Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 6 December 2016

This report is for media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission observed damage caused by shelling on both sides of the contact line. It continued to monitor the disengagement process in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and was restricted in its movement in the three areas.* The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. It facilitated and monitored repair works. The SMM followed up reports of water shortages in Luhansk region. The Mission observed a protest in Kyiv.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, including over 250 explosions compared with about 100 in the previous reporting period.[1]

While in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre on the night of 5-6 December the SMM heard 57 undetermined explosions 8-10km north-west and west.

On the night of 5-6 December, the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded 28 explosions and 171 undetermined projectiles in flight (114 from east to west, 46 from west to east, seven from north-west to south-east, three from south-west to north-east and one from south to north) in areas 4-8km south-east of the camera. On the afternoon of 6 December the camera recorded 17 undetermined explosions, 23 undetermined projectiles, 60 tracer rounds and seven airbursts 4-6km south-east of the camera.

While in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk) on the night of 5-6 December, the SMM recorded 84 undetermined explosions 5-7km north-west and one undetermined explosion 5-7km west.

While in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk) on the night of 5-6 December the SMM heard 12 explosions assessed as mortar (82mm) impacts, eight explosions assessed as outgoing fire from a recoilless gun (SPG-9), 33 bursts of cannon fire and 17 shots of automatic-grenade launcher 3-5km south-west. While in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) on the same night, the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions and bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 3-5km south and south-west.

Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM heard 11 undetermined explosions and small-arms fire at unknown distances north, south and west.

On the evening of 6 December, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded ten explosions assessed as outgoing undetermined projectiles in flight from south-east to north-west, four of which subsequently impacted at an undetermined distance to the north-west.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations including 34 explosions compared with about 50 explosions in the previous reporting period. On the night of 4-5 December the SMM camera in government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk) recorded 15 flashes (several of which were inside the disengagement area) of what the SMM assessed to be small-arms fire in areas 0.25km-1km south-east and west. All flashes were registered at locations consistent with Ukrainian Armed Forces positions.

Positioned in “LPR”-controlled Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk) on the afternoon of 6 December the SMM heard 30 undetermined explosions 15km north-west and south-west.

The SMM observed damage caused by shelling on both sides of the contact line. On Verkhnia Street in government-controlled Luhanske (59km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM observed three fresh impacts. One of the impacts, seen in the yard of a house, had damaged a fence but not the house itself. Two impacts were observed in a field 15-20m from the street. The SMM assessed the impacts had been caused by 82mm mortars fired from a southerly direction. A resident told the SMM the shelling had occurred at around 16:00 on 5 December. No one was injured, according to her. In “LPR”-controlled Donetskyi (49km west of Luhansk) the SMM observed damage to a warehouse on Lenin Street. The upper corner of a concrete north-facing wall and the roof were partly damaged. The SMM assessed the damage to have been caused by a PG9 round fired from a north-westerly direction. The owner of the warehouse, a woman aged 60-years-old, said the damaged was caused on the evening of 5 December and that no one was injured.

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas of Stanytsia Luhanska, 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 SMM’s access remained restricted in all three areas,* but the Mission was able to partially monitor them. The SMM noted no demining or fencing off of mines in any of the three areas during the reporting period.

In Petrivske the SMM observed damage to the power supply box for the camera system and assessed it had been tampered with.

The SMM lost a mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as it flew near Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk). After the UAV was launched, the operator lost control several times and decided to recall the UAV to base. The SMM assessed that the UAV made an uncontrolled landing in an “LPR”-controlled area. The SMM was unable to recover the UAV as the area could be mined.

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

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. In government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM observed four towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm), eight MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) and three anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm). The following weapons continued to be observed as absent: 12 MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) first observed missing on 24 November 2016, six anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) first observed missing on 2 May 2016 and two towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) first observed missing on 22 September 2016. One site was observed abandoned for the first time with 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) missing, six for the first time and six as first observed on 1 May 2016. At another site that had been previously abandoned, the SMM observed military personnel and five armoured personnel carriers (APC; BTR-70), but access was denied by Ukrainian Armed Forces.*

The SMM followed up reports of water shortages in Luhansk region. The director of a water supply company in government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) informed the SMM that the water supply would cease as the electricity supply necessary to operate the pump would be cut on 7 December due to the non-payment of bills by the company. According to him, water supply would be cut to government- and “LPR”-controlled areas and severe water shortages would result.

The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to essential infrastructure, co-ordinated by the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) in government-controlled Orikhove (57km north-west of Luhansk) where a team of workers assessed the condition of a 2km stretch of the Shypilovo-Sentianivka railway line.

Outside the national Parliament building in Kyiv the SMM observed a protest of up to 2,500 people (almost all men aged over 50 years old) who demanded improved support and pensions for retired law enforcement officers. About 300 National Guard officers and 50 police in riot gear secured the area. Some protestors blocked traffic for almost three hours. The road was unblocked when protestors dispersed peacefully.

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

*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:

• An armed man denied the SMM passage beyond a “DPR” checkpoint west of Petrivske (41km south of Donetsk). The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM could not travel from government-controlled Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk) to government-controlled Viktorivka (42km south-west of Donetsk) as a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC said the road was mined and did not assist to ensure security for the SMM. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM was unable to access secondary routes in the Zolote-Pervomaisk disengagement area (58km west of Luhansk) as an “LPR” member said he could not guarantee its safety due to the presence of mines and/or unexploded ordnance. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM could not access the disengagement area from government-controlled Zolote-3 (60km west of Luhansk) as several concrete blocks and barbed wire blocked the road. The SMM also observed several mine warning signs on both sides of the road. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• Anti-tank barriers (“Czech hedgehogs”) on the road prevented the SMM from travelling between government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) and government-controlled Katerynivka (64km west of Luhansk). A sign warning of mines was also observed. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM could not travel across the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) in either direction as Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel said the bridge was mined and an “LPR” member told the SMM that demining had not taken place. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers denied the SMM access to a weapons holding area. The SMM left, and after having informed the JCCC, returned to the holding area, where soldiers again denied access.
• Two “DPR” members at a checkpoint denied the SMM access to Nova Marivka (64km south of Donetsk). The SMM informed the JCCC.
• State Border Guard Service officers denied the SMM access to the border at a checkpoint 1km from the Krasnoilsk border crossing point (52km south-west of Chernivtsi).

Conditional access:

• At a checkpoint in government-controlled Lysychansk (75km north-west of Luhansk), Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel insisted on checking the interior of an SMM minibus before allowing the SMM to proceed.

[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.