Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 8 June 2016

This report is for media and the general public.

An SMM national staff member who had been held in Donetsk city was released. The SMM observed more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared to the previous day. Luhansk region remained calm with no ceasefire violations recorded. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of heavy weapons; it noted armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft gun in the security zone. Armed “DPR” members continued to keep the power supply to SMM’s repeater in Donetsk city disconnected; the SMM faced two additional restrictions on its freedom of movement, both in border areas not controlled by the Government.*

An SMM national staff member held in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk was released, and was subsequently brought to government-controlled areas (see Daily Report, 8 June 2016).

The SMM observed more ceasefire violations[1] in Donetsk region as compared with the previous reporting period.

Whilst in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard between 21:30 and 22:13 on 7 June one undetermined explosion, one outgoing mortar round, 26 bursts of anti-aircraft gun or heavy-machine-gun fire and four shots of small-arms fire 1-10km south-west to north-west of its position.

Whilst in Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard between 23:11 on 7 June and 00:09 on 8 June 21 undetermined explosions 5-10km north-west and north of its position.

The following day, whilst in a “DPR”-controlled area 6km north-west of Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard over 370 explosions, six bursts and five shots of small-arms fire, and 39 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 7-10km north to north-east of its position.

Whilst in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM recorded over 400 undetermined explosions, three air explosions, an estimated 3,000 single shots and innumerable bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire at locations arcing west-south-west to north-east, 1-5km from its position.

Whilst in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard 63 undetermined explosions; heard and saw one air explosion caused by an 82mm mortar and 13 airbursts caused by anti-aircraft gun fire; saw an additional 100 airbursts caused by anti-aircraft gun fire; heard 78 impact explosions, 37 assessed as having been caused by 122mm artillery rounds, 20 by 120mm and 15 by 82mm mortar rounds, and six by automatic-grenade launcher projectiles; heard three rounds fired from a recoilless gun (SPG-9, 73mm); and heard innumerable shots and bursts from small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, 3-8km east to south of its position.   

The SMM noted a calm situation in Luhansk region, observing no ceasefire violations.

In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of measures the SMM observed, beyond the respective withdrawal lines and outside storage sites, two mortars (2B9 Vasilek, 82mm) near government-controlled Novoaidar (49km 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 respective withdrawal lines, the SMM saw one surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10, 120mm) near government-controlled Nyzhnie (56km 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 notification.

In government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited such locations and observed 35 towed howitzers (18 2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm and 17 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm), five anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm), and eight multiple-launch rocket systems (9P140 Uragan, 220mm).

The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles, one anti-aircraft gun and other hardware in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM observed three armoured personnel carriers (APC; BTR-70) near Voitove (33km north of Luhansk); and four APCs (two BRDM and two BTR-60) and one anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) near Novotoshkivske (54km west of Luhansk). Near “LPR”-controlled Obozne (18km north of Luhansk), the SMM observed an unmanned aerial vehicle at an altitude of over 3,000 feet, flying south-west.

The SMM received reports of casualties. At the morgue in Dnipro on 7 June, the deputy head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional forensic laboratory told the SMM that 25 bodies of participants in the Anti-Terrorism Operation had been brought to the morgue in May. Of them, he said 13 had been brought from Avdiivka and four from government-controlled Volnovakha (50km south-west of Donetsk). He added that all had been killed in military action.

In Avdiivka, the SMM spoke to a doctor in the hospital who said that a middle-aged local man had been admitted the previous day, having sustained shrapnel wounds as he worked in his garden. The doctor added that the man was in a stable condition.

On two occasions, the SMM attempted to monitor border areas not controlled by the Government, but on both attempts was prevented from doing so by armed “LPR” members.*

The SMM continued to monitor the humanitarian situation. In “LPR”-controlled Shterivka (39km south-west of Luhansk), two elderly men told the SMM that 1,300-1,400 people currently lived in the village, down from 3,200 before the conflict. They added that the former collective farm in nearby Ivanivka was closed, as was the majority of coal mines in the area. One of the men said he, as a former coalminer, had received a state pension of UAH 7,500 (EUR 265) until March, but now relied on a “social welfare payment” worth RUB 3,200 (EUR 44), provided by the “LPR”.

In Novooleksandrivka (60km west of Luhansk), a middle-aged man told the SMM that his mother had been recently sick, and although he had called for an ambulance from both sides of the nearby contact line, neither had shown up because of security concerns. An armed “LPR” member in the “LPR”-controlled part of nearby Zolote (60km west of Luhansk) subsequently told the SMM that movement restrictions in the Novooleksandrivka area had been ordered by his superiors. 

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure, near Obozne, where repair work to high voltage lines was carried out.

*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:

• In “LPR”-controlled Parkhomenko (29km east of Luhansk), in a border area not controlled by the Government, an armed “LPR” member insisted that the SMM leave the area. The SMM informed the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC).
• At the railway station in “LPR”-controlled Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 64km south-east of Luhansk), in a border area not controlled by the Government, armed “LPR” members insisted that the SMM leave the area. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• Armed “DPR” members continue to keep the power supply to SMM’s repeater in Donetsk city disconnected as they have been doing since 20 May. As a result, SMM remote monitoring equipment at “DPR”-controlled Oktiabr mine and in Avdiivka are disabled (see SMM Daily Report 21 May 2016).

[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.