Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 28 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 period between the evenings of 26 and 27 December. The Mission followed up on reports of shelling in Troitske and Zhovte (Luhansk region). The SMM continued monitoring the three disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access was restricted by the continued presence of mines and unexploded ordnance.* The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. The Mission monitored the situation of civilians living close to the contact line and the freedom of movement of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints. The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to essential infrastructure in Orikhove, Debaltseve, Maiorsk, and Myronivskyi.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1] in Donetsk region, but fewer explosions (about 100 explosions compared with some 150 in the previous reporting period), mostly in areas north and north-east of Donetsk.

During the evening of 27 December, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard one explosion assessed as an outgoing round of an undetermined weapon 2-5km east. The SMM also heard 19 undetermined explosions, more than 120 bursts and more than 500 shots of small-arms fire, all 0.5-12km distant, at locations ranging from north-east to south. The next day, from early morning until the evening hours, the SMM heard 29 undetermined explosions, more than 300 single shots and more than 130 bursts of automatic-grenade-launcher and small-arms fire, all 1.2-5km distant, at locations ranging from north-east to south-west.

During the evening of 27 December, while in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard 10 undetermined explosions 8-10km north-west. During the next day in Debaltseve the SMM heard three undetermined explosions and 60 shots of small-arms fire 5-12km north-west. While in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), over a period of more than two hours, the SMM heard 12 undetermined explosions 4-8km south-west and west-north-west.

Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for about five hours the SMM heard 15 undetermined explosions and more than 200 bursts and single shots of small-arms fire, all 1-7km and most of them south-west and west.

During the evening of 27 December the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded four undetermined explosions, six tracers and two rocket-assisted projectiles in flight from east to west, all at undetermined distances north.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including 15 explosions compared with ten in the previous reporting period. Positioned in the eastern outskirts of “LPR”-controlled Alchevsk (40km west of Luhansk) for 20 minutes, the SMM heard 12 explosions (assessed as both outgoing and impacts) of rounds from undetermined weapons and 50 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 5km south-east. Positioned in “LPR”-controlled Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 2-5km north-east.

Positioned 2.4km north-east of “LPR”-controlled Raivka (16km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion and four bursts of small-arms fire 3-5km south-south-west. Ten minutes later, at the site where the SMM assessed the firing to have occurred – 600m south-west of the centre of Raivka – the SMM saw 17 shell casings (7.62mm) scattered across the road, some still warm and melting into the snow.

The SMM followed up on reports of shelling and observed damage to civilian infrastructure. On 26 December, following reports of residents of government-controlled Troitske (69km west of Luhansk) the SMM visited Pryvilna Street and observed recent damage to one house, including shrapnel damage to a wall and two broken windows, which had already been covered with plastic sheets. The people living in the house (a man and a woman around 65 years old) said that fighting had occurred on 23 December, but no one had been hurt.

On 27 December in “LPR”-controlled Zhovte (17km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed fresh damage to two houses (one of which appeared to have been abandoned) 100m apart, assessed as caused by anti-tank wire-guided missiles fired from a northerly direction. The SMM saw about 30-35 holes (from 4 to 20mm in diameter) in a north-facing wall of the abandoned house. The north-western part of the roof had been heavily damaged. The SMM observed two wires of anti-tank guided missiles parallel to each other, 15m apart and 30-40m north of the house. The SMM saw two holes (one 4mm and the other 20-25mm in diameter) in the north-facing wall of the inhabited house. The owners of the inhabited house (a man and woman in their sixties) told the SMM that shelling had occurred on 21 December, but no one had been hurt.

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 camera in Stanytsia Luhanska recorded on the evening of 26 December one flash 2km south of the camera, assessed as outside the disengagement area. The next evening the same camera recorded one undetermined explosion at an undetermined distance east-south-east of the camera.

The SMM observed no demining or fencing off of mines in the Stanytsia Luhanska and Petrivske disengagement areas during the reporting period. However, south of the Zolote-Pervomaisk disengagement area the SMM observed one group of “LPR” members who introduced themselves as a demining team and were carrying what was assessed as demining equipment. Accompanied by a Russian Federation Armed Forces officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) and a media representative they went into the disengagement area and returned 80 minutes later. The team told the SMM that they had conducted demining in the area. The SMM could not see or hear anything from the area where it had access.

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

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside assigned sites the SMM observed one surface-to-air missile system (SA-8 Osa, 120mm) near government-controlled Tsukuryne (37km north-west of Donetsk) and three tanks at a training area in “LPR”-controlled Myrne.

The SMM revisited a “DPR” heavy weapons permanent storage site whose location corresponded with the withdrawal lines and noted that all weapons previously recorded as withdrawn to that site were present.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] and an anti-aircraft weapon in the security zone. In government-controlled areas the SMM observed: four static infantry fighting vehicles (BMP-2) and one armoured recovery vehicle (BREM-3) in Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) on 27 December. The next day the SMM saw two IFVs (BMP-2) in Popasna, including one on the road between Popasna and Katerynivka (64km west of Luhansk); and one IFV (BMP-1) in Trokhizbenka (32km north-west of Luhansk). The SMM camera in Stanytsia Luhanska recorded one anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) and one possible armoured personnel carrier (BTR) in Stanytsia Luhanska (outside the disengagement area) on 23 December.

In “DPR”-controlled city of Debaltseve the SMM saw fresh tracks of armoured combat vehicles and could hear the sound of such vehicles moving.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians living close to the contact line and that of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints. The deputy head of Popasna civil-military administration told the SMM that there was no electricity and water in Troitske since 21 December due to damage reportedly caused by shelling.

At the government checkpoint north of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM observed about 100 people queuing to enter government-controlled areas and about the same number queuing in the opposite direction. The SMM also saw a man carried and transported by staff of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine further into government-controlled areas. At 09:30 at the “LPR” checkpoint south of the bridge, the SMM observed some 300 pedestrians queuing to walk towards government-controlled areas and about 150 people queuing in the opposite direction. By 11:00 the lines had reduced to about 100 people queuing in each direction.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to essential infrastructure, co-ordinated by the JCCC. The Mission monitored maintenance and repair works of 2km of track on the Hirske-Sentianivka line near government-controlled Orikhove (56km north-west of Luhansk).

While monitoring repair works on a power line in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve, the SMM heard heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire in the direction of the workers. The JCCC successfully contributed to restoring the ceasefire.

The SMM also monitored repair works on railway lines in the area of government-controlled Maiorsk (45km north-east of Donetsk), reportedly damaged by shelling the previous week; power lines supplying Troitske; and power lines in government-controlled Myronivskyi (62km north-east of Donetsk).

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Kyiv 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:

• In government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska the SMM was not able to access areas other than the main road located in the disengagement area, as a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC present told the he could not assist in ensuring the security of the SMM due to the possible presence of mines or UXO in those areas. The SMM informed the headquarters of the JCCC.
• In “LPR”-controlled parts of the disengagement area in Stanytsia Luhanska the SMM was not able to proceed east towards a summer cottage area (inside the disengagement area) due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM was unable to travel east into the Zolote-Pervomaisk disengagement area using a secondary road east of government-controlled Katerynivka. Ukrainian Armed Forces officers told the SMM that the area was mined. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM could not access secondary routes in the Zolote-Pervomaisk disengagement area from the “LPR”-controlled side. Armed “LPR” members at the checkpoint at the southern edge of the disengagement area said they could not guarantee the SMM’s safety from the threat of mines or UXO. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• In “DPR”-controlled Petrivske the SMM could not proceed west towards the disengagement area due to lack of security guarantees and potential mines and UXO on the road. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• Mines on the road prevented the SMM from proceeding from government-controlled Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk) towards Viktorivka (42km south-west of Donetsk). A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer at the JCCC said that he had no information on potential demining activities.
• The SMM was denied passage across the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) from the north due to the presence of mines or UXO in the area. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM was unable to travel on the road between government-controlled Katerynivka and Popasna from both sides, as Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel present on each side, respectively, said that the road was mined. The SMM also noted anti-tank obstacles on the road. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• At a government checkpoint in Staryi Aidar (20km north-west of Luhansk), Ukrainian Armed Forces denied the SMM access after it refused to reveal whether there were any Russian citizens among the patrol’s members. 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.