Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 29 July 2016

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous day. The largest concentration of ceasefire violations was recorded in the area north of Donetsk city centre, Yasynuvata, Horlivka and Svitlodarsk. The Mission continued to observe weapons in violation of respective withdrawal lines. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable the handover of bodies in Shchastia across the bridge; whilst positioned there, the SMM heard an explosion 80-100 metres north of its position. The Mission facilitated repairs to essential infrastructure on both sides of the contact line, in Shchastia, Krasnyi Lyman, Pryshyb, Zolote, and Slovianoserbsk. It monitored border areas not controlled by the Government and encountered a restriction. It faced two other freedom-of-movement restrictions, including one incident where “DPR” members threatened SMM at gunpoint near Lukove.*

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations[1] in Donetsk region compared with the previous day.  

During the night of 28-29 July, whilst in Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard 41 undetermined explosions 8-10km north of its position.

Positioned in Yasynuvata (“DPR”-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk) throughout the day, the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions 3-5km west of its position and 12 undetermined explosions, and sporadic  bursts and single shots of small-arms fire, within three hours, 1-5km west, west-north-west and north-west of its position. Positioned in Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) throughout the day, the SMM heard six undetermined explosions 6km south-east and one undetermined explosion 6km east of its position.

In Marinka (government-controlled, 23km west of Donetsk), the SMM heard 11 undetermined explosions 1-2km north-north-east and north-east of its position. In addition it heard 90 single shots of small-arms fire within a time period of five minutes.

During the late evening hours of 29 July, the SMM heard in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) 20 explosions assessed as outgoing artillery rounds (122mm) 4km south-east of its position and 20 explosions assessed as incoming artillery rounds (122mm) 6-8km south-east of its position; 30 explosions assessed as outgoing recoilless gun fire (SPG-9, 73mm) 2km south of its position, and 20 explosions assessed as incoming mortar rounds (82mm) 4km south and south-east of its position.

Whilst in Horlivka (“DPR”-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 17 undetermined explosions 1-10km north and north-north-west of its position.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations compared with the previous day. Positioned in government-controlled parts of Zolote (61km west of Luhansk) throughout the day, the SMM heard five undetermined explosions at an unknown distance north-north-east of its position, one detonation 150m east of its position, which it assessed as caused by a booby trap and three explosions assessed as caused by mortar round impacts 1km north-north-east of its position. Positioned in “LPR”-controlled parts of Zolote throughout the day, the SMM heard 16 undetermined explosions at locations 0.8-2km north and north-east of its position.

Positioned at an “LPR” checkpoint 2km south of the bridge in Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), the SMM heard one loud undetermined explosion, 80-100 meters north of its position. The SMM saw an “LPR” member being transported in a vehicle. An armed “LPR” member later told the SMM that an “LPR” demining team member had received injuries to his arm and chest when he set off a booby trap which he had been trying to defuse.

Armed “DPR” members stopped the SMM south of “DPR”-controlled Lukove (72km south of Donetsk), pointed their guns at the SMM and ordered it to leave the area. As the SMM was leaving the area, three “DPR” members blocked the road in front of SMM’s vehicles, surrounded and pointed their guns at an SMM vehicle in a very aggressive manner and screamed at the driver to open the vehicle door. Later, at a “DPR” checkpoint in Prymorske (76km south of Donetsk), nine armed “DPR” members surrounded the first SMM vehicle, swearing and making threatening gestures. Eventually, the SMM was released from the area and returned safely to its base in Mariupol. (See SMM Spot Report, 29 July 2016.)

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 withdrawal lines, the SMM observed 12 stationary self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Trudove (government-controlled, 45km south-west of Donetsk).

Beyond the respective withdrawal line and outside assigned areas the SMM observed one surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa, 120mm) near government-controlled Dmytrivka (43km north of Luhansk) moving in the direction of government-controlled Novoaidar (49km north-west of Luhansk), and 13 stationary tanks at a training ground near “LPR”-controlled Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk).

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 one surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa, 120mm), and six towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm). The SMM noted that eight towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm), first noted missing on 22 June, were still missing, and noted for the first time the presence of six additional towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm).

The SMM revisited a Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent storage site whose location corresponded with the withdrawal lines, and observed that all weapons previously verified as withdrawn to the site were present.

The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles in the security zone, namely two armoured personnel carriers (APC; BTR-60) and two armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM) in government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk), and one infantry fighting vehicle (IFV; BMP-1) on a trailer near government-controlled Nyzhnoteple (26km north of Luhansk).

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure. The SMM monitored repairs to the water pump station in “LPR”-controlled Krasnyi Lyman (30km north-west of Luhansk) and to the gas pipeline near “LPR”-controlled Pryshyb (34km north-west of Luhansk) and “LPR”-controlled Slovianoserbsk (28km north-west of Luhansk). The SMM also monitored repairs to the water pipelines and demining in “LPR”-controlled Pionerske (19km east of Luhansk). In Zolote (61km north-west of Luhansk) repair work on electrical power lines were interrupted. The SMM spoke with the local civil-military co-operation representative who told the SMM that the workers were leaving the area due to the sporadic explosions and the security of the workers could not be guaranteed. The SMM saw the electric company workers to leaving the area. On government-controlled parts of Zolote, the SMM monitored repair works on the electrical power lines, essential for the power supply to “Azot” chemical factory in government-controlled Sievierodonetsk (74km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to observe queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. In the afternoon of 29 July, at the government checkpoint at the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (16km north-east of Luhansk) the SMM observed 120 pedestrians (men and women) waiting to cross into government-controlled areas. Within 15 minutes, the SMM counted 40 women and 23 men entering government-controlled areas. The SMM saw no traffic in the opposite direction.

The SMM observed the presence of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and new mine hazard signs. Near the “DPR” checkpoint at the northern entrance to Petrivske (“DPR”-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM observed two mine hazard signs, each at two side roads. The SMM saw that regardless of the signs, three civilians were walking on the respective roads. In Krasnohorivka (government-controlled, 21km west of Donetsk), the SMM observed a mine hazard sign (red with white Cyrillic letters reading “Mines”) at the gate of a private property.

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable the handover of bodies of deceased persons across the contact line in Shchastia. On the bridge, between a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint in Shchastia and an “LPR” checkpoint south-east of Shchastia, the SMM observed the bodies of two deceased men being handed over across the bridge from the Ukrainian Armed Forces to a civil society organization based in “LPR”-controlled areas. According to a representative of a civil society organization based in “LPR”-controlled areas one of the men had died in 2015 and had been exhumed, the other had died recently.

The SMM monitored border areas not controlled by the Government. At the border crossing point near “LPR”-controlled Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk)* the SMM observed about 30 civilian cars (predominantly with Ukrainian licence plates) and two busses (Ukrainian licence plates) with passengers waiting to exit Ukraine. The SMM also observed one fuel tank vehicle (white colour) with Russian Federation licence plates exiting Ukraine. At the border crossing point near Uspenka (“DPR”-controlled, 73km south-east of Donetsk)*, the SMM observed 35 civilian cars and 25 covered trucks (all with Ukrainian licence plates) waiting to exit Ukraine. The SMM noted one bus (Ukrainian licence plates) with a “Moscow-Donetsk” sign with passengers entering Ukraine.

The SMM followed up on media reports about an explosion in Krolevets (270km east of Kyiv) and contacted the military prosecutor and a representative of the police headquarters in Sumy (330km east of Kyiv) region. The military prosecutor confirmed that three people had been killed, including one Ukrainian official employed by a NATO agency (within the framework of a co-operation agreement with the Ukrainian Defence Ministry), and another two injured in an explosion on 28 July at 16:30 on the grounds of a trial station of the state corporation “Ukroboronprom” State Scientific Research Institute of Chemical Products in Krolevets. According to the interlocutor an investigation had been opened and charges brought based on article 273 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code (violation of safety rules at explosive industries or plants). The representative of the Sumy police headquarters said that the initial findings of the forensic examinations indicate that the explosion occurred while military ammunition was being unloaded for disposal at the site.

*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 “LPR” member stopped the SMM at the “LPR” forward position north of the “LPR” checkpoint at Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (16km north-east of Luhansk) and did not allow the patrol to enter “LPR”-controlled areas. The SMM informed the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC).
• Two armed “DPR” members stopped the SMM near “DPR”-controlled Lukove (72km south of Donetsk), pointed their guns at the SMM, and ordered the SMM to leave the area. As the SMM was leaving the area, armed “DPR” members blocked the road in front of the SMM’s vehicles and pointed their guns at the SMM. Later, at a “DPR” checkpoint in Prymorske (76km south of Donetsk), nine armed “DPR” members surrounded the first SMM vehicle, swearing and making threatening gestures. Eventually, the SMM was released from the area and returned safely to its base in Mariupol. (See SMM Spot Report, 29 July 2016.)
• At the border crossing point near “LPR”-controlled Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 64km south-east of Luhansk), armed “LPR” members insisted on SMM leaving the area. The SMM informed the JCCC and left the area.

[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.