Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 24 October 2016

This report is for media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region on 24 October compared with 22 and 23 October. Violations centred mainly around Avdiivka and Svitlodarsk. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations on 24 October compared with 22 and 23 October. The Mission followed up on reports of shelling and civilian casualties. The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it was restricted in its freedom of movement in all three areas.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines. The Mission noted long queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line.

The SMM observed more ceasefire violations[1] in Donetsk region, including 231 explosions compared with 112 explosions on 23 October and 430 on 22 October. Of these, more than 80 explosions were recorded around Avdiivka and more than 50 around Svitlodarsk.

Positioned in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard 23 undetermined explosions and 22 explosions, all assessed as outgoing 82mm mortar rounds ranging between 2 and 4km south-east of its position. The SMM further heard 23 explosions assessed as outgoing infantry fighting vehicle (IFV; BMP-1) mounted cannon (73mm) fire and seven outgoing explosions assessed as recoilless gun (SPG-9, 73mm) fire at a range between 2 to 4km, all south-east. The SMM camera in Avdiivka recorded 36 undetermined projectiles fired from south to north and from north to south 4-8km of its location.

In government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 16 undetermined explosions 5km south-east, and 36 undetermined explosions 2km east of its location.

During the night of 23-24 October, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol), facing north-east and north-north-east, recorded a total of 584 shots of tracer fire, fired from east-north-east to north-north-east and north-north-west as well as from north-north-west and north-north-east to east-north-east; 11 rocket-assisted projectiles fired from north-north-west to north-east and from north-east to north-north-west, as well as 15 undetermined explosions from north-north-east to north and east-north-east, all at an undetermined distance.

Positioned in government-controlled Berdianske (18km east of Mariupol), the SMM heard 25 undetermined explosions north and north-north-east, and saw eight explosions caused by impacting rounds from an unknown weapon all 3-5km north and north-east of its position. Positioned in government-controlled Pavlopil (26km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard 16 explosions 10-12km south-south-east of its position. Positioned in Yasynuvata (“DPR”-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 13 undetermined explosions 3-4 km west, saw and heard two airbursts 2km west and heard six airbursts 2-3 km west.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded 11 explosions on 24 October, compared with 42 explosions on 23 October and one on 22 October. In Pervomaisk (“LPR”-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 5-8km south-west (outside of the disengagement area). In Zolote-5 (“LPR”-controlled, 61km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 5km north-east (outside of the disengagement area). In government-controlled Krymske (42km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 5km east. Three kilometres south-west of government-controlled Katerynivka (64km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 5-10km west-south-west.

The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties and shelling. In Donetsk, a Russian Federation Armed Forces officer at the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination told the SMM that one woman and one man (mother and son) had been wounded in a shelling incident on 23 October in Donetsk city’s Petrivskyi district (15km south-west of Donetsk city centre), while they were in the garden of their house, located approximately 1.3km north-east to the contact line. According to the Russian Federation Armed Forces officer at the JCCC, the woman had been taken to hospital no. 14 while the man had been taken to the Regional Central Clinical Hospital, both located in Donetsk city. In hospital no. 14, the SMM spoke to medical staff who confirmed the female casualty. According to him, the woman was wounded in her right thigh and abdominal cavity, and was suffering from  shock. In the Regional Central Clinic Hospital, medical staff informed the SMM that the male casualty was stable and would be able to leave the hospital in two-three days.

The SMM conducted an impact site assessment in Yasynuvata which was shelled in the night of 23 October, according to a Russian Federation Armed Forces officer at the JCCC. The SMM observed one fresh impact site 12m east of a five-storey residential apartment building located in the northern part of the village. The impact was approximately 150cm in diameter. The SMM could not determine the direction of fire. The SMM observed a piece of shrapnel embedded into a tree 5m from the impact site. Based on the size of the impact, the SMM assessed that the projectile was possibly a 120mm mortar. The SMM observed that the windows of the first and second floors on the eastern side of the building had been damaged and saw shattered glass on the floor alongside the building. According to the JCCC officer present, there were no casualties.

In Krymske the SMM observed damage to houses on two separate streets. On the first street the SMM saw fresh shrapnel damage to the roof and walls of one house located approximately 500m from Ukrainian Armed Forces positions. A woman living in the house said the damaged had occurred on the 22 October. At another house the SMM observed broken windows and shrapnel damage on the outer walls. On another street the SMM observed a crater in the garden of a house. The SMM assessed that the crater was caused by a high-explosive anti-tank warhead fired by a recoilless gun (SPG-9).

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, during the reporting period was not observed doing so in any of the three areas. As a result SMM’s access remained restricted in all three areas,* but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.

At the “LPR” checkpoint south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed a mine warning sign and was unable to proceed.

At the “LPR” checkpoint on the edge of the Zolote-Pervomaisk disengagement area (60km west of Luhansk), an “LPR” member told the SMM that the main road leading to Zolote had been cleared of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). About the fields and areas other than roads located in the disengagement area, the “LPR” member stated that he could not guarantee the security or safety of the SMM, due to the possibility of mines or UXO. The SMM attempted to enter the Zolote-Pervomaisk disengagement area at the Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces JCCC officer in charge of the disengagement area informed the SMM that the crossing route has not been demined yet on the government-controlled side.

An SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle spotted a relatively newly constructed “LPR” checkpoint 300m outside of the south-eastern edge of the disengagement area) at the T-junction near an “LPR”-controlled part of Zolote.

In “DPR”-controlled Petrivske (41km south of Donetsk), an armed “DPR” member told the SMM that no mine-clearing activities had taken place in the area. In government-controlled Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed that 30 anti-tank mines the road to Petrivske via Viktorivka (42km south-west of Donetsk) were still present (see SMM Daily Report 24 October).*

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 in government-controlled areas: four multiple-launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) stored along with ammunition and, four stationary towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) each towed by a military truck in Khersones (15km north of Mariupol).

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside assigned areas the SMM observed four tanks (T-64) near government-controlled Dmytrivka (43km north of Luhansk).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas the SMM observed: two stationary IFVs (BMP) near Nyzhnie (56km north-west of Luhansk); and one stationary IFV (BMP-2) and one armoured personnel carrier (BRDM-2) near Krymske.

In “DPR”-controlled Kalmiuske (formerly Komsomolske, 42km south-east of Donetsk) the SMM observed armed men in camouflage clothing, two military-type trucks, and one APC (MT-LB) inside the premises of a hospital. A “DPR” member told the SMM that armed men have been present in the hospital since late 2015.

The SMM continued to observe long queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. At the “DPR”-controlled checkpoint in Olenivka (23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed 245 civilian vehicles, eight minibuses and 35 pedestrians queuing to travel towards government-controlled areas, and 86 vehicles in the opposite direction. At the government-checkpoint in Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed 143 civilian vehicles and approximately 150 pedestrians queuing to enter government-controlled areas. At the government checkpoint point in Pyshchevyk (25km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM observed 231 civilian vehicles and 70 pedestrians waiting to enter government-controlled areas, as well as 16 civilian vehicles and 20 pedestrians in the opposite direction. At the “DPR” checkpoint in Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr,  “DPR”-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM observed one bus with 20 passengers and no pedestrians travelling towards non-government-controlled areas, as well as eight civilian vehicles and ten pedestrians travelling in the opposite direction. 

The SMM noted a calm situation at a border area not controlled by the Government near Izvaryne (53km south-east of Luhansk).

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:

• At the “LPR” checkpoint south of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge the SMM could not proceed further east towards the railway bridge due to the presence of a mine hazard sign which had fallen to the ground. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• South of the same checkpoint, an armed “LPR” member stopped the SMM from proceeding further west toward an area of summer homes. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM was unable to proceed to the Zolote-Pervomaisk disengagement area at a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint near government-controlled Katerynivka (64km west of Luhansk) due to the presence of an improvised wooden barrier with a paper sign with the words “mines” handwritten  in Ukrainian. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer at the JCCC told the SMM that no demining had been conducted in the area. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM was unable to travel on the road from government-controlled Katerynivka to government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) due to the presence of anti-tank obstacles (“Czech hedgehogs”) and a red sign with the words “mines” written in Russian. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM was unable to enter the Zolote-Pervomaisk disengagement as a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer at the JCCC told the SMM that demining in the area had not begun yet. The JCCC was informed.
• At a checkpoint at the southern edge of the Zolote-Pervomaisk disengagement area, an “LPR” member told the SMM that fields and areas other than roads located in the disengagement area had not been cleared of mines. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• In “DPR”-controlled Petrivske the SMM was not able to proceed west of the village towards the disengagement area as an armed man said that no demining had been conducted in the area and he was not authorized to allow the patrol pass. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer at the JCCC told the SMM that the Ukrainian Armed Forces did not control the road and thus could not ensure security for the SMM to travel from government-controlled Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk) 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 could not proceed across the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia from either side. Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel at the checkpoint south of the bridge warned the SMM of the presence of mines on the bridge. An armed “LPR” member present told the SMM that the bridge was still mined. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• Members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces refused to give the SMM access to a heavy weapons holding area. 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.

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