Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 11 October 2015

This report is for the media and general public.

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”, including the Addendum to the Package. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The SMM visited Ukrainian Armed Forces storage sites to verify weapons withdrawn as foreseen in the Addendum to the Package. The SMM revisited three Ukrainian Armed Forces and one “DPR” heavy weapons holding areas. The SMM followed up on a shelling incident in “DPR”-controlled Vesele.

On 10 October, the SMM noted a number of explosions at and around the “DPR”-controlled Donetsk airport (8km north-west of Donetsk). At 14:55hrs[1] at the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) observation post at the “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled Donetsk railway station (8km north-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM heard an explosion to the north, at least 3km away. The SMM could not ascertain the type of weapon or whether the fire was incoming or outgoing (see SMM Spot Report 10 October 2015). According to a Russian Federation representative to the JCCC and a “DPR” member there had been a shelling incident involving casualties in “DPR”-controlled Vesele (9km north-west of Donetsk city centre) close to Donetsk airport.

Following the shelling incident in “DPR”-controlled Vesele, the SMM went on 11 October to Kalinina hospital in Donetsk city and spoke to a “DPR” member. He said that one of the injured “DPR” members was in the intensive care unit and it was not possible to talk to him or the doctor in charge of his treatment. At the Donetsk morgue, the SMM was shown the body of a deceased man, approximately 20 years old. The SMM saw wounds in the head, chest and the left and right side of the groin. The SMM also saw the camouflage military-type clothing with “DPR” emblem and assessed that the holes within it were consistent with the hits sustained by the body.

On 11 October, based at the Donetsk central railway station, between 15:05 and 16:50hrs the SMM heard two explosions, 5-6km north-east of its positions. The SMM could not ascertain the type of weapon used or whether the fire was incoming or outgoing. Between 15:05 and 17:10hrs the SMM heard small-arms fire 3 to 6km north-west and north-east of its position.

At the border crossing between Ukraine and the Russian Federation in “DPR”-controlled Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw a total of 36 passenger vehicles, two buses and 45 trucks - all civilian - whose passengers were waiting to enter the Russian Federation. A middle-aged male pedestrian told the SMM that any quantities of raw food (e.g. milk, meat) were forbidden to carry across from the Russian Federation. According to a “DPR” member, no restrictions were imposed by their side. He said that approximately 100 to 120 people pass the border crossing point on a daily basis.

In Luhansk region, the situation was overall calm, although the SMM heard on 10 October between 12:20 and 12:40hrs, 12-13km north-west of “LPR”-controlled Illiriia (30km south-west of Luhansk), around 30 mortar explosions outgoing from what it assessed to be a training site.

On 11 October, the SMM heard in government-controlled Staryi Aidar (20km north-west of Luhansk) three explosions from a direction 6-7km south-east of its position. The SMM could not ascertain the type of weapon or whether the fire was incoming or outgoing.   

On 10 October, the SMM visited government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk). At the Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint at the bridge, a wire mesh barrier was erected to divide the road into two lanes for each direction of travel. The anti-tank mines that were previously in position had been removed.

On 10 October, near “LPR”-controlled Vesela Hora (16km north of Luhansk) the SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repair works by the Luhansk Electricity Company Network on power lines in order to supply the west and south-west of “LPR”-controlled area. The workers removed one pylon that had been destroyed by shelling and on 11 October the SMM saw a new pylon had been installed. According to the employees of the Electricity Company, further repair works are scheduled to continue for the next two weeks on the power lines which provide electricity to more than 80,000 people.

On 11 October, 5km south of “LPR”-controlled Krasnodon (43km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw a convoy of nine commercial trucks with Russian Federation civilian number plates. The convoy was accompanied by an “LPR” “police” vehicle.

The SMM revisited one “DPR” heavy weapons holding area, whose location corresponded with the respective withdrawal lines. The SMM was not allowed to check serial numbers on six weapons present.*

The SMM revisited three Ukrainian Armed Forces heavy weapons holding areas, whose locations corresponded with the respective withdrawal lines. At two holding areas, the SMM found all the weapons to be present. At a third holding area, the SMM observed one self-propelled howitzer (Akatsiya 152mm, 2S3) missing compared to its last visit on 2 October.

On 10 October the SMM monitored the withdrawal of Ukrainian Armed Forces artillery pieces of calibre less than 100mm to storage sites in accordance with the Addendum to the Package of measures. The serial numbers of these corresponded with those on the inventory list previously provided to the SMM.

In areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM observed the following: at a "LPR" training site in the area of Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk), ten MBTs (T-64). At a training site in the area of "LPR"-controlled Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk), 24 MBTs (T-64) were observed; in the area of government-controlled Novoaidar (49km north-west of Luhansk), six stationary MBTs (T-64 or T-72).

The SMM unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) continued to observe, in violation of respective withdrawal lines, presence of heavy weapons. On 10 October, in “DPR”-controlled areas it observed the following: in the area of Sontseve (60km north-east of Mariupol) 23 MBTs, in the area of Komsomolske (74km north-east of Mariupol) seven MBTs and other military equipment, in the area of Petrivske (77km north-east of Mariupol) three self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika) and in the area of Rozdolne (64km north-east of Mariupol) one self-propelled howitzer 2S1 (Gvozdika). On 11 October, the UAV spotted in government-controlled Pisky (12km north-west of Donetsk) two MBTs.

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM saw six to eight main battle tanks (MBT) on stationary trailer trucks, in the area of “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk).

On 10 October, the SMM spoke in Mykolaiv (58km north-west of Kherson) with the press secretary of the mayoral candidate of the Opposition Bloc, who said that two of their female activists had been attacked by unknown persons that day. She had no information on what the possible motive for the attack was. According to her, the activists had been beaten up. The duty officer at the district police department told the SMM that on 10 October a young female lodged a complaint with the police department concerning an alleged assault.

On 11 October, the SMM monitored the situation at Kalanchak and Chonhar crossing points (95 and 162km south-east of Kherson respectively) at the administrative boundary line with Crimea. The shift commander of the Ukrainian Border Guard at the crossing point in Kalanchak told the SMM that no incidents had been reported over the last 48hrs. The SMM observed the situation at the crossing point for 1.5hrs and did not observe any incidents.

On 10 October, the SMM followed up media reports about an explosion at the residence of a Member of Parliament, located in Odessa city. According to information published by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a hand grenade, which was thrown over the fence wall towards the residence, exploded at 21:25hrs on 9 October. Local police told the SMM that they have opened an investigation for “hooliganism” (art. 296.4 of the Criminal Code) and according to them no one was injured. The SMM was denied access to the building by a private security guard.

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

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

The SMM is restrained in fulfilling its monitoring functions by restrictions imposed by the parties and security considerations, including mine threats, damaged infrastructure, and the unpredictability of the situation in Donbas. Armed individuals continue to prevent the SMM from monitoring most areas close to the border with the Russian Federation in parts of Luhansk region not controlled by the Government.

Denied access:

• In government-controlled Hrodivka (43km north-west of Donetsk), Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel at a checkpoint denied SMM passage without an explanation. The SMM had to take an alternative route.

• In government-controlled Hranitne (47km north-east of Mariupol), Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel at a checkpoint denied the SMM access to a footpath east of Hranitne without an explanation.

Other impediments:

• At a “DPR” heavy weapons holding area, a “DPR” member prevented the SMM from verifying serial numbers of weapons.

• On 10 October an SMM UAV was jammed while flying over “DPR”-controlled Zaichenko (26km north-east of Mariupol).

[1] For a complete breakdown of incidents, please see the annexed table.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions to SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate”.