Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 26 July 2016

This report is for the media and the general public.

An SMM long-range UAV crashed near Avdiivka; Ukrainian Armed Forces recovered debris and handed them over to the SMM. The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, with less explosions noted in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata area and none in the Shyrokyne area. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations than in the previous period, with the majority of them noted near Shchastia. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling and conducted crater analysis on both sides of the contact line, in Krasnohorivka, Kominternove, and Dokuchaievsk. The SMM monitored religious processions approaching Kyiv. Its freedom of movement was restricted on four occasions, with two denials of access in areas outside government control.*

An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) crashed in Donetsk region during the night of 25 July, while flying over government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk). After 30 minutes from the loss of communication with the UAV, a Ukrainian Armed Forces liaison officer in the Anti-Terrorism Operation (ATO) informed the SMM that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had identified the crash site. On the morning of 26 July, the Head of the Ukrainian side to the JCCC informed the SMM that Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers had retrieved parts of the UAV, which were later handed over to the SMM by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. (See SMM Spot Report 26 July 2016.) The SMM is following up on the case, including with the JCCC, the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and “DPR” members, to confirm information and establish a possible cause of the crash.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1] in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, with no violations recorded by the SMM forward patrol base in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk) or the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol).

While in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre during the night of 25-26 July, the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions 8-10km north-west and 28 undetermined explosions 10-15km north-west of its position.

While in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk) during the same night, the SMM heard two explosions assessed as 82mm mortar rounds and bursts of small-arms fire 1-2km north-west and 18 undetermined explosions and bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 10-12km north-north-west and north of its position.

While in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) during the night of 25-26 July, the SMM heard 12 explosions assessed as outgoing rocket-propelled-grenade rounds 0.7-1km south-south-east and 23 explosions assessed as impacts of 82mm mortar rounds and bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 5-6km south-south-east of its position.

Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions 2-6km west and single shots of small-arms fire 1-3km north-west of its position.

Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Novohryhorivka (60km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard undetermined 27 explosions and saw as many pillars of smoke 4-6km north-north-west of its position. While in government-controlled Mariupol (102km south of Donetsk), the SMM heard three undetermined explosions at an unknown distance north-east of its position.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations than during the previous reporting period, with explosions noted in five non-government-controlled areas, and none around the bridge near Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk).

Positioned in “LPR”-controlled Perevalsk (40km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard five explosions assessed as artillery of an unknown calibre 10km south of its position, in the direction of a training area near “LPR”-controlled Hannivka (39km south-west of Luhansk). Later, when positioned in Hannivka, the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions 0.5km north of its position that were assessed as live-fire exercise.

While at an “LPR” checkpoint south of government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), the SMM heard at least ten undetermined explosions assessed as automatic grenade launcher rounds 10-15km south-east of its position.

Positioned in “LPR”-controlled Zolote 5 (61km north of Luhansk), the SMM heard five explosions 3km north-north-east of its position. Positioned in “LPR”-controlled Donetskyi (50km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard one shot assessed as an outgoing automatic grenade launcher round 2km north-east of its position.

The SMM followed up on reports of shelling and conducted crater analysis. In government-controlled Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk), the SMM examined damage to School No. 1 on Solnychniye Street, where it found aluminium and steel fragments and assessed that a 125mm tank round had penetrated the 60cm-thick south-facing wall on the first floor of the school, leaving a 2.5m diameter hole, and was fired from a southerly direction.

In “DPR”-controlled Kominternove (23km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM followed up on reports of damaged civilian property that local residents said was caused by shelling on the night of 25 July. On Kirova Street, in the backyard northwest of an abandoned house, the SMM observed a greenhouse that was completely destroyed by a direct hit by an unknown projectile from an unknown direction. The SMM analysed three craters on the paved road of Kirova Street. Two of them were assessed as caused by 82mm mortar rounds fired from a north-westerly direction. Shrapnel from the explosions had caused damage to the north-west facing façade and windows of neighbouring houses, the fence of one house, and electrical wires on poles along the right side of the street. Inside the third crater, the SMM observed an unexploded 120mm mortar round embedded in the street. The angle of the mortar’s tail fin indicated the direction of fire was from the north-west.

In “DPR”-controlled Dokuchaievsk (30km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM observed four flats in an apartment building. Three flats were facing south and one was facing east. All had shattered windows and one flat had a singed curtain and internal damage, all by what was assessed as small-arms fire. According to local residents, the firing had occurred on the night of 25 July. According to a female resident (56 years old), she was injured in the left and right legs at the entrance of the building during the evening of 25 July. She showed the SMM abrasions and cuts to her legs that appeared fairly recent and were consistent with minor fragmentation injuries.

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.

Beyond the respective withdrawal lines, but outside assigned areas, the SMM observed at a training area near “LPR”-controlled Myrne (28km south-south-west of Luhansk) 18 tanks (T-64) parked, with white caps on the tip of the barrels.

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. At Ukrainian Armed Forces holding areas, the SMM observed 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152 mm). The SMM noted as missing five self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), first recorded as such on 3 March 2016.

The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles and other hardware in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV; BMP-2) east of Novotoshkivske (53km west of Luhansk) and one IFV (BMP-2) in Krymske (42km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure. In “LPR”-controlled Obozne (18km north of Luhansk) and government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), the SMM monitored repair works to clean and widen the water canals providing water to the Shchastia power plant. The SMM also monitored repair works to gas pipes in “LPR”-controlled Slovianoserbsk (29km north-west of Luhansk) and “LPR”-controlled Pryshyb (34km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to observe the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance. The SMM provided the JCCC with directions to an unexploded rocket-propelled grenade that it had observed on 25 July (See SMM Daily Report 26 July 2016) outside government-controlled Lobacheve (18km north-west of Luhansk). According to the JCCC, an explosive ordnance disposal team would dispose of the unexploded ordnance on 27 July.

The SMM monitored a government-controlled border area. On 25 July, in government-controlled Harasymivka (38km north-east of Luhansk), a border guard confirmed that the situation is calm and the border crossing point to the Russian Federation remained closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

The SMM continued to observe conditions at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. In the morning, at the “LPR” checkpoint south of the bridge near Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw over 600 people (mostly middle-aged and elderly) waiting to travel towards government-controlled areas. At least four civilians approached the SMM and requested more crossing routes along the contact line. In the afternoon, at the southernmost government checkpoint north of the bridge, the SMM observed a pregnant woman being carried on a stretcher and placed in a Stanytsia Luhanska hospital ambulance.

In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a religious procession organized by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, which had started on 3 July in Sviatohirsk monastery (660km east of Kyiv). A “Western Procession” (approximately 600 people, predominantly women and children) was temporarily blocked in the village of Dmytrivka (28km west of Kyiv) by National Police and the National Guard, citing security reasons (bomb alert). While in Dmytrivka, the SMM heard a distant explosion at 13:30. The co-ordinator of the procession told the SMM that two explosive devices had been found and one was neutralized by the police. The SMM also monitored an “Eastern Procession” (approximately 400 people, predominantly women and children), which had started on 9 July at the Pochaiv monastery (400km west of Kyiv). This group was escorted by 150-200 police officers as it proceeded towards Darnytski district, where the group reportedly planned to stay overnight. As the procession approached Boryspil (32km east of Kyiv), the SMM observed about 150 anti-procession demonstrators (men and women), holding Ukrainian and “Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists” flags, some of them yelling and throwing eggs, coins, and plastic bottles at the procession participants. The processions are due to arrive in Kyiv on 27 July.

*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:

• An armed “DPR” member denied the SMM passage through a checkpoint in “DPR”-controlled Nikishyne (59km north-east of Donetsk). He said he saw the SMM visiting the village “every day” but the situation did not improve.
• Armed “LPR” members denied the SMM passage at the first “LPR” checkpoint south of the bridge near Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk). The member at the checkpoint said that without providing the patrol plan (in the Russian language), the patrol would not be allowed to proceed. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Conditional access:

• The SMM was stopped at an “LPR” checkpoint by an armed “LPR” member near “LPR”-controlled Smile (32km north-west of Luhansk) while on its way to “LPR”-controlled Slovianoserbsk (29km north-west of Luhansk). He searched the SMM vehicles before allowing the SMM to proceed through the checkpoint. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM was stopped at an “LPR” checkpoint near “LPR”-controlled Smile and told to open the back of their vehicles by armed “LPR” members. The vehicles were searched and the SMM continued to proceed to “LPR”-controlled Khorose (36km west of Luhansk). 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. 

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions to SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to the fulfilment of its mandate”.