Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 25 April 2016

This report is for media and the general public.

In Donetsk region, the SMM continued to observe a high level of violence. Luhansk region remained relatively calm, with the exception of Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM conducted crater analysis. SMM-facilitated and -monitored repair work was suspended in Marinka due to nearby violence. Large numbers of people were observed crossing the contact line. The SMM’s freedom of movement was restricted on two occasions, one on each side of the contact line. 

The SMM continued to record a high number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region.[1] Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard during the night of 24 April five undetermined explosions 7-10km north-west of its position. Positioned 6km north-west of “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre on 25 April, the SMM heard 84 undetermined explosions, and at least 40 bursts and innumerable single shots of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire 2-10km south, west, west-north-west, north-west, north-east, and north-north-east of its position.

Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 52 undetermined explosions, 13 bursts, 11 single shots of small-arms fire, and 26 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 2-8km north, south-south-west, west-south-west, and west of its position. Positioned in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard explosions, 141 assessed as caused by automatic grenade launcher, five by rocket propelled grenade launcher (RPG-7), 25 by mortar (82mm), 16 by tank, seven by self-propelled rocket launcher, and four by recoilless gun (SPG-9 Kopye, 73mm); plus numerous bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, at locations 2-5km south-west, east, south-east, and south of its position.

Whilst in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) during the evening hours on 24 April the SMM heard at least 30 explosions caused by armoured combat vehicle-mounted cannons and rocket propelled grenade launchers, 16 mortar explosions (120 and 82mm), 122 incoming and outgoing automatic grenade launcher explosions, and at least 63 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and intermittent small-arms and light-weapons fire, 2-3km south-south-east, approximately 4km south-west, and approximately 4km north-east of its position. Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk) in the evening hours of 24 April, the SMM heard at least 90 explosions assessed as caused by mortar (120 and 82mm), at least eight explosions assessed as caused by artillery, 20 explosions assessed as caused by tank, and four bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, 4-6km south-west of its position. Whilst in Zaitseve (50km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard seven mortar explosions and four undetermined explosions 2-7km south-east of its position.

Luhansk region remained relatively calm, with the exception of the area around government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk). Whilst in Stanytsia Luhanska in the evening hours of 24 April, the SMM heard an exchange 3-5km to the south and south-east consisting of seven explosions (automatic grenade launcher; AGS-17), two particularly loud undetermined explosions, and eight other explosions (30mm cannon), plus, 36 heavy-machine-gun bursts, 37 machine-gun bursts and approximately 224 small-arms shots. The SMM also heard approximately 149 fainter small-arms shots and ten fainter machine-gun bursts at least 5km to the south and south-east. Between 00:21 and 00:37 on 25 April, the SMM heard two undetermined explosions, 13 shots of small-arms fire, and one burst of machine-gun fire approximately 3-5km south and south-east. It also heard 30 fainter small-arms shots at least 5km to the south and south-east. At 10:52, while close to an “LPR” checkpoint south of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM heard six shots of small-arms fire 400m south, which it assessed as having been fired from the south.

Positioned in government-controlled Troitske (69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions approximately 7km south and south-east.

In a field on the northern edge of government-controlled Pravdivka (36km north of Donetsk), the SMM conducted crater analysis on three of seven craters, assessing they had been caused by 152mm artillery rounds fired from an east-south-easterly direction. A piece of unexploded ordnance – assessed as a 152mm artillery round – was also observed in the field. In the village centre, the SMM observed damage to a house – blown-out windows and shrapnel-scarred walls – assessed as having been caused by a shell hitting a nearby tree and exploding 2m above the ground. Across the street, the SMM observed a church with several windows shattered and a wooden bell tower punctured by shrapnel from the same round. Approximately 300m east of the church, the SMM observed a crater, assessed as having been caused by a 152mm artillery round fired from an east-south-easterly direction. A power line next to it was damaged. Several residents told the SMM that between 40 and 50 shells had impacted in and around the village in the early hours of 24 April. They – and a local doctor – said that there had been no civilian casualties. The SMM observed a Ukrainian Armed Forces position on the northern edge of the town.

In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of Measures, the SMM revisited a Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent storage site whose location corresponded with the withdrawal lines and observed that four mortars (2B9M Vasilek, 82mm) and six towed anti-tank guns (D-48, 85mm) were missing.

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 observed at least six tanks near Pravdivka.

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.

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside storage sites, the SMM observed 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near government-controlled Manhush (18km south-west of Mariupol); and two towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) close to government-controlled Lysychansk (75km 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: 24 MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm), 11 self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) and nine towed mortars (PM-38, 120mm). Five towed mortars (PM-38, 120mm) and six self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) previously observed were absent.

The SMM observed the presence of one armoured personnel carrier (BTR-70) in the security zone close to government-controlled Trokhizbenka (33km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM observed the presence of unexploded ordnance (UXO), in particular, one piece of UXO – assessed as possibly the remnants of an MLRS rocket – on a road very close to a house in “DPR” controlled Kruhlyk  (62km north-east of Donetsk).

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure. In the government-controlled part of Zolote (60km west of Luhansk), the SMM observed ongoing repair works on a water pipeline between Zolote and “LPR”-controlled Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk). In government-controlled Marinka and “DPR”-controlled Oleksandrivka (23 and 20km south-west of Donetsk, respectively), the SMM was present to monitor scheduled repair works on a gas pipeline. Workers were, however, forced to leave the area as numerous ceasefire violations occurred in close proximity. In total, the SMM in Marinka between 09:55 and 11:11 heard two undetermined explosions, 49 single shots of small-arms fire, and two bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 0.5-2km north-east, east-north-east, and south of its position. The SMM engaged both Ukrainian Armed Forces and Russian Federation Armed Forces members of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination, and “DPR” members, in order to facilitate adherence to the ceasefire, but to no avail.

The SMM continued to monitor long queues at Ukrainian Armed Forces entry-exit checkpoints near Marinka on the contact line. In total, it observed 477 cars, nine buses and 330 pedestrians waiting to travel towards government-controlled areas, and 176 cars, one bus and 20 pedestrians waiting to travel in the other direction.

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’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.

Denial of access:

• An armed “DPR” member refused to allow the SMM enter a “DPR” heavy weapons holding area.
• A Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier denied the SMM access to a Ukrainian Armed Forces compound close to government-controlled Pryvilne (31km north of Mariupol).

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, as well as map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report.