Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 18 April 2016

This report is for media and the general public.

The SMM recorded a higher level of violence in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with both 16 and 17 April. The Mission followed up on allegations of shelling in areas near the contact line. It noted weapons in violation of withdrawal lines and others absent from storage sites. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure. It observed long queues at checkpoints along the contact line. The Mission monitored one border area outside government control and was denied access to another. The SMM’s freedom of movement was restricted further in areas not controlled by the Government, including access to a site known as a heavy weapons holding area.* The SMM was threatened by armed men in areas outside of Government control.*

The SMM observed an increased number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with both 16 and 17 April. [1] Whilst positioned near “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard 409 undetermined explosions, and intermittent shots and bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire at locations 2-6km south-south-west, south-west, west, west-north-west, and north-west of its position. Positioned near government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard 23 explosions assessed as caused by rounds of automatic grenade launcher, 16 mortar round impacts (one of 120 and 15 of 82mm calibre), two impacts of 30mm cannon rounds, two airbursts of mortar rounds, along with sporadic bursts of small-arms, heavy-machine-gun and automatic-grenade-launcher fire at locations 3-5km east and south-east of its position.

During the evening hours of 17 April, whilst in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard over 200 explosions assessed as caused by mortar and artillery rounds and uncountable shots and bursts of small-arms, heavy-machine-gun and automatic-grenade-launcher fire at locations 1-16km south-east, south-west and west of its position. During the night of 17 April in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 39 explosions assessed as caused by mortar (36 of 120mm and three of 82mm calibre) and 13 bursts of anti-aircraft-gun at locations 5-10km north, south-south-west and west of its location. Also in Horlivka, on 18 April, the SMM heard 32 mortar impacts (seven of 120 and 25 of 82mm calibre), 15 bursts of small-arms fire and three bursts of automatic-grenade-launcher fire at locations 200m-4km north, east, south-west and north-west of its location. Whilst positioned in government-controlled Maiorsk (45km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM registered five impacts caused by undetermined weapons, heard 12 outgoing 120mm mortar round explosions, and intermittent bursts and shots of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire at locations 1-5km east, south-south-west, south-west and west of its position.

Positioned in Donetsk city centre, on the night of 17 April, the SMM registered more than 60 undetermined explosions 6-10km north-west of its position. Whilst at the Donetsk central railway station (“DPR”-controlled, 6km north-west of Donetsk city centre) the SMM heard 20 undetermined explosions, 18 explosions caused by outgoing rounds and subsequently 18 impacts of rounds from an unknown weapon type, intermittent shots and bursts of small-arms fire, and five airbursts of anti-aircraft gun at locations 2-12km north, north-north-east, east-north-east, south-west, west, and north-north-west of its position.

In Luhansk region the SMM continued to observe a heightened level of violence in the areas near government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk). During a nearly five-hour period on the night of 17 April the SMM heard over 300 explosions and rounds of mortar, artillery and automatic grenade launcher (AGS-17), and continuous shots and bursts of 30mm cannon, heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire at locations 3-5km south of its position.

The SMM received threats from armed men. While in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city, a “DPR” member approached an SMM patrol, claiming that he had seen SMM vehicles near a Ukrainian Armed Forces excavator and said he would open fire at the monitors if this were to happen again. Following this, he left the scene. In a separate incident, armed “LPR” members in “LPR”-controlled Parkhomenko (29km east of Luhansk) threatened to detain SMM monitors.*

The SMM followed up on allegations of shelling and reported casualties in areas near the contact line. The SMM visited the bridge in Stanytsia Luhanska to follow up on reports that part of the bridge had been destroyed as a result of shelling during the night of 17 April. The SMM observed that the makeshift section of the bridge was intact. The SMM noted 13 fresh marks on the asphalt near the government checkpoint north of the bridge, consistent with under-barrel grenade launcher rounds fired from a southerly direction. The SMM observed a nearby block of concrete bearing a visible fresh impact, possibly also from the same type of weapon, and a bullet hole in an electricity meter attached to one of the green containers used for checking civilians’ documents crossing the checkpoint. The SMM noted 30 fresh bullet holes on the outer walls of the containers, and that most of the window panes were shattered and there was glass on the ground. The SMM also followed up on reports of two wounded Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel and a possible fatality from a separate clash the night of 17 April. At the Stanytsia Luhanska hospital, the deputy head of the hospital told the SMM that three Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel had been admitted to the hospital after midnight on 18 April with light shrapnel wounds and were transferred to a different hospital for further treatment; he could not confirm the alleged fatality.

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 and noted that all weapons, previously verified as withdrawn to the sites, were present. The SMM found that another site was abandoned and that the eight tanks (T-64, 125mm) and three mortars (two 2B9M Vasilek, 82mm, and one BM37, 82mm) previously verified as withdrawn to this site were absent.

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines the SMM observed seven tanks (T-72) in “LPR”-controlled Luhansk city.

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside storage sites, the SMM saw approximately 30 tanks near “DPR”-controlled Ternove (57km east of Donetsk).

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.

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM saw seven multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS; BM-21 Grad, 122mm), seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), and ten towed howitzers (five 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm, and five D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) in Luhansk city. At a military-type compound in Leninskyi district of “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city, the SMM observed five surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10, 120mm). The SMM observed one surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa, 120mm) in an area east of Avdiivka. The SMM also observed six self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk). 

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: six self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), six pieces of towed artillery (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm), six anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm). The SMM noted that one of the sites was abandoned and the six towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm), last seen by the SMM on 18 March, were absent.

In “DPR”-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited such locations and saw six towed artillery pieces (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm), four anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm), and two mortars (PM-38, 120mm). The SMM noted that at one site eight mortars (PM-38,120mm) were missing, as first noted on 4 February. An unarmed woman denied the SMM access to another such “DPR”-controlled site.*

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of storage sites, the SMM observed four towed artillery pieces (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) near government-controlled Azovske (22km south-west of Mariupol).

The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles in the security zone. In areas not controlled by the Government the SMM saw four armoured personnel carriers (APC: MT-LB) in the Leninskyi district of “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city, and an APC (BTR-70) near “LPR”-controlled Khriashchuvate (9km south-east of Luhansk).

In government-controlled areas, the SMM observed an APC (BTR-70) near government-controlled Nyzhnoteple (25km north of Luhansk), three APCs (BTR-70) near government-controlled Voitove (34km north of Luhansk), an APC (BTR-70) near government-controlled Peredilske (24km north-west of Luhansk), and an APC (MT-LB) in the area of Avdiivka.

The SMM continued to observe the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). The SMM continued to observe three anti-tank mines near the H-15 road between a government checkpoint in Marinka and a “DPR” checkpoint near Oleksandrivka (20km south-west of Donetsk), near the site of a mine explosion that had destroyed a minivan and killed four civilians on 10 February (see SMM Daily 11 February). 

The SMM observed the marking of mined areas and demining activities. In Marinka, the SMM saw four demining personnel from the Ukrainian Armed Forces Emergency Services checking a cemetery for mines and UXO. The demining personnel told the SMM that demining had been planned by the Emergency Services and would be carried out at locations along the contact line, where people would be likely to gather in observance of the upcoming Orthodox Easter holiday. The SMM also noted a handwritten mine hazard sign placed 200m away from a school in government-controlled Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk) for the first time, which a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier said had been there for several months.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure. The SMM observed ongoing repairs in the government-controlled part of Zolote (60km north-west of Luhansk) to a water pipeline that leads to “LPR”-controlled areas including Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk) and the power station in “LPR”-controlled Zolote-5. The repair workers told the SMM that repairs are planned to continue until 30 April.

The SMM continued to observe long queues at entry-exit checkpoints across the contact line. At two checkpoints on the H-15 road near Marinka the SMM observed a total of 442 civilian cars and approximately 550 pedestrians queuing to enter government-controlled areas. The SMM observed 106 civilian vehicles and approximately 60 pedestrians queuing to proceed in the opposite direction. Near one of the government checkpoints, the SMM spoke with 70 civilians (men and women, 30-80 years old) who emphasized that the long wait times, which can last more than ten hours, and the lack of sanitation facilities between government and non-government checkpoints create difficulties for civilians who are afraid that the surrounding fields are mined. The SMM observed unhygienic waste on the ground in areas where pedestrians were waiting. At the government checkpoint near Pyshchevyk (25km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM observed 57 civilian vehicles queuing to cross into government-controlled areas and ten vehicles queuing to cross in the other direction. At a “DPR” checkpoint near “DPR”-controlled Oktiabr (29km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM observed 40 civilian vehicles queuing to travel west.

The SMM monitored one border area outside government control, but was prevented from reaching another*. At the Uspenka border crossing point (73km south-east of Donetsk) the SMM observed 40 civilian vehicles (33 with Ukrainian and seven with Russian Federation licence plates) and 38 cargo trucks, at least one of which was loaded with beer (37 Ukrainian licence plates, and one with Lithuanian licence plates) queuing to cross into the Russian Federation. Armed “LPR” members prevented the SMM from accessing the border crossing point in Parkhomenko (29km east of Luhansk)*.

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

*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 mine threats, damaged infrastructure, and the unpredictability of the situation in Donbas. “LPR” members continue to prevent the SMM from monitoring many areas alongside the border in parts of Luhansk region not controlled by the Government, and consistently demand to review SMM patrol plans.

Denial of access:

• Armed “LPR” members stopped the SMM at a checkpoint near the entrance to “LPR”-controlled Parkhomenko border crossing point (29km east of Luhansk) and asked for the SMM patrol plan. When the SMM refused to show the patrol plan, the “LPR” members told the SMM to depart and threatened to detain the SMM if it diverted from the main road upon departure. The SMM notified the JCCC, which said that the border area is not under its jurisdiction and advised the SMM to leave. 
• At a “DPR” heavy weapons holding area, an unarmed woman told the SMM it could not access the site because all other “DPR” members were absent and would not return for at least two hours.

Delay:

• An unarmed “DPR” member, along with several armed “DPR” members, delayed the SMM for 35 minutes at a checkpoint near “DPR”-controlled Oktiabr (29km north-east of Mariupol).

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