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

This report is for the general public and the media.

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region as in the previous reporting period, with the majority concentrated in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata-Donetsk airport area and areas north-east and east of Mariupol. In Luhansk region, the SMM did not record ceasefire violations. The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and faced restrictions of its freedom of movement in all three areas, including jamming of its unmanned aerial vehicle.* The Mission monitored a border area in an area under government control in Luhansk region and one in Odessa. The SMM observed long queues at the entry-exit checkpoints near Stanytsia Luhanska during the morning hours.

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations^[1] in Donetsk region, including some 500 explosions as in the previous reporting period. Of those more than 300 explosions were recorded in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata-Donetsk airport area and more than 170 explosions were recorded in areas north-east and east of Mariupol (102km south of Donetsk).

On the night of 24 November while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre the SMM heard 40 undetermined explosions 8-10km north-west. During the day of 25 November positioned at the “DPR”-controlled Donetsk central railway station (6km north-west of Donetsk city centre) for more than six hours, the SMM heard 73 undetermined explosions at locations 4-10km ranging from west to north.

During the day positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for more than four and a half hours, the SMM heard 169 explosions at locations 2-4km ranging from south-west to north-west. The most intense ceasefire violations were noted between 10:20 and 10:38, when the SMM recorded 120 undetermined explosions accompanied by uncountable bursts and single shots 2-3km west. Positioned in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) for more than three hours, the SMM heard nine explosions assessed as outgoing rounds of recoilless gun (SPG-9, 73mm) 3-5km south-south-east and south, and one explosion assessed as an outgoing round of rocket-propelled grenade (RPG-7) 3km south-east. During the evening of 25 November the SMM camera in Avdiivka recorded 12 undetermined explosions and six undetermined projectiles in flight from north-east to south-west, all 4-6km east and east-south-east.

During the night of 24 November while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard 15 undetermined explosions 6-8km west.

During the night of 24 November, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded in sequence 13 tracer rounds in flight from east to west, one rocket-assisted projectile in flight from east to west, one explosion assessed as the impact of a round from an undetermined weapon, three rocket-assisted projectiles in flight from east to west, one explosion assessed as the impact of a round from an undetermined weapon at an undetermined distance north and north-east.

During the day of 25 November, positioned 2.5km north-east of government-controlled Hnutove (20km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard 79 undetermined explosions, mostly 3-7km south-east and south-south-east. Of those 73 explosions were recorded between 14:46 and 15:09 6-7km south-south-east. Positioned at two different places in “DPR”-controlled Zaichenko (26km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard 37 explosions (16 of which were assessed as the impact of rounds from undetermined weapons, two as outgoing rounds of undetermined weapons, and 19 undetermined explosions) at locations ranging from south-south-west to west-north-west at an undetermined distance.

The SMM did not record any ceasefire violations in Luhansk region; it had registered more than 130, including 100 explosions, during the previous reporting period.

The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty by shelling. At a hospital in Yasynuvata medical staff told the SMM that on 23 November they had received a man (in his late fifties) who had said he had been injured as a result of shelling on Pobeda street in “DPR”-controlled Kruta Balka (16km north of Donetsk) on the evening of 21 November. According to them, two small pieces of shrapnel were extracted from his body.

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement areas and to pursue full access to the areas near 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 (TCG) relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.  The Mission’s access to most of these areas remained restricted. Contrary to the TCG’s decision, the SMM did not note any signs of further disengagement or any demining activity in the three areas during the reporting period.

The SMM did not note any signs of disengagement in the Stanytsia Luhanska area. The SMM observed fresh remnants and the wire of an anti-tank guided missile lying on the side of road 200 metres north of the broken part of the bridge between the southernmost Ukrainian Armed Forces forward position and the northernmost “LPR” forward position, but the SMM was not able to determine the direction of fire.

The SMM crossed the Zolote-Pervomaisk crossing route (closed to civilians) in the disengagement area from north to south and back. During the day of 25 November in “DPR-controlled Petrivske the SMM observed a calm situation.

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

In violation of withdrawal lines the SMM observed four stationary multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS; BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near government-controlled Khlibodarivka (65km south-west of Donetsk).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles in the security zone.[2] The SMM observed in government-controlled areas: one infantry fighting vehicle (IFV; BMP-2) heading north near Avdiivka; and one stationary IFV (BMP-1) near Stanytsia Luhanska (outside the disengagement area). An SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted three stationary IFVs (BMP) near government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (outside the disengagement area). The SMM observed in areas not under government control: one armoured personnel carrier (BTR-80) with five armed men sitting on its armour heading south-west near the Donetsk central railway station; and one IFV (BMP-1) towed by a military-type truck heading south-east near “LPR”-controlled Novosvitlivka (16km south-east of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to observe long queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. At 07:30 (half an hour before the opening time of the checkpoint) at the “LPR” checkpoint south of the bridge in Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM observed 1,100-1,200 pedestrians waiting to travel towards government-controlled areas. A woman (aged 50) standing in the middle of the queue told the SMM that she had arrived at the checkpoint at 05:00, having left her home in “LPR”-controlled Alchevsk (40km west of Luhansk) at 03:00. At 10:00 at the same checkpoint, the SMM observed about 1,000 pedestrians queuing to travel towards government-controlled areas and 80 pedestrians waiting to travel in the opposite direction. At 09:30 at the government checkpoint north of the bridge, the SMM saw 100-150 pedestrians waiting to enter government-controlled areas and about 500-600 pedestrians waiting to walk in the opposite direction.

The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to essential infrastructure, co-ordinated by the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). In areas of government-controlled Svitlodarsk and “DPR”-controlled Lozove (57 and 52km north-east of Donetsk, respectively) the SMM monitored repair work on power lines carried out by 12 workers of an energy company. Near government-controlled Artema (26km north of Luhansk), the SMM monitored eight workers of a water supply company cleaning vegetation in areas around power lines connected to water pumps.  

The SMM monitored a border area under government control in Luhansk region and a border area in Odessa. On 24 November the SMM monitored a calm situation at the Platonove (148km north-west of Odessa) border crossing point along the Transdniestrian segment of the Moldova-Ukraine border. On 25 November at the Milove border crossing point (108km north-east of Luhansk) the SMM observed 25 civilian cars and 15 people waiting to exit Ukraine. A group of four people (two men and two women aged 60) told the SMM that it took them generally one to two hours to cross the border.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, 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 was not able to proceed further to the railway bridge (inside the disengagement area) south of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge from the parking lot east of an “LPR” checkpoint south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge due to the presence of a mine hazard sign. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The presence of an anti-tank obstacle (“Czech hedgehog”) on a road leading west from the Prince Ihor monument at the edge of the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska prevented the SMM from proceeding further west. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• At an “LPR” checkpoint at the southern edge of the Zolote-Pervomaisk disengagement area, the SMM was not able to access fields and areas other than roads located in the disengagement as armed “LPR” members present did not guarantee the security of the SMM due to the possible presence of mines or unexploded ordnance (UXO) in those areas. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM was not able to travel further west from “DPR”-controlled Petrivske (41km south of Donetsk) as an armed “DPR” member present did not guarantee the security of the SMM and the Russian Federation Armed Forces officer of the JCCC did not assist in ensuring security for the SMM. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM could not proceed across the bridge south of government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) from a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint to the south. Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel present at the checkpoint told the SMM that the bridge was still mined. The SMM informed the JCCC.

-At a checkpoint 1.7km south-west of government-controlled Lebedynske (16km north-east of Mariupol) Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers prevented the SMM from proceeding further east, citing ongoing fighting in the area. Despite the JCCC’s intervention, the SMM was not able to pass and had to turn around.

-The Ukrainian Armed Forces commander denied the SMM access to a heavy weapon holding area, stating that he had received orders not to allow anyone in. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Other impediments:

• While the SMM conducted two flights of a mini UAV on both sides the contact line near Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the UAV experienced intensive jamming.