Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 14 April 2016
This report is for media and the general public.
SMM observed a marked increase in violence during this reporting period with over 4,000 ceasefire violations through the Donetsk region, 500 of which were explosions. The major hotspots of Avdiivka/Yasynuvata accounted for more than half of these ceasefire violations. In Luhansk the Mission noted fewer ceasefire violations compared with the previous day. The SMM observed weapons in the security zone, and noted that weapons were absent from storage sites. The Mission observed long queues of civilians and vehicles waiting to cross at checkpoints. The SMM encountered a restriction of its freedom of movement in an area not controlled by the Government.*
The SMM observed a higher number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared to the previous day.[1] Whilst in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard, in the span of 4.5 hours, 310 explosions (six were assessed as caused by mortar rounds and 18 caused by automatic grenade launcher rounds), 40 cannon rounds (30mm) and at least 2,700 bursts and single shots of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire (2,000 were recorded in an 18-minute period) at locations ranging from south-west to north-west at 0.5km-6km of its position.
In government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) the SMM heard five impacts of mortar (120mm) from 3-4km north-east from its position, four rounds of heavy machine-gun and 15 impacts of recoilless gun (SPG-9, 73mm) rounds 2-3km east from its position, four impacts of mortar (82mm) 3km north-east of its position and one impact of 82mm mortar 2km south-south-east of its position, all in a 26-minute timeframe.
During the night of 13-14 April, the SMM heard 36 undetermined explosions at locations 5-7km north and north-north-east, and 7-10km north-west of its position in Donetsk city centre. Positioned at the Donetsk central railway station (“DPR”-controlled, 6km north-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM heard six undetermined explosions at locations 3-8km north-west, and two explosions assessed as 82mm mortar rounds and 21 single shots of small-arms fire at locations 3-5km north-west and west-north-west of its position.
During the evening of 13 April the SMM heard more than 150 undetermined explosions of mortar and artillery and more than 100 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 5-10km south-south-west of its position in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk).
In Luhansk region, the situation remained relatively calm, with a low number of ceasefire violations recorded. Whilst in the vicinity of “LPR”-controlled Slovianoserbsk (29 km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 30-40 shots of small-arms fire 500m of its position from an undetermined direction. The SMM heard a number of ceasefire violations it assessed as training in different locations outside the security zone: 1km south of “LPR”-controlled Malomykolaivka (36km south-west of Luhansk) the SMM heard 50 explosions approximately 9-12 km north-north-east of its position assessed as coming from a known training area in Uspenka (23km south-west of Luhansk). Positioned near “LPR”-controlled Yasne (25km south-west of Luhansk) the SMM heard 20 undetermined explosions 3-4km south-west of its position assessed as coming from the training area in Myrne.
In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of Measures, the SMM revisited Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent storage sites whose locations corresponded with the withdrawal lines. The SMM found one of the sites abandoned, with all 18 tanks (seven T-72 and 11 T-64) and two mortars (2B9, 82mm) previously observed at the site, absent. Three anti-tank-guns (D-44, 85mm) and two tanks (T-64) were missing from other sites.
The SMM also revisited “DPR” permanent storage sites whose locations corresponded with the withdrawal lines and observed that all weapons previously verified as withdrawn to those sites were present.
Beyond withdrawal lines and outside storage sites the SMM observed 20 tanks at a training ground near “LPR”-controlled Uspenka.
The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of heavy weapons foreseen in the Minsk Package of Measures. The SMM has yet to receive the full information requested in the 16 October 2015 notification.
The SMM revisited an “LPR” heavy weapons permanent storage site and observed that two multiple launch rocket launchers systems (MLRS; BM-21 Grad, 122mm) and five towed howitzers (D-30, 122mm) were missing.
In violation of the respective withdrawal lines the SMM saw six towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) 39km north of government-controlled Mariupol (102km south of Donetsk) near government-controlled Anadol, and one anti-tank guided missile (9K111 Fagot, 120mm or 9K113 Konkurs, 135mm) near government-controlled Toshkivka (61km north-west of Luhansk).
The SMM revisited locations known to the SMM as heavy weapons holding areas, even though they do not comply with the specific criteria set out for permanent storage sites in the 16 October 2015 notification.
In government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited such locations and observed 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152 mm), 31 tanks (T-64) and 18 mortars (2B11).
The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles in the security zone. In “DPR”-controlled areas, the SMM observed one armoured personnel carrier (APC; BTR-70) near the Oktiabr mine (7km north-west of Donetsk). In government-controlled areas: the SMM observed one APC (BTR-70) near Trokhizbenka (32km north-west of Luhansk). On 13 April, an SMM small-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted two armoured personnel carriers near Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk) and six infantry fighting vehicles near Pleshchiivka (49km north of Donetsk).
The SMM continued to observe the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). At a garbage dump located on the edge of “LPR”-controlled Slovianoserbsk (29km north-west of Luhansk) an employee (man, approximately 50 years of age) showed the SMM one piece of ammunition (from a BMP-1 or ZU-23) left on the ground at the entrance of the site. He said the ammunition was found there three days ago. It had some damage but appeared unexploded.
The SMM observed the marking of mined areas. The SMM observed “DPR” members installing mine warning signs south of a checkpoint on road H20 near Olenivka (23km south-west of Donetsk). Altogether 40 mine signs were placed, twenty on each side of the road, about 25 meters apart.
The SMM followed up on reports of shelling and conducted crater analysis. In “DPR”-controlled Kominternove (23km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM observed relatively fresh craters 100m from a trench assessed to have been caused by 82mm mortars fired from an undetermined direction. Armed men present told the SMM that they had been shelled by mortar two or three days ago.
In “LPR”-controlled Pryshyb (33km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed the tail of an 82mm mortar in the middle of a road and at least six fresh craters caused by 82mm and 120mm mortar rounds near a trench in assessed to have been fired from a northerly direction. An armed man present told the SMM that during night hours of 13 April his position had come under attack from fire of heavy machine-gun, automatic grenade launcher and mortar (82mm and 120mm). In government-controlled Trokhizbenka, the SMM spoke with 20 residents who independently stated that on the night of 13 April numerous exchanges of fire from both sides of the contact line had taken place.
The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians at checkpoints close to the contact line. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer at the checkpoint in Novotroitske informed the SMM that the checkpoint had been closed between 07:00 and 10:00hrs the same morning, for security reasons. At the two Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoints on highway H-15, near government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed a total of 560 civilian vehicles and approximately 200 pedestrians (mostly women) queuing to travel further into government-controlled areas. A total of 210 civilian vehicles and at least 100 pedestrians were observed queuing in the opposite direction. Later in the day at the same locations SMM observed approximately 327 civilian vehicles travelling towards government-controlled areas, and 267 civilian vehicles and approximately 100 pedestrians (men and women) travelling in the opposite direction.
At the government-controlled checkpoint in Pyshchevyk (25km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM observed 70 civilian vehicles waiting to cross to the west and 50 vehicles waiting to cross to the east. At the government-controlled checkpoint in Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk) the SMM observed 230 civilian cars queuing to cross to the other side. Pedestrians waiting to cross informed the SMM that they had been waiting for five hours as the checkpoint was closed for several hours earlier in the day. The SMM observed 120 civilian cars queuing to cross from north to south. Later that day, the SMM observed more than 300 civilian cars waiting to leave government-controlled area, while on the other side there were approximately 200 civilian cars.
The SMM observed a protest outside its offices in Luhansk city. Approximately 70 young people gathered and shouted anti-OSCE slogans. SMM members went out to speak with the protestors but the latter refused to speak with the SMM. The protest lasted approximately three hours and the crowd dispersed.
The SMM observed illegal shooting activities near the administrative boundary line between Kherson region and Crimea. The SMM observed at least six persons shooting at targets at a makeshift shooting range 4km south-west of the village of Ataman (160km south-east of Kherson) and heard single shots of small arms fire from a position 1.5km away. The men left in a van and an improvised APC and SMM observed some of them were dressed in camouflage clothes and all wore balaclavas. At the site the SMM saw fresh bullets shells (calibre with 5.45mm, 7.62mm and 9mm). Subsequently, the head of Henichesk police (176km south-east of Kherson) told the SMM he had dispatched a special unit but they found the site empty.
The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Dnepropetrovsk, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.
*Restrictions to SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to the fulfilment of its mandate
The SMM’s monitoring is restrained by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines and unexploded ordnance, and by restrictions of its freedom of movement and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM's mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations.
Conditional access:
- SMM was escorted by two “DPR” members to an observation point in Yasynuvata. The “DPR” members stayed with the patrol for approximately one hour in total.
[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.