one, the SMM observed that all previously recorded weapons were present. At the third holding area, the SMM found that five previously recorded 120mm mortars were missing. “DPR” members at one area denied the SMM access*.

The SMM observed the following heavy weapons in areas that are in violation of respective withdrawal lines. In a government-controlled area the SMM observed one stationary main battle tank (MBT) (T64). The SMM – through the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) – spotted in “DPR”-controlled areas four MBTs in Michurine (54km east of Mariupol) and two towed heavy artillery pieces in Zaichenko (26km north-east of Mariupol).

In Lviv two representatives of the West Ukraine Office of the Military Prosecutor told the SMM that in the whole region 15 criminal investigations were initiated against 13 heads of village councils and two managers of private companies suspected of hindering the activity of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in a special period (art. 114-1 of the Criminal Code). According to the interlocutors, local authorities are responsible for enabling the military enlistment centres to deliver notifications to draftees at their address of residence. The interlocutors added that 500 cases were initiated this year for evasion of military service in the “Anti-Terrorism Operation” among mobilized servicemen (art. 407 to 409 of the Criminal Code).

The SMM observed the continuation of a peaceful protest in Babiche (60km north-east of Lviv), reported the previous day (see SMM Daily Report, 18 August). Approximately 30 people, mainly middle-aged men, were blocking the main Lviv-Luck road voicing their concerns about poor road conditions. The protest was overseen by four police officers. When the SMM departed around 15:00hrs the protest was still ongoing. The head of district administration responsible for Babiche village told the SMM that the local population is desperate and will continue the blockade until negotiations about the road repair works start.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Kharkiv, Dnepropetrovsk, Odessa, Kherson, Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk and Kyiv.

*Restrictions on SMM monitoring, access and freedom of movement:

The SMM is restrained in fulfilling its monitoring functions by restrictions imposed by the parties and security considerations, including mine threats, and damaged infrastructure. The security situation in Donbas is fluid and unpredictable and the ceasefire does not hold everywhere. Self-imposed restrictions on movement into high-risk areas have impinged on SMM patrolling activities, particularly in areas not controlled by the government. Members of the “LPR” continue to prevent the SMM from monitoring most areas close to the border with the Russian Federation.

Delayed access:

• At an entrance to “LPR”-controlled Kalynove (58km south-west of Luhansk), two “LPR” members, who did not want the SMM to approach their positions, were initially hostile, claiming that the SMM were spies. They asked that the SMM obtain prior clearance from the local “commander”. They also said that there were diversionary groups in the area and the SMM’s safety was at risk. The SMM spoke with the local “commander” over the phone and after 15 minutes was allowed to enter the town.
• At a government-controlled checkpoint in Yevsuh (71km north of Luhansk), the Ukrainian military personnel manning the checkpoint waved at the SMM to proceed, but indicating that only one car could proceed. However, the second SMM vehicle did not notice this sign and also proceeded. At this point, Ukrainian military personnel shot one round in the air.  When asked by the SMM, he explained that he shot because the rule is to have cars approaching one by one.  He then asked the SMM to show them the trunk of the car, but after the SMM explained its mandate, he did not inspect it.

Conditional access:

• The SMM was stopped by the “LPR” members at a checkpoint close to government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (18km north-east of Luhansk) who required an escort for the SMM. After waiting approximately 40 minutes “military police” arrived and escorted the SMM to the “LPR” checkpoint near Stanytsia Luhanska.

Denied access:

• Outside the residence of SMM monitors in Donetsk city, the SMM was stopped by “DPR” members while departing for the patrol and advised not to leave the facility due to an unspecified security risk.  After consultation with the SMM staff, the SMM were allowed to proceed.
• “DPR” members at one “DPR” heavy weapons holding area denied the SMM access at the entrance.
• At one Ukrainian Armed Forces heavy weapons holding area, the Ukrainian personnel allowed the SMM to enter and see weapons only from a distance, and not to verify serial numbers.

-        East of government-controlled Bohdanivka (42km south of Donetsk), a Ukrainian Armed Forces jeep blocked the road and the soldiers told the SMM that it was dangerous to go further and asked the team to head back.

• On the road leading to government-controlled Berdianske (18km east of Mariupol), the SMM was stopped by Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers and not let through.

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations observed, please see the annexed table.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions on SMM access and freedom of movement” for further information.