Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 16 December 2016

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Marinka, and observed damage to a civilian house in Dokuchaievsk. The SMM was restricted in its movement in the three disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and recorded ceasefire violations in or around two of them.* The SMM monitored repairs to essential infrastructure in Artema and Zolote. The Mission monitored three border crossing points currently not under government control.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1] in Donetsk region, including some 100 explosions compared with more than 360 explosions in the previous reporting period.

During the night of 15 December while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre the SMM heard four explosions 7-10km north-west.

During the same night the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded six undetermined explosions 3-5km south-east. The following day positioned in Avdiivka the SMM heard five undetermined explosions 2-3km south-east. Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard 25 undetermined explosions: five explosions 3-7km north, nine explosions 5-7km north-east, one explosion 5-7km west, and ten explosions 3-7km north-west. On the same evening the SMM camera in Avdiivka recorded five undetermined explosions, two explosions assessed as caused by the impacts of undetermined projectiles, and nine undetermined projectiles (five in flight from east to west and four from west to east), beginning with three undetermined projectiles from east to west.

During the night of 15 December while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard seven explosions assessed as outgoing recoilless gun (SPG-9) rounds (73mm) 4-5km south, and two undetermined explosions 4-5km south-south-east. On the evening of 16 December while in the same location the SMM heard 12 explosions assessed as the impacts of 82mm mortar rounds 6-7km south-east.

During the night of 15 December while in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard 23 undetermined explosions 4-6km north-west.

The SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded one undetermined explosion at an undetermined distance north during the night of 15 December, and ten tracer rounds in flight from west to east at an undetermined distance north-east of the camera during the early morning of 16 December. On the evening of 16 December the same camera recorded five airbursts and one explosion assessed as the impact of a round from an undetermined weapon 1-3km north-east. The camera also recorded in sequence 24 tracer rounds of anti-aircraft gun (Zu-23, 23mm) from north-east to south-west followed by five tracer rounds of anti-aircraft gun (Zu-23) in the opposite direction, 15 tracer rounds from west to east, and one rocket-assisted projectile from south to north.

Positioned 2.5km south-east of government-controlled Lomakyne (15km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 5-6km north, east and south-east.

In Luhansk region the SMM observed more ceasefire violations, including eight explosions compared with two during the previous reporting period. Positioned in “LPR”-controlled Veselohorivka (64km west of Luhansk) the SMM heard 20 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 1-2km south-west. Positioned in “LPR”-controlled Miusynsk (62km south-west of Luhansk) the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions 5-6km east-south-east, and assessed them as a live-fire exercise at a known training area outside the security zone.

The SMM followed up on reports on shelling and civilian casualties. In “DPR”-controlled Dokuchaievsk (30km south-west of Donetsk) the SMM observed a destroyed chimney and a hole in diameter 50cm at the ridge of the hipped roof of a one-storey house. The SMM assessed the damage as caused by an undetermined projectile fired from a westerly direction.  A resident told the SMM that the damage had been caused by shelling occurred on the night of 14-15 December. At a hospital in government-controlled Kurakhove (40km west of Donetsk) the SMM met a man (aged 62) – a resident in government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk), who said that he sustained injures to his legs by one stray bullet when travelling by bicycle 150m from a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint in Marinka on the morning of 14 December. The SMM saw him walking with crutches. Medical staff in the hospital told the SMM that a woman (aged 60) had sustained injuries in her legs by the shrapnel of a round from automatic grenade launcher on the morning of 15 December in Marinka. The police officer in Kurakhove confirmed to the SMM that the woman had been wounded by the impact of a grenade.

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 SMM’s access to all three areas remained restricted, 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.

During the night of 10-11 December the SMM camera in Stanytsia Luhanska recorded about 40 flashes assessed as single shots of small-arms fire; about 35 of them were assessed as inside the disengagement area. On 16 December the SMM observed two fresh impacts assessed as caused by rounds from automatic grenade launcher (AGS) north of the broken part of the bridge.

The SMM noted a calm situation at the Zolote-Pervomaisk disengagement area.

At 17:21 on 14 December the SMM camera in “DPR”-controlled Petrivske recorded two shots of small-arms fire 0.2-1km south-west (assessed as inside the disengagement area).

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 12 anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) for the first time. The SMM noted as absent: 23 anti-tank guns (MT-12) (eight as first noted on 12 June, six as first noted on 22 October 2016 and nine as noted for the first time); and nine mortars (2B9 Vasilek, 82mm) (as first noted on 16 July 2016).

The SMM observed the following armoured combat vehicles[2] in the security zone: in government-controlled areas one stationary infantry fighting vehicle (IFV; BMP-2) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk); one IFV (BMP) heading north-west near Raihorodka (34km north-west of Luhansk); one stationary armoured personnel carrier (APC; BRDM-2) near Vrubivka (72km west of Luhansk); and one IFV (BMP-1) near Voitove (33km north-west of Luhansk). In “LPR”-controlled Smile (31km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM saw one IFV (BMP-1).

The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to essential infrastructure, co-ordinated by the JCCC. The SMM observed the inspection of water wells for repair work in government-controlled Artema and Nyzhnoteple (both 26km north of Luhansk) and repair works on water pipes in government-controlled parts of Zolote.

The SMM monitored the Ukraine-Russian Federation border in areas currently not controlled by the Government. The SMM was present for 65 minutes in Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk), for 40 minutes in Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) and for 15 minutes in Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk). During its observation in Voznesenivka the SMM saw 27 cars (23 with Ukrainian licence plates and four with Russian Federation licence plates) and six pedestrians left Ukraine, and 23 cars (19 with Ukrainian licence plates and four with Russian Federation licence plates), one bus and 18 pedestrians entered Ukraine. 

The SMM monitored the passage of civilians travelling across the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. At 08:30 at an “LPR” checkpoint south of the bridge the SMM observed about 250 pedestrians queuing to travel toward government-controlled areas. At 09:30 at the government checkpoint north of the bridge the SMM observed about 120 pedestrians queuing to leave government-controlled areas and no queue in the opposite direction. On the wooden ramp connecting the broken parts of the bridge the SMM saw three armed “LPR” members reinforcing the damaged handrail on the ramp by nailing boards to them.

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

*Restrictions of 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. They have also agreed that the JCCC should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance.

Denial of access:

• The SMM observed a mine hazard sign south-east of an “LPR” checkpoint south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, preventing it from proceeding east towards a summer- cottage area (inside the disengagement area). An armed man at the “LPR” checkpoint told the SMM that the area had not been demined yet. The SMM was not able to proceed east. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM was unable to access secondary routes in the Zolote-Pervomaisk disengagement area from the “LPR”-controlled side. Armed “LPR” members said they could not guarantee the SMM’s safety due to the threat from mines or unexploded ordnance (UXO). The SMM informed the JCCC.
• In “DPR”-controlled Petrivske the SMM noted that no demining had taken place on the road west towards the disengagement area. The threat of mines and the absence of security guarantees prevented the SMM from using the road. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM could not travel east from government-controlled Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk) towards Petrivske as a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC said that the road was still mined. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM was not able to proceed toward government-controlled Katerynivka (64km west of Luhansk) from a checkpoint near government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) due to the presence of anti-tank obstacles in the middle of the road. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM was denied passage across the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) from both directions. North of the bridge, Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel told the SMM there were mines in the area. South of the bridge, an armed “LPR” member said there might be mines or UXO in the 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.* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate”.

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