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

This report is for media and the general public.

The SMM recorded relatively fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, most of which were concentrated in the Avdiivka/Yasynuvata area and areas north-east of Mariupol. In Luhansk region, the Mission monitors recorded more ceasefire violations compared with the previous day. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties and shelling. The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; the SMM was restricted in its freedom of movement in all three areas.* The SMM observed the presence of weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. The Mission monitored repairs to railway lines and long queues at entry-exit checkpoints.

The SMM observed fewer ceasefire violations[1] in Donetsk region, including at least 310 explosions compared with 546 explosions in the previous reporting period. Nearly 146 explosions were recorded in the Avdiivka/Yasynuvata area, and more than 100 in areas north-east of Mariupol.

Positioned in the north-western outskirts of Donetsk city’s Kuibyshevskyi district (“DPR”-controlled, 5km west of Donetsk), within seven minutes in the morning the SMM heard four undetermined explosions 2-5km north-west. Positioned at the Donetsk railway station (“DPR”-controlled, 6km north-west of Donetsk) in about two hours, the SMM heard 23 undetermined explosions and bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 2-7km north-north-west and north-east.

Positioned in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard 57 explosions assessed as automatic grenade launcher rounds, 53 undetermined explosions of an unknown weapon system, and nine bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 3-6km north-east, east, and south-east. Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard 35 undetermined explosions of an unknown weapon system 3-7km west.

On the evening of 18 October, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 22 explosions assessed as outgoing artillery rounds, six undetermined explosions of an unknown weapon system as well as 62 bursts of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV; BMP-2) cannon (30mm) fire and two bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 3-6km east-south-east. The following day, while at the same location, the SMM heard two undetermined explosions of an unknown weapon systems, bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 3-6 km south-east. In about 15 minutes in the late afternoon, the SMM heard a heavy exchange of fire of different types of weapons (recoilless gun (SPG-9), rocket-propelled grenade and automatic grenade launcher) 2-3km south-south-east of the same location. Positioned 4km north of Horlivka (“DPR”-controlled, 39km north of Donetsk), within seven minutes in the afternoon the SMM heard two explosions assessed as outgoing mortar rounds (120mm) and one explosion assessed as an outgoing recoilless gun (SPG-9) round 3-6 km north-east.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations compared with the previous day in areas north-east and east of Mariupol. The SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded a total of 55 explosions assessed as impacts and 43 undetermined explosions at un undetermined distance north and north-east, nine rocket-assisted projectiles fired – in sequence – south-west to north-east (six), south-east to north-west (three) and bursts of small-arms tracers fired from south-west to north-east.

Positioned in government-controlled Pavlopil (26km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard six undetermined explosions of an unknown weapon, bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, and single shots of small-arms fire 2-5km east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations compared with the previous day, including 27 explosions compared with 21 explosions. In the early morning hours, while in Luhansk city, the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions assessed as caused by large-calibre artillery rounds at an undetermined distance north. In the afternoon, positioned at the government-controlled side of the Zolote (60km west of Luhansk) disengagement area the SMM heard five undetermined explosions approximately 10km south-south-west, outside the disengagement area. Later in the afternoon, positioned on the “LPR”-controlled side of the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM heard within ten minutes ten undetermined explosions, approximately 20km west of its position, outside the disengagement area.

The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties and shelling. At the traumatology department of Donetsk city hospital No. 24, medical staff told the SMM that an elderly man had been admitted on 18 October with wounds from small-arms fire to his left hip, had been operated on and was in stable condition. The interlocutor added that the ambulance crew who had brought the victim to the hospital had stated that they had taken him from “DPR”-controlled Staromykhailivka (15km west of Donetsk). The SMM observed bandages on both his legs. In “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata, medical staff at the railway hospital told the SMM that a civilian had been injured a few days before. The victim told the SMM he was a resident of the Kruta Balka (“DPR”-controlled, 16km north of Donetsk) and that the incident had happened in the afternoon on 16 October when he had seen small-arms shots impact on the wall of a fuel station, very close to him, in an area close to the contact line, and had sustained an injury to his right thigh. In “DPR”-controlled Zaichenko (26km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw three minor wounds to the limbs of an elderly woman who said she had received them from shrapnel on 14 October when a mortar had impacted in her garden.

At the government checkpoint in Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM, accompanied by the Ukrainian Armed Forces officers at the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), saw at least 30 fresh impact sites in and around the checkpoint and was able to assess 12 of them. The SMM assessed that all 12 were caused by 122mm artillery rounds possibly fired from an east-north-easterly direction. In Pyshchevyk, the SMM saw damages to two inhabited houses near the checkpoint (one of which had its fence wrecked, the other had a garden shed with shrapnel damage to its south side), and to the road inside the checkpoint (one crater on the road, one immediately next to road). The JCCC officer told the SMM there had been no casualties.

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas of Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske (41km south of Donetsk), as foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September. The Armed Forces and armed formations, obliged under the Decision to remove or fence off explosive objects and ensure safety and secure access for the SMM to the disengagement areas, have yet to complete this in any of the three areas. The JCCC, tasked by the Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group on mine action of 3 March 2016 to carry out the overall co-ordination of demining work and repeatedly tasked to contribute to rapid response to impediments to monitoring by the SMM, was not observed doing so in any of the three areas, except for the area of the railway bridge where Ukrainian Armed Forces officers at the JCCC facilitated conditional access for the SMM. As a result SMM’s access remained restricted in all three areas,* but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.

On the government-controlled side of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge the SMM saw an IFV (BMP-2) in a bunker within the disengagement area, approximately 150m north of the wooden ramps over the collapsed section of the bridge. The Ukrainian Armed Forces officer at the JCCC told the SMM no orders for disengagement in the area had been received. In the area stretching from the “LPR” checkpoint just south of the bridge to the northernmost “LPR” position on the bridge, the SMM observed approximately 20 “LPR” members armed with small arms (AK-74, RPK). North of the “LPR” checkpoint, in its close vicinity, the SMM observed a newly installed heavy machine-gun (12.7mm). At 10:50, the SMM observed the launching of a white signal flare by armed “LPR” members, which they said was to indicate that they were ready to start the disengagement process. The SMM’s freedom of movement was restricted on the “LPR”-controlled side of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area (inside the disengagement area) due to the presence of mine hazard signs or mines. On the government-controlled side the SMM had conditional access to the railway bridge facilitated by Ukrainian Armed Forces officers at the JCCC.*

At the closed Zolote-Pervomaisk crossing route the SMM monitored both sides of the disengagement area and noted a relatively calm situation, although the SMM recorded several ceasefire violations around the disengagement area (all outside the disengagement area). Due to the lack of guarantees that the area had been demined, the SMM could not proceed through the potential Zolote-Pervomaisk crossing route from either side.*

The SMM was not able to proceed from the western edge of “DPR”-controlled Petrivske towards the disengagement area as an armed “DPR” member told the SMM no demining activities had taken place and thus could not ensure safety and security for the SMM and the Russian Federation Armed Forces officers at the JCCC did not assist in ensuring security for the SMM.* The Ukrainian Armed Forces officer from the JCCC present in government-controlled Bohdanivka did not assist in ensuring security for the SMM to travel towards the east to Petrivske via the road to Viktorivka (42km south-west of Donetsk) along the north side of the disengagement area. The SMM noted that the previously observed mines on the road (see SMM Daily Report 11 October 2016) were still present.* The SMM noted a calm situation in areas of Petrivske and Bohdanivka, where it did not observe any ceasefire violation or movement of forces or hardware. 

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

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM observed at a government checkpoint in Maiorsk (45km north-east of Donetsk) a military truck carrying an automatic mortar (2B9 Vasilek, 82mm) heading towards Zaitseve (50km north-east of Donetsk).

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside assigned areas the SMM observed on 18 October ten stationary tanks (T-72), on the southern edge of Vuhledar (government-controlled, 48km south-west of Donetsk). At the train station in government-controlled Rubizhne (84km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM saw nine self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) being loaded onto train wagons.

The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage does not comply with the criteria set in the 16 October 2015 notification. In government-controlled areas, the SMM observed: 24 self-propelled howitzers (12 2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm; and 12 2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and six towed howitzers (D-20, 152mm). The SMM noted five self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) were missing as first noted on 3 March 2016.

In “DPR”-controlled areas, the SMM observed: nine mortars (PM-38, 120mm) and 13 towed howitzers (D-30, 122 mm). The SMM noted as missing: six mortars (PM-38, 120mm), three for the first time, two since 27 September 2016, one since 14 September; one towed howitzers (D-30, 122 mm) for the first time. At one area an armed “DPR” member took pictures of the SMM throughout its visit.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas the SMM observed: an IFV (BMP-2) in within the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area (see above); one armoured personnel carrier (APC; BRDM-2) heading from the Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint on the edge of the Zolote-Pervomaisk disengagement area (60km north-west of Luhansk) to Zolote-4 (outside the disengagement area) and an APC (BRDM-2) heading from the same Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint toward Zolote-2 (outside the disengagement area); three APCs (BTR-3) and one armoured vehicle “Kozak” stationary at a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint in Makarove (19km north-east of Luhansk). Aerial surveillance imagery available to the SMM spotted: on 15 October the presence of one armoured vehicle near government-controlled Pyshchevyk (25km north-east of Mariupol); four armoured vehicles near government-controlled Starohnativka (51km south of Donetsk) and four armoured vehicles near “DPR”-controlled Bila Kamianka (51km south of Donetsk) on 19 October. 

Outside the security zone, the SMM saw four fixed-wing aircraft depart Kramatorsk airport in a 2x2 formation, headed in a south-easterly direction, towards Kostiantynivka (government-controlled, 60km north of Donetsk). While gaining height they appeared to release flares.

The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to essential infrastructure. In an area west of “LPR”-controlled Donetskyi (49km west of Luhansk) the SMM monitored repairs to railway tracks on the line connecting Hirske (government-controlled, 63km west of Luhansk) and Sentianivka (“LPR”-controlled, formerly Frunze, 44km west of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to observe long queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. On 18 October, 80 minutes before the closing time, at the government checkpoint on road H15 near Marinka, the SMM saw 207 civilian cars queuing to enter government-controlled areas and no traffic in the opposite direction. At the checkpoint, three people told the SMM they had been in the queue since 04:00, while others said they had been there since the previous night. The SMM was unable to pass through the checkpoint for about an hour as three chaotic lines had formed about 100 metres from the checkpoint in the direction of government-controlled areas and one in the opposite direction, rendering the road impassable. On 19 October, at the Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint on the H20 road north-east of Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk), 85 minutes before the closing time, the SMM saw about 250 cars queuing to enter government-controlled areas and no queue in the opposite direction.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi, and Kyiv.

*Restrictions to SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance, 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:

• The SMM’s freedom of movement was restricted on the “LPR”-controlled side of Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area (inside the disengagement area). The SMM was not able to proceed further to a summer cottage area (neighbouring the railway bridge) as it observed a mine hazard sign east of the parking lot near the “LPR” checkpoint immediately south of the bridge and because armed “LPR” members said the area was mined and booby-trapped. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM could not proceed further from each side of the contact line on the closed crossing route between Zolote and Pervomaisk due to the possible presence of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). “LPR” members told the SMM the area under their control had been demined but they could not guarantee the SMM’s security for the entirety of the route. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• In “DPR”-controlled Petrivske (41km south of Donetsk) the SMM was not able to proceed west of the village towards the disengagement area as Russian Federation Armed Forces officers at the JCCC did not assist in ensuring security for the SMM. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer at the JCCC present on the spot did not assist in ensuring security for the SMM to travel from government-controlled Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk) on the road to Viktorivka (42km south-west of Donetsk). The SMM noted that the previously observed mines on the road were still present. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM did not proceed across the bridge from government-controlled Shchastia as Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel present told the SMM demining activity had not taken place in the area. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM could not proceed across the bridge from “LPR”-controlled areas south of the bridge to government-controlled Shchastia as an “LPR” member present at the checkpoint told the SMM that no demining activities have been conducted in the area. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Conditional access:

• Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel at a position on the side of the railway in government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk) prevented the SMM from proceeding towards the railway bridge, inside the disengagement area. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer at the JCCC present intervened and the SMM was allowed to proceed to the railway bridge, accompanied by Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel.

Delay:

• Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel delayed the SMM for 30 minutes at a checkpoint at the road junction north-east of Lebedynske (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Mariupol), and prevented it from proceeding north, towards Talakivka. The soldiers demanded to see the SMM’s patrol plan, but the SMM did not comply. The SMM contacted the JCCC and was allowed to proceed shortly after.

[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.

[2] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.