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

This report is for media and the general public.

The SMM observed a similar level of violence in Donetsk region and recorded an increased number of ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. The Mission conducted crater analysis in Staromykhailivka. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons, and noted armoured combat vehicles in the security zone. The SMM followed up on reports of casualties from a landmine incident in Pavlopil where four Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen were killed and three injured. The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted on five occasions, mainly in areas not controlled by the Government.*

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations[1] as in the previous reporting period.

Whilst in Yasynuvata (“DPR”-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard 76 undetermined explosions, two bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, at least 30 single shots and 23 bursts of small-arms fire 1-15km west and east-north-east of its position.

The SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded three undetermined explosions in the night of 24-25 May,– one incoming explosion fired from west to east, multiple outgoing rounds from west to east, bursts of fire from east to west and vice-versa.

In Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 5-6km east of its position and four explosions assessed as impacts of SPG recoilless gun rounds 5km east of its position. The SMM heard three explosions assessed as impacts of 82mm mortar rounds at a location 5km south-east of its position, two explosions assessed as rounds of 82mm mortar, approximately three-five rounds of heavy machine-gun, and four-five rounds of light machine-gun at a location 2-3km east-south-east of its position.

The SMM observed an increased number of ceasefire violations in Luhansk region mainly during the night hours of 24-25 May. Whilst in Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk) the SMM heard 20 explosions assessed as outgoing rounds of mortar and 160 explosions assessed as both incoming and outgoing grenade-launcher fire 2-4km south and south-west of its position.

Accompanied by armed “DPR” members, Russian Federation officers at Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) and journalists and television crews, the SMM followed up on media reports about alleged shelling in Staromykhailivka (“DPR”-controlled, 20km west of Donetsk) on the night of 23-24 May. On one street, the SMM observed three fresh craters – two within 30m of a church and one within 10m of a kindergarten – all of which it assessed as having been caused by 82mm mortars fired from a south-westerly direction. The SMM noted several shattered windows in the church and 19 in the kindergarten. The SMM noted a “DPR” position/checkpoint on the same street, 800m east from the kindergarten. In a parking lot on a nearby street, the SMM observed a pool of blood and a fresh 40cm deep crater. An interlocutor told the SMM that a security guard had been wounded at the scene. On a nearby residential street, the SMM noted two adjacent houses, one with two collapsed walls and the other with a damaged roof. On the same street, the SMM observed the tail of a recoilless gun (SPG-9) projectile sticking out of the roof of a storage shed, assessed by the SMM as having been fired from a south-westerly direction. The SMM noted a “DPR” position/checkpoint on the same street and, 70m north of the kindergarten, saw “DPR” members in military-type uniforms.

In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of Measures, the SMM revisited “DPR” permanent storage sites whose locations corresponded with the withdrawal lines, and noted that all previously verified weapons were present.

Beyond the withdrawal lines and outside storage sites, the SMM observed the following Addendum-regulated weapons: five stationary tanks near government-controlled Pokrovsk (formerly Krasnoarmiisk, 55km north-west of Donetsk).

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of heavy weapons as foreseen in the Minsk Package of Measures.

In violation of the withdrawal lines, the SMM observed 15 anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) in “DPR”-controlled Zelene (28km south-east of Donetsk).

The SMM has yet to receive the full information requested in the 16 October 2015 notification. 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 notification.

In government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited such locations and observed six anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) and 18 self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm). The SMM observed that 31 Addendum-regulated tanks –were missing (first observed missing on 1 March 2016).

In “DPR”-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited such locations and observed six self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and six multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS; BM-21 Grad, 122mm).

The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles, anti-aircraft weapons, and other hardware in the security zone. The SMM observed one truck carrying an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) at the entrance of “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city, and an armoured personnel carrier (APC; BTR) near  “LPR”-controlled Khriashchuvate (10km south-east of Luhansk).

In addition, an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) observed 20 infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) and a number of fuel and military-type trucks at a rail yard in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk); mortar position and one IFV near “LPR”-controlled Veselohorivka (64km west of Luhansk) and one IFV near “LPR”-controlled Nadarivka (64km west of Luhansk). It also spotted one IFV near government-controlled Shumy (41km north of Donetsk). The Global Positioning System of an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle was jammed while flying over Horlivka*. Also, the SMM observed a jet-propelled airplane, flying at high altitude, near Rubizhne (government-controlled, 84km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM observed the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). The SMM saw an MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) missile remnant 1km south-east of “LPR”-controlled Vesela Hora (16km north of Luhansk). The missile was located two metres off from a road and approximately 50cm of the missile was visible. It had some rust on it. In government-controlled Troitske (69km west of Luhansk) the SMM followed up on reports from residents about a booby-trap incident on 23 May. In an abandoned house on Shchorsa Street 50, about 300m north-east of a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint, the SMM saw a woman’s shoe and traces of blood around it on the ground next to the reportedly booby-trapped door. According to residents, the female victim had been wounded in the head and had been hospitalised in government-controlled Lysychansk (75km north-west of Luhansk).

In Debaltseve (“DPR”-controlled, 58km north-east of Donetsk), a resident told the SMM about an UXO in a garden which he said had been there for three weeks. The SMM saw the UXO which the SMM assessed as an under barrel grenade. The SMM informed the JCCC.

In government-controlled Pavlopil (26km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM followed up on a mine-incident involving Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers. The SMM spoke with the commander of the relevant unit who confirmed the incident which had taken place on 23 May. As a result of the explosion which occurred at the eastern outskirts of the village, four servicemen were killed and three injured, he said. The commander added that the road where the incident had occurred was used on a regular basis by Ukrainian Armed Forces vehicles and was far from any known minefield. 

The SMM facilitated adherence to the ceasefire and monitored repairs to essential infrastructure. The SMM saw that the repair company finalized work on a water pipeline in government-controlled Artema (25km north of Luhansk). In Obozne (“LPR”-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk) the SMM observed the local water supply company had finalized repair work and that there was no leakage at the water pipeline.

The SMM continued to monitor long queues at crossing routes near the contact line. At a government-controlled checkpoint near Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM observed some 30 people (men and women of different ages) waiting to exit government-controlled areas. About 400 people (men and women of different ages) were waiting to enter government-controlled areas. Whilst at the Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint, the SMM saw that a woman (60 years old) collapsed and was transported to an ambulance by the Ukrainian Emergency Service. At a “DPR” checkpoint in Olenivka (“DPR”-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) the SMM observed a line of 432 civilian vehicles, two buses, three minivans and one truck waiting to enter government-controlled areas, and 27 civilian cars and two buses waiting to travel in areas not controlled by the Government.

The SMM monitored a border area not controlled by the Government. At the “LPR“-controlled border crossing point in Chervonopartyzansk (64km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw 21 civilian vehicles, including one empty mini bus (four with Russian Federation licence plates, and 17 with Ukrainian licence plates) lined up to cross into the Russian Federation. During one hour the SMM observed seven civilian vehicles (all with Ukrainian licence plates) entering Ukraine.

In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a gathering of 30 protestors (majority women, aged 25-60) in front of the Presidential Administration. One female protester told the SMM that the majority of them where mothers of Ukrainian soldiers who had died in the conflict zone or were held captive. The SMM saw about 30 police officers and 40 National Guard members securing the entrances to the building. The number of protestors increased to about 100 (majority women, aged 25-60).

The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Kherson, 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.

Denial of access:

• The SMM, accompanied by Ukrainian Armed Forces representatives at the JCCC representatives, was denied access to a Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent storage site. The Ukrainian Armed Forces representative at the JCCC could not secure access for the SMM to the site. The SMM noticed that the site was manned and well maintained.
• The SMM, accompanied by a JCCC representative, was stopped by “DPR” members at a “DPR” checkpoint in Oleksandrivka (“DPR”-controlled, 20km south-west of Donetsk), citing security reasons. The SMM did not proceed further to the village.

Conditional access:

• At a “DPR” checkpoint at the entrance to Yasynuvata, armed “DPR” members insisted to know the patrol leader’s name and the SMM’s patrol plan. The SMM proceeded after giving the information.
• At the Yasynuvata railway station (“DPR”-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), two armed “DPR” members approached the SMM and insisted to see the SMM’s patrol plan. The SMM proceeded after giving the information.

Other impediments:

• The Global Positioning System of an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle was jammed while flying over Horlivka.

[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.