Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 16 September 2015

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 recorded few ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM revisited Ukrainian Armed Forces and “DPR” heavy weapons holding areas and found weapons missing. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a protest of journalists.

The SMM observed a relatively calm situation in the Donetsk region with some ceasefire violations recorded in the area of the Donetsk airport and Debaltseve. At the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) observation point at “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled Donetsk railway station (8km north-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM heard 12 explosions 3-7km north-east and saw one explosion 3-5km north of its position. The SMM also heard heavy machine gun and pistol fire at locations at 3-10km south and north-east of its position at the observation post.

In “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (56km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard six undetermined explosions 3-4km north-west of its position in the town’s centre. According to the Russian Federation Armed Forces JCCC officer, the sounds of explosions were coming from a shooting range. The SMM was unable to verify this claim.

While in “DPR”-controlled Oleksandrivka (20km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard three single small-arms shots; approximately 300m north of its position (in front of the school in Marinskyi district), close to the line of contact.

In Oleksandrivka the SMM visited the school in Marinskyi district, located on the contact line and exposed to repeated shelling (last shelled on 27 August). According to the school director there were 194 pupils (six to 16 years old) attending the school and living near the contact line. The majority of the windows were covered in plastic sheeting and the gym was heavily damaged. The director said the curriculum in the school was being delivered in both Ukrainian and Russian languages.

The “chief” of Debaltseve “police” told the SMM that ongoing demining activities conducted by “DPR” “ministry of emergency services” and “DPR” engineers within the city were not completed, but that unexploded ordnance were clearly marked with warning signs.

In government-controlled Berezove (35km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM followed up on reports that two middle-aged women had been injured by an explosive device on the side of the highway near a checkpoint on 15 September. The deputy head doctor of the hospital in Volnovakha confirmed that two females had been treated for minor shrapnel-related injuries that day. The doctor added that there had been ten cases of injuries from explosive devices in the last three months.

At the weekly civil-military co-ordination meeting in government-controlled Artemivsk (66km north-east of Donetsk) the senior engineer of the Agricultural Unit in government-controlled Bakhmutske (75km north-east of Donetsk) raised the urgent need to demine agricultural fields in the areas neither under government nor under “DPR” or “LPR” control. The engineer explained that out of 2,500 hectares of agricultural land, only 1,500 are currently cultivated. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer stated that the two demining teams in the area were both engaged elsewhere. He also cautioned that demining in areas where control is disputed was difficult as it required co-ordination between the sides controlling adjacent areas.

In the Luhansk region, the SMM observed a relatively calm situation with two ceasefire violations recorded. While between government-controlled Nyzhnie (56km north-west of Luhansk) and Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint 3km east of government controlled Novotoshkivske (52km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard four explosions approximately 10km north-east of its position.

In government-controlled Muratove (50km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM heard one to two hundred bursts of small-arms and light-machine-gun fire south-east of its position, in the vicinity of the government-controlled village of Orikhove-Donetske (44km north-west of Luhansk). The firing lasted for approximately five minutes.

The SMM monitored the repairs of the electric station in "LPR"-controlled Raivka (16km north-west of Luhansk), carried out by the Luganskvoda company. Due to damage from shelling on 27 August the company had to replace a pylon supporting the transformer of the station. The SMM also observed the repair works to the electricity lines in "LPR"-controlled Vesela Hora (16km north of Luhansk) carried out by Luhansk Electricity Network.

The SMM revisited two “DPR” heavy weapons holding areas whose locations corresponded with respective withdrawal lines. At the first site all previously recorded weapons were present. At the second site two howitzers (152mm, 2A65 MSTA-B) were missing.

The SMM also revisited two Ukrainian Armed Forces heavy weapons holding areas whose locations corresponded with respective withdrawal lines. At the first site ten anti-tank guns (nine 100mm, 2A29 MT-12 Rapira, and one 100mm, 2A19 T-12) were missing. At the second site all previously recorded weapons were present. The SMM also recorded additional weapons at this site.

The SMM observed the following weapons’ movements in areas that are in violation of respective withdrawal lines. In the area of government-controlled Novotoshkivske (53km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed three infantry fighting vehicles (BMP-2). One of them was equipped with an anti-tank guided missile (9K111 Fagot).

In Kharkiv, the SMM attended a conference on “Ways of achieving peace through religious practices in the Ukrainian context”. Representatives of the Roman and the Greek Catholic Churches, the Ukrainian Muslim Association (UMMA), the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church and the German Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ukraine participated. The role played by religious communities in providing assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) was also discussed.

In Odessa the SMM visited two Roma tent campsites at Kulykove Pole. One group (six women, six men and one child) told the SMM they were from the Mykolaiv region and in Odessa family reasons after which they plan to return home. Another group consisted of 12 women, four men and two children. They informed the SMM that they were from Sloviansk in the Donetsk region, but had arrived to Odessa from Kyiv. Their intent was to return to Kyiv, as they consider it better in terms of support from local authorities.

In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a gathering of approximately 150 journalists (various ages, both male and female) commemorating the 15th anniversary of the murder of Heorhii Gongadze. The journalists demanded that cases of attacks and intimidation of journalists be effectively investigated. They pointed out that of 36 cases of assaults on journalists in 2015 only three cases were submitted to courts. 

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

*Restrictions to SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to the fulfilment of its mandate:

The SMM is restrained in fulfilling its monitoring functions by restrictions imposed by the parties and security considerations, including the presence – and lack of information on the whereabouts – of mines, 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 a checkpoint on Leninskyi Avenue/H15 near “DPR”-controlled Shyrokyi (6.6km south-west of Donetsk city centre), an armed “DPR” “police officer” stopped and told the SMM to wait until he got “permission” for the SMM’s passage from his superior. After 30 minutes the SMM was allowed to pass.

Conditional access:

• In “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (56km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM were not allowed to move without escort. It was escorted by the Russian Federation Armed Forces JCCC officer.