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

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared to the previous day. The largest concentration of ceasefire violations was again recorded in the Yasynuvata-Avdiivka area. The SMM followed up on reports of casualties and conducted crater analysis in Novooleksandrivka, Kominternove, Novozvanivka and Avdiivka. The SMM observed a weapons system in violation of the respective withdrawal line, as well as armoured combat vehicles and an unmanned flying vehicle in the security zone. In Soledar, a representative from the JCCC did not facilitate the provision of security assurances for repair work on essential infrastructure. The SMM continued to note the presence of unexploded ordnance. It monitored two border areas not controlled by the Government. The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted on five occasions, including two episodes during which shots were fired at an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle, all in areas outside government control.*

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations [1] in Donetsk region compared to the previous day.  

Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (17km north-east of Donetsk) over the course of the day, the SMM heard 129 undetermined explosions, mainly 4-7km west-south-west and 6-10km north. In the afternoon, positioned 2km south-west of government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard 36 explosions assessed as outgoing 82mm mortar rounds 4km south-east.

Positioned in government-controlled Mariupol (102km south of Donetsk) on the evening of 24 July, the SMM heard 14 undetermined explosions and a ten-minute episode of constant explosions at an undetermined distance to the north-east. Immediately following the explosions, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded 12 bursts of direct tracer fire from south-west to north-east, followed later by three undetermined explosions and 33 bursts of direct tracer fire from south-west to north-east; all to the east-north-east.

On the night of 24 July through the early morning of 25 July, whilst in government-controlled Svitlodarsk, the SMM heard 64 explosions: 17 assessed as 82mm mortar round impacts, 42 assessed as automatic-grenade-launcher round impacts, and three assessed as outgoing and two as impacts of 122mm artillery rounds, all 5-6km east-south-east of its position.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations than on the previous day, with a total of 17 single shots of small-arms fire and five bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire recorded throughout the region. On two separate occasions, the small-arms fire targeted an SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near “LPR”-controlled Kalynove (58km west of Luhansk) and “LPR”-controlled Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk).* On both occasions, while shots were fired from less than 1km from the SMM’s position, the UAVs were landed safely, without sustaining any damage.

The SMM conducted crater analysis and followed up on reports of civilian and military casualties on both sides of the contact line. In “DPR”-controlled Kominternove (23km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM observed a fresh crater and shrapnel marks on the south-west facing wall of a shed. It assessed that the crater had been caused by an 82mm mortar round fired from a south-westerly direction. The wood around the crater was smouldering and the SMM noted a pungent odour coming from the crater. At a second site, the SMM observed shrapnel damage to the walls of a house which it assessed as having been caused by a mortar or a grenade fired from an undetermined direction. The SMM observed traces of blood on the ground several metres from the house. At a third site, the SMM observed a fresh crater in a garden but was unable to conduct analysis due to the soil being too soft. An elderly woman, the owner of the house, had a minor injury to her arm. According to a JCCC Russian Federation Armed Forces officer and a “DPR” member present at the site, the craters were caused by shelling on the night of 24 July.

At the last Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint before entering Kominternove, the SMM observed eight fresh craters. The SMM assessed that seven of them had been caused by mortar rounds (one 120mm the others undetermined calibre) fired from a north-easterly direction and one had been caused by an 82mm mortar round impact, fired from a south-easterly direction. Seven of the rounds had impacted on unpaved surfaces and one, assessed as a 120mm mortar round, on an improvised military shelter. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer from the JCCC and a Ukrainian Armed Forces representative were present at the scene.

In Novooleksandrivka (65km west of Luhansk), the SMM observed a hole in a fence and the western facing wall of a house. The SMM assessed the hole as having been caused by a projectile of unknown calibre, fired from a westerly direction. The SMM also observed a fresh crater in the garden of the house and assessed the impact as having been caused by a grenade fired from an unknown direction. At another house, the SMM spoke with an elderly woman who had a minor injury on her neck which she claimed had been caused by a window broken due to shelling on 23 July. The SMM observed that one of the windows of the house was broken.

At a hospital in government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk), the SMM followed up on reports of Ukrainian Armed Forces casualties from shelling on 23 July in the area of government-controlled Novozvanivka (70km west of Luhansk) and Popasna. Medical staff showed the SMM medical records which indicated that 11 soldiers were admitted to the hospital with injuries and one was declared dead shortly after being admitted.

On 24 July a Ukrainian Armed Forces medical officer in Avdiivka told the SMM that two Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers had died in a grenade attack on the Avdiivka industrial zone and a third had been taken to a hospital in government-controlled Pokrovsk (formerly Krasnoarmiisk, 55km north-west of Donetsk). The SMM observed two body bags being transferred to a morgue. Medical staff at a hospital in Avdiivka told the SMM that on 17 July one wounded civilian and one soldier had been admitted to the hospital and on 18 July another wounded soldier had been admitted.

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons, in accordance with the Package of Measures and its Addendum, as well as the Minsk Memorandum.

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines, aerial imagery revealed the presence of a surface-to-air missile (9K33 Osa, 120mm) near government-controlled Tonenke (19km north-west of Donetsk) on the night of 22 July. The weapon was later observed traveling through a residential area.

Beyond the withdrawal line, but outside assigned areas the SMM observed one anti-aircraft missile system (9K33 Osa, 120mm) near government-controlled Novoaidar.

Beyond the withdrawal lines, the SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage does not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification. In government-controlled holding areas, the SMM observed 12 multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) and 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm). The SMM noted as missing 12 multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) and 11 self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) that were previously recorded in these areas.

The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles, an anti-aircraft weapon, and a UAV in the security zone. In government-controlled areas the SMM noted: one armoured personnel carrier (APC; BTR-80) in Nyzhnoteple (26km north of Luhansk), one APC (BRDM) mounted with a heavy machine-gun (KPVT, 14.5mm) in Novozvanivka, and three infantry fighting vehicles (BMP) and a military truck mounted with an anti-aircraft cannon (ZU-23, 23mm) near Orikhove (57km north-west of Luhansk). In “LPR”-controlled Kadiivka, the SMM noted one APC (MTLB). The SMM observed what it assessed to be a white UAV near “LPR”-controlled Znamianka (36km north-west of Luhansk), which flew towards and over the SMM position from the west and then proceeded east-south-east, before turning back west.

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure at the Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) power plant.

At the headquarters of the JCCC in government-controlled Soledar (79km north of Donetsk), the Russian Federation Armed Forces representative did not facilitate the provision of security assurances (see SMM Daily Report 21 July) for repair work to be conducted on power lines near the water filtration station between Avdiivka and Yasynuvata, as well as for repair work in three other areas within the security zone. He stated that the requests for security guarantees should be addressed to “DPR” directly.

The SMM continued to observe the presence of unexploded ordnance (UXO). In government-controlled Lobacheve (17km north-west of Luhansk), a man in his twenties informed the SMM that he had discovered a piece of UXO while mowing grass in a nearby field. The man led the SMM to the field where it observed an unexploded rocket-propelled grenade stuck in the ground. The SMM informed the JCCC of the presence and location of the UXO.

The SMM monitored two border areas not controlled by the Government. At the border crossing point near “DPR”-controlled Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM observed eight vehicles (four with Ukrainian licence plates, three with Russian Federation ones, and one with a “DPR” plate) and six trucks (five with Ukrainian licence plates and one with a Russian Federation licence plate) waiting to exit Ukraine. At the “DPR”-controlled Ulianivske (61km south-east of Donetsk) border crossing point for pedestrians, the SMM observed a man and a woman (both mid-thirties) exiting Ukraine.

*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 the morning, an armed man stopped the SMM at the “LPR” checkpoint immediately south of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (16km north-east of Luhansk) and did not allow the patrol to pass. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• At the same checkpoint, later in the afternoon, an armed man again prevented the SMM from accessing Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Delay:

• An armed man stopped the SMM from entering a compound in the eastern industrial area of Luhansk city. After 30 minutes the SMM was allowed to enter.

Other impediments:

• While conducting a flight near “LPR”-controlled Kalynove (58km west of Luhansk), four shots were fired at an SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from an assault rifle. The UAV was landed safely and the SMM informed the JCCC.
• Later in the day, an SMM mini UAV was shot at eight times by small-arms fire near “LPR”-controlled Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk). The UAV was landed safely and the SMM informed the JCCC.

[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.