Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 22 April 2016

This report is for media and the general public.

The SMM recorded an increased number of ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared to the previous day. The Mission conducted crater analysis in Donetsk city. It observed weapons at holding areas and noted weapons absent from them. The SMM continued to monitor long queues at entry-exit checkpoints near the contact line. The Mission monitored one border area not controlled by the Government. The SMM followed up on reports of an alleged arson attack on a vehicle in Kharkiv.The SMM recorded a slightly increased number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous day.[1]

Whilst in government-controlled Svitlodarsk on the night of 21 April, the SMM heard 11 explosions assessed as outgoing rounds of artillery (122 or 152mm) 6km south-west of its position. On the same night, the SMM, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (57km north-east of Donetsk), heard nine undetermined explosions, some of which occurred at 5-10km north-west of its position.

Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk) on the evening of 21 April the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 8-11km north and one undetermined explosion 7-9km north-west of its position.

On the night of 21 April the SMM, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city, heard seven undetermined explosions 7-10km north-west of its position.

From a position at “DPR”-controlled Donetsk central railway station (6km north-west of Donetsk city centre) during the day of 22 April, the SMM heard 16 undetermined explosions, heard and saw one impact explosion and small-arms fire, all 2-10km clockwise north-west to north-east of its position.

While stationary at “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata railway station (16km north-east of Donetsk city), the SMM heard 191 undetermined explosions and bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 2-5km west of its location over approximately four hours.

Positioned in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) the SMM heard almost 100 explosions assessed as mortar round impacts (85 of 82 and 13 of 120mm calibre), impacts from recoilless gun (SPG-9 Kopye, 73mm) rounds, rocket-propelled grenades (RPG-7), infantry fighting vehicle (BMP) gun rounds and automatic grenade launcher bursts approximately 2-3km east, south-east and south of its position, all within a three-hour period.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded an increased number of ceasefire violations compared with the previous day, with all violations recorded while positioned in government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (16 km north-east of Luhansk) on the night of 21 April. The SMM heard over 50 explosions (many undetermined but some assessed as automatic grenade launcher fire), heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 5km south.

The SMM conducted crater analysis in an area of Petrovskyi district in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city (20km south-west of Donetsk). The SMM analysed two fresh craters located within 100m of a house and assessed them to have been caused by 120mm mortar rounds fired from the south-west. The SMM also observed an impact to the north-facing side of a shed, which was assessed to have been caused by a 120mm mortar round. The owner of the nearby house said the impacts had hit at approximately 21:30hrs on 19 April and no one had been injured.

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 observed that all weapons previously recorded at these sites were present.

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

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: 31 anti-tank guns (28 MT-12 Rapira, 100mm; three D-48, 85mm); 21 towed howitzers (six D-20, 152 mm; 15 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm); eight MLRS (BM21 Grad 122mm); nine self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) and ten  mortars (2B11, 120mm). One area was observed (for the first time) to be abandoned, with all 18 towed howitzers previously seen there (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) absent. Another area continued to be abandoned (as observed since March 30) with all 18 towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint, 152mm) previously seen there absent. Guards at one site told the SMM the weapons had been moved about a week ago. Additionally, the following weapons were absent from other areas: six towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm), three self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) and four MLRS (BM21 Grad, 122mm).

In “DPR”-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited one such location and observed two towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) and six anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm).

The SMM observed an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23-2) in the security zone, being transported north-west on a truck near government-controlled Novotoshkivske (53km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to monitor long queues at entry-exit checkpoints near the contact line. Near the “DPR”-controlled checkpoint at Olenivka (23km south-west of Donetsk) travellers told the SMM of their frustration regarding long queues and claimed that waiting times of eight-nine hours were not uncommon. Many told the SMM that they were travelling to visit relatives. The SMM observed approximately 150 vehicles queued to cross into government-controlled areas. “DPR” members at the checkpoint claimed they were “customs officers” and said they did not have permission to speak to the SMM. People who had passed through a checkpoint in government-controlled Pyshchevyk (25km north-east of Mariupol) told the SMM that it had taken more than three hours to cross.

The SMM monitored one border area not controlled by the Government. At the Uspenka border crossing point (73km south-east of Donetsk), three men and a woman told the SMM that they had been waiting for almost three hours to cross to visit family in the Russian Federation. A truck driver told the SMM that he had been waiting almost 16 hours to cross the border and that on average it took up to two days for trucks to cross.

The SMM followed up on media reports of an alleged arson attack on a vehicle belonging to a well-known politician in Kharkiv. The police told the SMM that witnesses had seen four men setting the car on fire. An investigation of the charges of “intentional damage to property” (Article 194 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code) had been initiated, they added.

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:

• Armed “DPR” members insisted on escorting the SMM to and from a number of observation posts in Yasynuvata and stayed with the patrol at all times.

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, 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 the fulfilment of its mandate”.