Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 21 December 2016

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period, including nearly 1,600 explosions in Donetsk region and 169 explosions in Luhansk region. The majority of ceasefire violations, including the use of tank, artillery and mortar fire continued to be recorded in the Svitlodarsk-Debaltseve area. The SMM continued monitoring the three disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and its access to these areas was again restricted.* The Mission observed proscribed weapons in violation of the respective withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM followed up on reports of an incident at a Jewish gravesite in Uman.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1] in Donetsk region, including some 1,600 explosions, compared with about 730 explosions in the previous reporting period. The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in the areas around Svitlodarsk and Debaltseve (57 and 58km north-east of Donetsk, respectively).

On the evening of 20 December in government-controlled Svitlodarsk, the SMM heard 66 explosions assessed as outgoing 122mm artillery rounds, 29 explosions assessed as impacts of 120mm mortar rounds, 24 explosions assessed as outgoing tank fire, and 22 explosions assessed as outgoing recoilless gun (SPG-9, 73mm) rounds 2-5km north, north-east, south-east, south-south-east and south. Throughout the day on 21 December, the SMM heard 497 undetermined explosions, 120 explosions assessed as outgoing 122mm artillery rounds, 113 explosions assessed as impacts of 120mm mortar rounds, 88 explosions assessed as outgoing 152mm artillery rounds, 14 explosions assessed as outgoing tank fire (type unknown), and 96 explosions assessed as outgoing rounds of recoilless gun (SPG-9, 73mm) or infantry fighting vehicle (IFV; BMP-1) cannon (73mm) fire, 1-8km north, north-east, south-south-east, south and south-west of its position. Between 12:20 and 12:40, the SMM saw black smoke 1.5km south.

On 21 December, while in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve, the SMM heard 252 explosions assessed as outgoing artillery fire (calibre unknown), 76 explosions assessed as outgoing mortar rounds (calibre unknown), and 65 undetermined explosions (of which five were assessed as outgoing), all 1-15km north-east and north-west.  Positioned about 3km north-east of Debaltseve, the SMM heard seven explosions assessed as outgoing rounds approximately 5km west.

Throughout the day, the SMM was in constant contact with the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Russian Federation Armed Forces representatives at the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), to facilitate dialogue and support the JCCC in assisting to ensure adherence to the ceasefire. The JCCC told the SMM that they had been in contact with the forces and formations and had made over twenty attempts to restore adherence to the ceasefire.

During the night of 20-21 December, the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded six undetermined explosions, 78 undetermined projectiles (44 in flight from south to north and 34 from north to south) and 13 tracer rounds (ten in flight from south to north and three from north to south), one illumination flare and one airburst, beginning with one undetermined projectile in flight from north to south, all 3-8km east-south-east and south-east. On 21 December, positioned in Avdiivka the SMM heard five undetermined explosions, eight explosions assessed as impacts of rounds from undetermined weapons, and eight bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, 1-4km south-east and south-south-east.  On the same day, the SMM camera recorded three explosions assessed as impacts of rounds from undetermined weapons, 13 undetermined projectiles in flight from north-east to south-west and one airburst beginning with one explosion assessed as an impact of an undetermined weapon, all 4-5km east-south-east.

While positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 36 undetermined explosions, as well as heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, which was overlapping and uncountable on at least one occasion for about ten minutes, all 3-8km south, south-south-west, south-west, west, west-north-west and north-west.

During the night of 20-21 December, the SMM camera in Oktiabr mine (“DPR”-controlled, 9km north-west of Donetsk city centre) recorded 57 undetermined explosions, two illumination flares, 63 tracer rounds (49 from north to south, and 14 from south to north), and 13 undetermined projectiles (12 in flight from north to south and one from south to north) beginning with one undetermined projectile in flight from south to north, all 6-10km north-east. The following day, the camera recorded in flight 80 tracer rounds from west to east, seven undetermined projectiles from west to east, and one illumination flare beginning with 35 tracer rounds from west to east, all 7-10km north-east.

During the night of 20-21 December, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded five undetermined explosions and six explosions assessed as impacts, 51 tracer rounds in flight from west to east, and 20 rocket-assisted projectiles in flight from west to east beginning with one rocket-assisted projectile in flight from west to east, all at undetermined distances to the north. The following day, the SMM camera recorded an exchange of fire beginning with two rocket-assisted projectiles in flight from north-west to south-east and followed by 27 tracer rounds (18 in flight from east to west, seven from north-west to south-east and two from west to east), all at undetermined distances to the north and north-east.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including 169 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (49 shots). Positioned approximately 1.5km south-south-west of “LPR”-controlled Kalynove (60km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 130 explosions assessed as outgoing and impacting artillery rounds approximately 5km west-south-west. Positioned approximately 3.7km south-west of “LPR”-controlled Almazna (55km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 17 overlapping explosions assessed as outgoing and impacting artillery rounds 5-10km west-south-west. The SMM heard 11 explosions of artillery fire while positioned 2km west of “LPR”-controlled Veselohorivka (64km west of Luhansk) 5-10km south-west.

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.

While positioned in the Zolote-Pervomaisk and Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement areas, the SMM noted a calm situation.

On the night of 19 December, the SMM camera in “DPR”-controlled Petrivske (41km south of Donetsk) recorded one undetermined explosion 1-2km west-south-west (assessed as inside the disengagement area). On 21 December, while positioned in government-controlled Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion at an unknown distance north-west and three bursts of small-arms fire 4km north-east (all assessed as outside 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.

In violation of the withdrawal lines, SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) spotted three mortars being fired near “DPR”-controlled Novohryhorivka (61km north-east of Donetsk). Near “LPR”-controlled Hlybokyi (55km west of Luhansk), the SMM observed a self-propelled howitzer (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) being towed by a truck moving north-east. In government-controlled areas the SMM saw: a tank (T-80) being towed on a flatbed trailer near Svitlodarsk on road M-03 traveling south-east towards Debaltseve; four stationary self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) near Vershyna (63km north-east of Donetsk); and two mortars (120mm) in Sopyne (16km east of Mariupol).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside assigned storage sites, the SMM saw a surface-to-air-missile system (9K37) near government-controlled Verkhnokamianka (84km north-west of Luhansk).

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, the SMM observed nine pieces of towed artillery (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152 mm). The SMM noted as missing 21 pieces of towed artillery (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152 mm) (six pieces as first noted on 21 July, six pieces as noted on 18 August, six pieces as noted on 12 October, and three pieces as noted on 30 November).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles, one anti-aircraft weapon and other hardware[2] in the security zone. In Luhansk city, the SMM saw one truck with an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted on top. Near “LPR”-controlled Svitle (11km north of Luhansk), the SMM observed an armoured personnel carrier (APC; BTR-80) and a military-type truck traveling south. Near “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk), three military-type trucks were traveling south from “DPR”-controlled Novohryhorivka (61km north-east of Donetsk) into Debaltseve. Shortly thereafter, the SMM saw two military-type trucks traveling from Debaltseve in the direction of Novohryhorivka; one of the trucks was carrying men wearing camouflage clothing.

In government-controlled areas, the SMM observed three IFVs (BMP-2) near Raihorodka (34km north-west of Luhansk) and three APCs (MT-LB) near Voitove (33km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM monitored the situation of civilians living in areas along the contact line. In Novooleksandrivka (65km west of Luhansk), the SMM spoke with an elderly woman who said she had recently had a stroke but could not pass the checkpoint in “LPR”-controlled Molodizhne (63km west of Luhansk) to travel to a hospital in “LPR”-controlled Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk). In co-ordination with the JCCC, the SMM facilitated dialogue between the Ukrainian Armed Forces and armed “LPR” members to ensure adherence to the ceasefire to allow the civilian to pass the checkpoint by vehicle, as civilians from Novooleksandrivka are restricted to pedestrian or bicycle traffic only.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire for repairs to essential infrastructure, co-ordinated by the JCCC. In government-controlled Pivnichne (formerly Kirove, 44km north-east of Donetsk) and “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM monitored repair work on a water pipeline and electricity lines that cross the contact line and supply Horlivka with water, which were damaged by shelling. Workers from Voda Donbassa told the SMM that the pipeline had been repaired in non-government-controlled areas, but that additional work would be required on the government-controlled side, which may be delayed due to the presence of mines and the difficulty of demining in snowy conditions. While positioned in Pivnichne, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 6-7km east.

A representative of Popasna Water Company told the SMM that a repair team had arrived onsite to conduct repairs to a 1200mm water pipe in government-controlled Zolote and that he expected the work to last all week. Also a representative of a railway company told the SMM that repairs to railway tracks near government-controlled Orikhove (57km north-west of Luhansk) were ongoing and expected to last through the end of the week.

The SMM followed up on reports of an incident at a Hasidic Jewish gravesite. In Uman (211km south of Kyiv), inside the gravesite complex housing the tomb of Hasidic Rabbi Nachman the SMM saw traces of red paint on the floor and carpet in the same room as the tomb. The executive director of the gravesite complex told the SMM that two men had attacked three worshippers at the gravesite in the middle of the night on 21 December with teargas. He said that the intruders had placed a pig’s head with a swastika on a table next to the tomb and had thrown red paint all over the floor. He told the SMM that he believed the act had been a provocation. The spokesperson of Uman police department told the SMM that no arrests had been made but that the police had set up a special task force to investigate the case.

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

*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 was not able to proceed further west on the road leading from the Prince Ihor monument south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge as the road was blocked by a wooden bar and an anti-tank obstacle, and due to the possible presence of mines. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM was unable to access an area near the railroad tracks in the Zolote-Pervomaisk disengagement area on the government-controlled side. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that the area had not been demined.
• The SMM was unable to access secondary routes in the Zolote-Pervomaisk disengagement area from the “LPR”-controlled side. An armed “LPR” member 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.
• A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC confirmed the presence of mines on the road north of the disengagement area, which prevented the SMM from travelling east to Petrivske.
• The SMM was prevented from travelling on the road between government-controlled Katerynivka and government-controlled Popasna (64 and 69km north-west of Luhansk, respectively) from both sides due to the presence of anti-tank obstacles on 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 might be mines or UXO in the area. South of the bridge, an armed “LPR” member told the SMM the same. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• In “LPR”-controlled Zhovte (17km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM could not travel on a road toward the Siverskyi Donets river due to the presence of an improvised barrier of tree branches and mine markers across the road as well as a mine hazard sign. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• In government-controlled Sopyne (16km east of Mariupol), Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel denied the SMM access to an area where it could see two mortars (120mm).

[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.