Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 2 May 2016

This report is for media and the general public.

For the fourth consecutive day the SMM continued to observe a low number of ceasefire violations, with 73 explosions recorded in Donetsk region, and two in Luhansk region. It observed the presence of weapons in violation of the respective withdrawal lines. The Mission continued to observe civilians crossing the contact line in both directions. It observed the commemoration of events that took place on 2 May 2014 in Odessa. The SMM’s freedom of movement was restricted on both sides of the contact line.*

For the fourth consecutive day the SMM noted a relatively low number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, with 73 explosions recorded.[1] In the evening hours of 1 May, positioned at “DPR”-controlled Donetsk central railway station (6km north-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions, 16 bursts of heavy-machine gun and three bursts and 86 single  shots of small-arms fire 2-5km north-north-west and west of its position. At the same position the following day, the SMM heard two undetermined explosions and 95 single shots of small-arms fire 3-6km north-north-east and one undetermined explosion north-north-west of its position. In the evening hours of 1 May, positioned in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard, between 20:15 and 20:20, five undetermined explosions 6-10km south-east of its position. On the same evening, whilst in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (38km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 5-10km north and east-north-east of its position.

Whilst near “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard 53 undetermined explosions 5-10km west of its position. Whilst in “DPR”-controlled Oktiabr (29km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM heard two undetermined explosions and 18 single shots of small-arms fire 2-4km north of its position.

The SMM recorded two ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. Whilst at “LPR”-controlled Slovianoserbsk (28km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 10km north of its position, and saw black smoke, which the SMM assessed as originating from a former military training  area in government-controlled Trokhizbenka (33km north-west of Luhansk), within the security zone. Positioned in government-controlled Krymske (42km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 1.5km north-east of its position.

Whilst in “DPR”-controlled Liubivka (20km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed a guarded fortified complex, assessed as former warehouse or repair shop facility. A “DPR” member in military-type fatigue said that the facility had been used as a base before, but that currently it belonged to a local agricultural company. He did not allow the SMM to enter the compound, saying that it was empty and locked.* The SMM observed a twin strand communication wire – used to connect field telephones - coming from the guard hut inside the complex and nailed halfway up the telegraph poles on the other side of the road for about one kilometre through the village to another building, which had a communication antenna attached to the side.

In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of Measures, the SMM observed, in violation of the respective withdrawal lines, 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 observed: in “LPR”-controlled areas 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), and seven tracked vehicles (MT-LB) mounted with surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10, 120mm) in Luhansk city; and in government-controlled areas one surface-to-air anti-aircraft system (SA-13 9K35 Strela-10) in Zolote (60km 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 towed howitzers (six D-20, 152 mm, and 18 2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm).

Beyond the respective withdrawal lines but outside storage sites, the SMM observed seven towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) near “LPR”-controlled Uspenka (23km south-west of Luhansk), as observed on 30 April as well.

The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles and other hardware within the security zone. In “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM observed one infantry fighting vehicle (IFV; BMP-1) and seven other variants of BMPs inside a military-type complex; and in “LPR”-controlled areas: seven armoured personnel carriers (APC; BTR-80) and seven IFVs (BMP-2) in Luhansk city; one BMP-1 in Smile (32km north-west of Luhansk); and one APC (BTR-80) in Donetskyi (49km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM monitored the situation at checkpoints near the contact line. At a checkpoint in government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk) the SMM observed some 80 civilian vehicles and two buses, mostly with Ukrainian license plates, waiting to go west and no vehicles queuing to travel in the other direction. At another government-controlled checkpoint in Marinka the SMM observed approximately 35 civilian vehicles, three mini busses, all with Ukrainian license plates, as well as 40 pedestrians (60% women and 40% men) heading west, and approximately 45 civilian vehicles and six pedestrians waiting to go east. At a government-controlled checkpoint in Pyshchevyk (25km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM observed 16 civilian vehicles and 30 pedestrians waiting to travel to government-controlled areas, and approximately the same number queuing in the opposite direction. At the “LPR” checkpoint south of the bridge at government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed some 150 people waiting to travel towards government-controlled areas. At the government-controlled checkpoint north of the bridge the SMM observed some 350 people waiting to enter government-controlled areas and 300 people waiting to cross the bridge in the opposite direction. The SMM assesed the flow of people to be about 140 people per hour crossing in both directions as compared to about 240 people per hour one day earlier, which the checkpoint commander attributed   to software problems.

The SMM monitored a border area not controlled by the Government and noted a calm situation. At the border crossing point in “LPR”-controlled Dolzhanskyi (85km south-east of Luhansk) the SMM observed 19 vehicles (ten with Russian Federation license plates, eight with Ukrainian license plates, one with Latvian license plates) queuing to cross into the Russian Federation.

The SMM continued to observe the marking of mined areas and presence of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). The SMM observed three large billboards with mine-warning information along the road between two checkpoints in Marinka. The signs were set at an equal distance of some 300 meters on both sides of the road. The SMM observed another three of the same billboards along the road to government-controlled Kurakhove (40km west of Donetsk). The signs contained three different pictures: one showed a photo of an exploded vehicle, a second one showed photos of various mines and UXOs, and the third one showed photos of children in close proximity to mines. The checkpoint commander told the SMM that the mine-warning billboards in Marinka had been placed by the Marinka city authorities.

In Odessa the SMM monitored the commemoration of events that took place on 2 May 2014. Saborna Square, where two Right Sector members had been killed two years ago, was closed to vehicles, except for public transport, due to the commemoration events. The SMM observed around 300 police and National Guard officers and some other individuals in plain clothes who the SMM assessed to be State Security Service (SBU) officers. The SMM also observed 15 civilian buses used by law enforcement agencies and four ambulances parked nearby. The police  systematically checked the bags of pedestrians entering the square. The police reported that they had detained a 20 year-old man near the square with a smoke grenade in his vehicle. At midday, the SMM observed  about 60 persons (mixed age and gender) had arrived at the square. They laid flowers on the pavement, sang the national anthem, and calmly left one hour later. The SMM also monitored events at Kulykove Pole which was closed to traffic throughout the day due to a reported bomb alert. The police stated that a bag containing three hand grenades had been found in a pedestrian underpass close to the square. The SMM observed 12 individuals being detained by the police close to the square. The police put them in a bus and drove away. The SMM observed some 800-1,000 people present (mixed age and gender) at one entrance to the square. Some 700 police and National Guard officers were present. The SMM observed one of the leading figures of the Odessa Self-Defence group arriving  accompanied by a group of around 30 activists. The SMM observed a short fight after a Self-Defence group member hit an anti-Maidan activist, but the police intervened immediately to separate the groups. The SMM observed no other incidents.

In the afternoon, the SMM monitored a protest at Odessa International Airport, aimed at preventing two leading Opposition Bloc members of the Verkhovna Rada, who had arrived from Kyiv, from going to Kulykove Pole to deliver speeches. The SMM observed some 100 participants (six female) from the Right Sector, Auto-Maidan and Odessa Self-Defence groups, as well as pro-Maidan activists. The SMM observed some 40 special police, 20 National Guard, and ten regular police officers. An Odessa regional police spokesperson gave a press conference at the airport saying that, in case of tension or potential violence, the members of parliament would not be allowed to enter the city. The SMM saw the latter inside the aircraft which took off to return to Kyiv, and the protest ended peacefully.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Kherson, Kyiv, 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.

Denial of access: 

• At a road barrier in government-controlled Novozvanivka (70km west of Luhansk), a Ukrainian Armed Forces commander stopped the SMM from proceeding further, saying that the road was unsafe.
• A few minutes after arriving at a check point in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk) an armed “DPR” member insisted that the SMM leave the area immediately as, he said, the SMM did not have the approval of the “commander” to stay there. The SMM informed the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) and left the area.
• In “DPR”-controlled Liubivka (20km south-west of Donetsk), a “DPR” guard in military-type fatigue prevented the SMM from accessing a guarded built-up complex, saying that it was empty and locked.

Conditional access:

• At a “DPR” checkpoint 17km south-west of Donetsk an armed “DPR” member insisted on seeing the passports of the SMM monitors, and only allowed them to proceed after noting down passport details.
• At a checkpoint near government-controlled Sievierodonetsk (74km north-west of Luhansk), a military police unit stopped the SMM and asked for IDs, direction of travel and destination, and the vehicle registration number, saying that they had received orders from the Anti-Terrorist Operation to only stop SMM vehicles and gather this information. The SMM observed that no other vehicles were stopped at the checkpoint during its short stay.

[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.