Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 9 June 2016

This report is for media and the general public.

The SMM observed fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous day and some ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared with none the previous day. Whilst at Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, incoming fire impacted about 100 metres from SMM’s position. The SMM observed craters and damage caused by shelling in Donetsk city and other areas. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons, and noted heavy weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines; it also noted armoured combat vehicles and anti-aircraft weapons in the security zone. Armed “DPR” members continued to keep the power supply to SMM’s repeater in Donetsk city disconnected; and the SMM faced four additional restrictions of its freedom of movement, mainly in areas not controlled by the Government.* The Mission observed in Lviv civic activists demanding the dismissal of the mayor.

The SMM recorded a lower number of ceasefire violations[1] in Donetsk region compared to the previous day. Whilst in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre, during the night hours of 8-9 June, the SMM heard 67 undetermined explosions and eight bursts of heavy machine-gun at locations 5-7km north-west of its position. Whilst in Donetsk city’s Kyivskyi district (“DPR”-controlled, 7km north of Donetsk city centre), the SMM heard 13 undetermined explosions at locations 2-3km north-north-west of its position.

Whilst in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), during the night hours of 8-9 June, the SMM heard four undetermined explosions, two outgoing mortar explosions, two mortar round impacts, two automatic-grenade-launcher shots, and 46 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire at locations 2-10km from south-west to north-west of its position.

Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 52 undetermined explosions, 82 single shots and 52 bursts of small-arms fire, and 20 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire at locations 2-7km ranging from south-west, west, west-north-west, north-west and north-north-east of its position.

Whilst in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard 12 undetermined explosions and at least 80 shots of small-arms fire at locations 3-6km south, south-east and east of its position. The SMM heard two explosions assessed as caused by impacts of 122mm artillery rounds 5km south of its position.

Positioned in government-controlled Pervomaiske (17km north-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard 11 undetermined explosions at locations 5-7km south-west of its position.

The SMM observed some ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared with none during the previous day. Whilst at the “LPR” checkpoint south of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM heard a single small-arms shot some 500-700 meters from its position. The SMM could not ascertain the direction of fire. Just after the shot, the SMM heard two explosions assessed as impacts less than 100 meters north of its position. The SMM members felt the shock wave while they were getting into the vehicles. No casualties and damage occurred.

Whilst in government-controlled Sievierodonetsk (74km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard four undetermined explosions 4km south and south-west of its position.

Positioned at the Zolote (60km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 3km north-east of its position.

The SMM followed up on reports of shelling. In Kuibyshevskyi district of Donetsk city, the SMM visited nine locations in residential areas affected by shelling. The SMM observed damage to several houses, including severe shrapnel damage to roofs and walls facing west and south, shattered windows and damaged apartment buildings. The SMM found pieces of projectiles and shrapnel of 122mm artillery rounds. The SMM analysed four fresh craters near private houses and assessed them as caused by impact of 120mm mortar rounds fired from a westerly direction (three craters) and north-westerly direction (one crater). At one house, the SMM saw blood traces on a mattress. Residents told the SMM that the shelling had started on 8 June at around 23:00 and that one elderly woman had been wounded and hospitalized. The SMM observed damage to a three-floor apartment building with shattered windows and damage to walls facing west assessed as being caused by an explosion. The SMM found pieces of projectiles and assessed that the explosion was caused by impacts of 122mm rounds. Some 450 metres north-east of that location, the SMM spotted four surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10, 120mm), in violation of withdrawal lines, as highlighted below.

In Kyivskyi district of Donetsk city, the SMM observed damage to houses and punctured roofs facing north-west. The SMM analysed five fresh craters near private houses and assessed them as caused by impacts of either 122 or 152mm artillery rounds fired from a westerly (four craters) and north-north-westerly direction (one crater). No casualties were reported.

In “DPR”-controlled Dokuchaievsk (30km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM visited four locations affected by shelling. The SMM observed damage to several houses, including shrapnel damage to roofs and walls facing west and north-west. The SMM saw that the gas pipeline close to a residential building had shrapnel marks. The SMM analysed six fresh craters in the vicinity of private houses and assessed them as caused by 120mm mortar rounds fired from a westerly direction (two craters) and a west-south-westerly direction (three craters) and north-north-westerly direction (one crater). According to residents, shelling had started on at 00:30 on 9 June, lasting until 4:30. No casualties were reported.

In “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM observed a fresh  crater approximately 70cm deep and 215cm wide and 210cm long next to a platform of the railway station, located between two railway tracks. The SMM observed that two sets of train electricity wires were damaged. The SMM conducted analysis on one crater and assessed it as caused by 122mm artillery fired from a north-westerly direction. Several people at the railway station told the SMM that shelling had occurred on 8 June at around 23:45. None of them could confirm any casualties.

The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties in “DPR”-controlled Makiivka (12km north-east of Donetsk) and visited hospital no. 2. The SMM spoke to the chief of the intensive care unit who confirmed the death of a woman. According to him, the woman had suffered injuries from shelling outside her house and had been hospitalized on 8 June at 22:30 and passed away on 9 June at 01:30. He said the woman had suffered multiple shrapnel injuries all over the body, limbs and face, and had died in the hospital.  

In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of measures, beyond withdrawal lines but outside storage sites, the SMM observed at a training range in “LPR”-controlled Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk), 15 stationary tanks (T-64).

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 observed in “DPR”-controlled Kuibyshevskyi district of Donetsk city, the above mentioned four surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10, 120mm).

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: 11 multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS; BM-21 Grad, 122mm), 18 self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), 12 mortars (seven 2B11, 120mm; five PM-38, 120mm), and twelve anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm). The SMM noted as missing, for the first time, three anti-tank guns (D-48, 85mm) and one MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm), first observed missing on 23 February).

In “DPR”-controlled areas beyond respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited such locations and observed nine MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm), eight towed anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm), and five self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm).The SMM noted as missing: two MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm), first observed missing on 5 April 2015, four towed anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm; two observed missing on 12 August 2015, the third on 8 November 2015 and the fourth on 22 December 2015). The SMM observed one additional self-propelled howitzer (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm).

The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles and anti-aircraft weapons in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM observed three armoured personnel carriers (APC; BTR-60) moving in a northerly direction in Trokhizbenka (32km north-west of Luhansk), two APCs (BTR-60, BTR-4E) stationary in Popasna (69km west of Luhansk), one APC (BTR-60) stationary in Raihorodka (34km north-west of Luhansk) and one APC (BTR-80) moving south in Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), 12 infantry fighting vehicles (BMP-2), two anti-aircraft guns (ZU-23) mounted on two military-type trucks (ZIL131), and two armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM) in Nyzhnii Minchenok (33km north of Luhansk). In “DPR”-controlled areas the SMM observed six multi-purpose light-armoured towing vehicles (MTLB) in the vicinity of a shell-damaged building and a school in Kuibyshevskyi district of Donetsk city.

The SMM continued to observe the presence of unexploded ordnance (UXO). Near an “LPR” checkpoint south of the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), the SMM observed an unexploded 82mm mortar round lying 10cm away from the road. The SMM immediately left the area and reported this to the “LPR” members at the checkpoint and to an “LPR” demining team present in the area. Later on the SMM observed that the unexploded mortar grenade had been removed.

The SMM continued to monitor queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. At the “LPR” checkpoint south of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM observed 150-200 persons leaving non-government-controlled areas within about 15 minutes. At the government checkpoint north of the bridge, soldiers told the SMM that the bridge had been closed after an attack on their position, which had caused an explosion inside their bunker at around 8:00. The SMM saw traces of an explosion outside the bunker and was not allowed to check inside it. The SMM saw at 8:40 that around 400 people were waiting at the closed government checkpoint. At 12:15the SMM observed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces re-opened the checkpoint and the SMM observed 250 people waiting to proceed towards government-controlled areas; about 75 people were waiting to cross the bridge towards non-government controlled areas.  

The SMM monitored two border areas not controlled by the Government. At the “LPR”-controlled Dovzhanskyi border crossing point (84km south-east of Luhansk) the SMM observed approximately 18 trucks (seven with Russian Federation and 11 with Ukrainian licence plates) - three trucks were without canvas and empty, the others were covered. In addition, the SMM observed 33 civilian cars (ten with Russian Federation and 23 with Ukrainian licence plates), and two buses with Ukrainian licence plates lined up to proceed towards the Russian Federation. The SMM saw 25 civilian vehicles parked close to the border crossing point (ten with Russian Federation and 15 with Ukrainian licence plates). At the “DPR”-controlled Uspenka border crossing point (73km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM observed 18 civilian cars: 12 with Ukrainian licence plates, five with Russian Federation licence plates, and one with Lithuanian licence plates. There were 84 covered commercial trucks with the majority displaying Ukrainian plates, 20 Russian Federation licence plates and ten Belarus licence plates lined up to proceed towards the Russian Federation.

In Lviv, the SMM monitored some 60 people (men, aged 20-30) enter the city council building to demand the dismissal of the mayor. The SMM observed the presence of 100 police officers inside and outside the building. Some 100 activists (men, aged 20-30) were in front of the building, most of them dressed in camouflage clothing. The SMM saw several of them waving black-and-red coloured flags. The situation remained calm and the SMM observed that after the activists had left the building, six minivans and three buses with law enforcement officers (police and National Guard) parked next to the Lviv city hall.

*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:

• Armed “DPR” members did not allow the SMM to proceed to the east of “DPR”-controlled Oleksandrivske (formerly Rozy Liuksemburh, 90km south-east of Donetsk), citing live-fire training at a firing range outside the security zone. The SMM took an alternative route.
• Near Dokuchaievsk, “DPR” members insisted that the SMM took an alternative route in order to reach the village. The SMM eventually used an alternative route and reached the village.
• Armed “DPR” members continue to keep the power supply to SMM’s repeater in Donetsk city disconnected as they have been since 20 May. As a result, SMM remote monitoring equipment at “DPR”-controlled Oktiabr mine and in government-controlled Avdiivka are disabled (see SMM Daily Report 21 May 2016).

Delay:

• At a checkpoint near Yurkivka (government-controlled, 86km north of Donetsk), a Ukrainian soldiers stopped the SMM, requesting a special permit for entering that specific area. The JCCC was informed and shortly after the SMM was allowed to proceed, after waiting for 12 minutes.
• Armed “LPR” members insisted that the SMM show a permit to enter the “Pervomaisk Industrial Education School” in “LPR”-controlled Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk). The SMM informed the JCCC and after nearly one hour one armed “LPR” member allowed the SMM to enter the building.

[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.