Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 21 April 2016
This report is for media and the general public.
In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded a lower level of violence, with half the number of explosions compared to the previous day. In Luhansk region, the SMM noted a similar number of ceasefire violations in comparison to the previous day. The Mission continued to observe a number of weapons in Luhansk city, in violation of withdrawal lines. It noted that numerous weapons were missing from holding areas. The SMM did not experience any specific freedom-of-movement restrictions in the Donbas for the first time in a month. In Kyiv city and Kherson region, the Mission monitored public gatherings.
The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, with half the number of explosions in Donetsk region compared to the previous day.[1] In the evening hours of 20 April, positioned in Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard, during a 45-minute period, 45 undetermined explosions 7-10km north-north-east and north-west of its position. The following day, from a position at “DPR”-controlled Donetsk central railway station (6km north-west of Donetsk city centre), between 09:00 and 15:55hrs, the SMM heard and saw one round hitting the terminal building of the destroyed Donetsk airport (8km north-west of Donetsk city centre), and heard 11 undetermined explosions, five bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, 21 single shots and four bursts of small-arms fire at locations ranging from west-north-west to north-north-east at 3-10km of its position.
The situation remained tense in areas between government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) and “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), where the SMM counted more than half of the ceasefire violations recorded in the entire region. While stationary in Yasynuvata, the SMM heard 149 undetermined explosions, over 32 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, 14 single shots and three bursts of small-arms fire, all 2-6km west of its position. Whilst in Avdiivka, the SMM heard 12 explosions of mortar (three of 82 and nine of 120mm calibre), five explosions of recoilless gun (SPG-9, 73mm) round, four airbursts of anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23-2), and three bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire 2-5km east and north-east of its position.
During the evening hours of 20 April, positioned in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard 68 explosions of mortar rounds at 1-6km south-east, and five explosions of artillery rounds at 5-16km north-west, as well as multiple shots and bursts of small-arms, heavy-machine-gun and automatic-grenade-launcher fire at 1-5km south-east and south of its position.
In government-controlled Volnovakha (55km north of Mariupol), at 19:15hrs on 20 April, the SMM heard two undetermined explosions at an undetermined distance north-west of its position.
In Luhansk region, a similar level of ceasefire violations was recorded in comparison to the previous day. The SMM, positioned in government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk), heard three explosions assessed as caused by 82mm mortar rounds, two explosions assessed as automatic grenade launcher (ASG-17) rounds, and 22 shots of small arms, all 3-5km south of its position. Whilst in “LPR”-controlled Veselohorivka (64km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard one shot of small-arms fire 1km west and one explosion assessed as caused by an outgoing 82mm mortar round, 5km west or north-west of its position.
In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of Measures, the SMM revisited an “LPR” permanent storage site whose location corresponds with the withdrawal lines and observed that all weapons previously verified as withdrawn to that site were present.
In violation of the respective withdrawal lines the SMM observed seven tanks (T-72) in “LPR”-controlled Luhansk city. The SMM also observed, in the morning hours, two mortars (2B9, 82mm) loaded on two military trucks heading north near government-controlled Peredilske (24km north-west of Luhansk), and in the early afternoon two mortars (2B9, 82mm) loaded on two military trucks heading south near government-controlled Voitove (33km north-west of Luhansk).
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.
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 anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) and three anti-tank guns (D-44, 85mm). Eighteen anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) were absent. One site was abandoned – as it has been observed since 12 March – with all previously recorded weapons (seven anti-tank guns; MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) absent.
The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft weapon in the security zone, all in “DPR”-controlled areas. On 20 April, the SMM observed an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) towed by a military-type truck Kamaz) heading west near Yasynuvata. The SMM also observed an armoured personnel carrier (APC; BTR-80) heading west-south-west near Donetsk central railway station, and an infantry fighting vehicle on a flatbed truck heading west-south-west in Donetsk city.
The SMM observed the marking of mined areas and the presence of mines. In the surroundings of a checkpoint in government-controlled Svitlychne (56km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed two mine hazard sings (red printed boards placed approximately 200m of each other), stating “Danger, mines”. In government-controlled Troitske (69km west of Luhansk), the SMM observed a trip wire connected to a door of an abandoned house, which it assessed to be a recently laid booby trap.
The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure. In government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed ongoing repair works to a 30m gas pipeline. Completion of repair works would benefit 60,000 residents. While stationary on the western outskirts of Petrovskyi district of “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city (15km south-west of Donetsk city centre) monitoring the gas line restoration in Marinka, the SMM heard, between 11:25 and 12:57hrs, five undetermined explosions, and 28 single shots of small arms fire 0.5-7km north and north-north-west of its position.
The SMM observed the situation at checkpoints near the contact line. At Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoints in Zaitseve (50km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM observed 207 civilian cars heading toward government-controlled areas, and 143 civilian cars queuing in the opposite direction. At a checkpoint in government-controlled parts of Zolote (60km west of Luhansk), ten civilians (men and women of different ages) present told the SMM that they had been waiting for hours at the checkpoint, asking Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel to let them travel towards “LPR”-controlled areas. Two women in their fifties said that their mother, residing in an “LPR”-controlled area, had had a stroke and they needed to visit her urgently. At a government checkpoint north of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, a Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel told the SMM that people were still crossing the bridge in both directions, bypassing checkpoints and using paths through the woods. On the temporary walkway on the southern side, approximately 300m north-west of an “LPR” checkpoint, the SMM observed that a temporary fence, made of wooden poles and barbed wire, was erected, apparently to block one of those paths.
During the morning hours, the SMM observed a convoy of 65 trucks (63 of them marked “Humanitarian Aid from the Russian Federation”) arriving near “DPR”-controlled Makiivka (12km north-east of Donetsk). Twenty-seven turned into a warehouse near Makiivka, while other trucks headed toward “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city. At the warehouse near Makiivka, the SMM observed that several trucks were parked in a row and workers were unloading rice, pasta and canned food in the presence of media crews. In Luhansk city, the SMM also observed a convoy of four trucks with the painted inscription “Humanitarian Aid from the Russian Federation” led by an “LPR” “police” car.
The SMM observed public gatherings. On 20 April, in Ataman (160km south-east of Kherson), the SMM monitored a public gathering (“viche”) of some 200 people (men and women of different ages) from three adjacent villages – Ataman, Popivka and Syvash (161 and 159km south-east of Kherson). Representatives of the Henichesk district administration, police, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Ukrainian Armed Forces and border guards, and Azov battalion under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the head of regional Crimean Tatar Mejlis were also present at the event. Some participants expressed their concern about frequent shooting exercises close to the villages (see SMM Daily Report 15 April 2016). In front of the city hall in Kyiv the SMM observed a protest of some 300 people (men and women of different ages) – some of them (middle-aged men) wearing camouflage uniforms with patches of Right Sector and waving banners. Participants protested against what they said was corruption related to illegal construction and the prohibition to sell alcohol in small shops in front of the Kyiv city hall. The SMM also noted ten patrol police officers present with a bus of riot police and three buses of the National Guard parked nearby. At approximately 12:00hrs, the SMM observed that 10-15 people (aged 20-35) tried to enter the city hall building, but were pushed back by some ten law enforcement officers. At 17:05hrs, the SMM saw 80-100 people still in front of the city hall and one Right Sector flag and 15 tyres on the right side of its entrance. Most of the participant dispersed by 17:35hrs, and the situation was calm.
The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnepropetrovsk, and Chernivtsi.
*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.
Besides the above mentioned general restrictions, the SMM was not subject to any specific restriction to its freedom of movement.
[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.