Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 5 March 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region between the evenings of 3 and 4 March compared with the previous reporting period, and fewer ceasefire violations between the evenings of 4 and 5 March compared with the previous 24-hour period. In Luhansk region the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations between the evenings of 3 and 4 March compared with the previous reporting period, and fewer ceasefire violations the evenings of 4 and 5 March compared with the previous 24-hour period. It observed damage from shelling in Avdiivka, Popasna, Dachne, Oleksandrivka, Dokuchaievsk, Loskutivka, and Pikuzy. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Petrivske and Zolote, but its access remained restricted.* It recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote and Petrivske disengagement areas. The Mission, in co-ordination with the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), facilitated and monitored demining activities in areas of the Donetsk Water Filtration station. The Mission monitored the blockade of routes crossing the contact line in three locations. The SMM visited one border area currently not under the government control in Sievernyi, and armed men prevented the SMM from proceeding to another border area currently not under the government control in Leonove.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[2] including about 640 explosions between the evenings of 3 and 4 March compared with the previous reporting period, and fewer ceasefire violations between the evenings of 4 and 5 March, including about 460 explosions, compared with the previous 24-hour period.

On the night of 3-4 March, while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre the SMM heard 253 undetermined explosions 6-10km north-west. On the night of 4-5 March, while in the same location the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions 8-10km north-west. Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Kalininskyi district in Donetsk city (2.5km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard on 5 March, eight-ten explosions assessed as outgoing artillery rounds 7-10km north. Positioned at the “DPR”-controlled Donetsk central railway station (6km north-west of Donetsk city centre) the SMM heard 48 undetermined explosions 3-6km west and north-west.

During the day on 4 March, positioned in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) for about seven hours, the SMM heard 16 undetermined explosions 1-3km east-south-east. Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for about seven hours, the SMM heard 25 undetermined explosions 2-5km at directions ranging from south-west to north-north-west. Positioned 600m east-south-east of “DPR”-controlled Kruta Balka (16km north of Donetsk) for four and half hours, the SMM heard 16 undetermined explosions 2-4km south-west. On 5 March, positioned in Avdiivka for more than four hours, the SMM heard, before 10:00, 17 undetermined explosions 7-10km south-south-east, and, after 10:00, 33 undetermined explosions 1-2km south-east. Positioned in Yasynuvata for more than three and half hours, the SMM heard 31 undetermined explosions 2-3km west.

On the evening of 3 March, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions 2-6km west and 14 undetermined explosions 10-12km south-west. During the day of 4 March, positioned at a “DPR” entry-exit checkpoint north of Horlivka, the SMM heard six explosions assessed as mortar rounds 2-4km north-north-west, and 41 undetermined explosions 2-4km at directions ranging from north-north-west to north-north-east. On the evening of 4 March, while in Horlivka the SMM heard 11 explosions assessed as outgoing artillery rounds 3-5km south-west. On the early afternoon of 5 March, while in the same location, the SMM heard 30 undetermined explosions 9-10km south-west.

At 12:10 on 5 March, positioned in government-controlled Maiorsk (45km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard six explosions assessed as outgoing 82mm mortar rounds 3-4km south-east.

On the evening of 4 March, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east) the SMM heard 38 undetermined explosions 3-5km south-south-east and south. While in the same location the SMM heard, between 06:29 and 07:00 on 5 March, continuous overlapping undetermined explosions and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 3-5km south-south-east. After 10:00 on 5 March, while in Svitlodarsk the SMM heard one explosion assessed as the impact of artillery round 4-5km north-west, 23 explosions assessed as outgoing 73mm cannon of an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) 2.5km south-east, and 11 undetermined explosions 5-7km south, south-west and west.

During the day of 5 March, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Lozove (52km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard eight explosions assessed as 82mm outgoing mortar rounds 500m north-north-east.

Before midnight of 3-4 March, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded two tracer rounds in flight from south-west to north-east, followed by three undetermined explosions and in total 29 tracer rounds in flight (17 from west to east, three from south-west to north-east, five from south to north, three from east to west, and one from south-east to north-west), all at unknown distances to the north of the camera. After midnight of 3-4 March, the same camera recorded in sequence 17 tracer rounds in flight from west to east, two tracer rounds in flight from east to west, and one undetermined explosion, all at unknown distances to the north of the camera. On the evening of 4 March, the SMM camera recorded five projectiles in flight from east to south, followed by one projectile from south to north and in total 85 tracer rounds (58 from east to west, 14 from south-east to north-west, 13 from west to east), all at unknown distances to the north and north-north-east of the camera. After midnight of 4-5 March the same camera recorded in total 186 tracer rounds (two in flight from south-south-east to north-north-west, 64 from east-south-east to west-north-west, and 120 west-north-west to east-south-east), beginning with two tracer rounds from south-south-east to north-north-west. On the evening of 5 March the same camera recorded one explosion assessed as the impact of an 82mm mortar round, and five undetermined explosions, all 3km north-east.

During the day of 4 March, positioned in government-controlled Lebedynske (16km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM heard 118 explosions, most at unknown distances to the north-north-east, north-east, and east-north-east. Positioned 2km south-south-east of “DPR”-controlled Sakhanka (24km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM heard ten explosions assessed as outgoing artillery rounds 2-3km east, 11 undetermined explosions at unknown distances to the north, eight explosions assessed as outgoing rounds from undetermined weapons, and nine explosions assessed as the impacts of rounds from undetermined weapons at unknown distances to the west-south-west. Positioned in government-controlled Sopyne (16km east of Mariupol) the SMM heard 39 undetermined explosions 2-6km north-east.

On 5 March, positioned 3km north of government-controlled Aslanove (16km north of Mariupol), the SMM heard 34 undetermined explosions at undetermined distances to the east and south-east. Positioned in 3km north-north-east of government-controlled Hnutove (20km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard 20 explosions assessed as outgoing artillery rounds 7-8km south-east and south-west, 26 explosions assessed as the impacts of artillery rounds at an unknown distance east-south-east, ten explosions assessed as the impacts of mortar rounds at an unknown distance east-south-east, and ten explosions assessed as outgoing mortar rounds 8km south-east. Positioned in Hnutove the SMM heard 19 undetermined explosions at unknown distances to east, south-east, and south-west. Positioned in Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM heard two explosions assessed as outgoing 82mm mortar rounds 100-150m north-west. 

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violation between the evenings of 3 and 4 March, including about 520 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 480 explosions), and fewer ceasefire violations the evenings of 4 and 5 March, including about 110 explosions, compared with the previous 24-hour period.

On the evening of 3 March, while in “LPR”-controlled Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 276 undetermined explosions 10-15km west, 16 undetermined explosions 3-5km north-west, and seven undetermined explosions 20km north-west.

During the day of 4 March, positioned 5km north of “LPR”-controlled Kalynove (60km west of Luhansk) the SMM heard 50 explosions assessed as artillery rounds, 80 explosions assessed as mortar rounds, and 150 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 5km north. Positioned in “LPR”-controlled parts of the Zolote disengagement area the SMM heard, within 25 minutes, 20 explosions assessed as 152mm artillery rounds, 20 explosions assessed as 122mm artillery rounds, 15 explosions assessed as 120mm mortar rounds, 122 bursts of heavy-machine-gun, 30mm cannon and small-arms fire, all 3-5km west-north-west. Positioned in government-controlled Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM heard five explosions assessed as the impacts of 120mm mortar rounds 8 km south-west. Positioned in government-controlled Kriakivka (38km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM heard three explosions assessed as the impacts of 120mm mortar rounds 3km south-west. Positioned in government-controlled Troitske (69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two explosions assessed as 82mm mortar rounds 1-1.5km south-east.

On 5 March, positioned in “LPR”-controlled Kalynove the SMM heard, between 09:00 and 09:20, 45 undetermined explosions, assessed as rounds from mortar and artillery (calibre unknown), and around 35 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 10-12km south-west.  Positioned 2.5km south-east of government-controlled Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM heard, before 10:00, five explosions assessed as the impacts of 120mm mortar rounds 10km south, eight explosions assessed as the impacts of 152mm artillery rounds 5-7km south-east. Positioned at the same location at 10:17, the SMM heard one explosion assessed as an 82mm mortar round 2km south-east.

The SMM followed up on reports of damage caused by shelling. On 3 March on Pivnychna Street in government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) the SMM observed a fresh crater in the soil in front of a garage, and assessed it as having been caused by a round with calibre higher than 100mm. The SMM also observed damage to a house – located 6m north-east of the crater – with broken windows and a destroyed metal gate. A resident (a man aged 35) told the SMM that shelling had occurred on the night of 2 March.

On 3 March in Avdiivka the SMM observed seven impact sites. (See SMM Daily Report 4 March 2017). On Mendeliev Street 5, the SMM saw a hole in the south-east-facing wall of an apartment building and assessed it as caused by an artillery (122mm) or tank (125mm) round. The fifth floor and the roof of the building had also sustained damage, while several windows had been shattered. On Haharin Street 10 the SMM observed two fresh impact sites on the north and south-east side of a yard, respectively four and 20m from a kindergarten, as well as shattered windows of the kindergarten building and a nearby house. The Mission assessed the impacts as caused by artillery (122mm) or tank (125mm) rounds, fired from an easterly or east-south-easterly direction. On Haharin Street 8A the SMM observed a large hole in the east-facing wall of the fifth floor of an apartment building, assessed as caused by a round fired from an easterly or east-south-easterly direction. The Mission also observed broken windows and damage to a balcony of a nearby building. On Haharin Street 1 the SMM observed an impact in the eastern section of the roof of a five-story building. Large-size shrapnel fragments with copper bands on them were at the spot. The SMM assessed the damage as caused by 122mm artillery rounds fired from an east-south-easterly direction. On Mendeliev Street 3 the SMM observed a large hole on the east-south-east-facing wall of the fourth floor of a building and shattered windows. The SMM assessed the damage as caused by artillery (122mm) or tank (125mm) rounds fired from an east-south-easterly direction. On Komunalna Street 10 the SMM observed a large crater about 10-15m from the main entrance of School No.7, and assessed it as caused by a round fired from an east-south-easterly direction. The SMM also saw shrapnel damage to the school’s walls, fence, and a broken window. On Molodizhna Street 17 the SMM saw an impact on the south-east facing corner of an abandoned house. Several residents separately told the SMM that the shelling had occurred on the afternoon of 2 March. 

On 4 March, in “LPR”-controlled Dachne (47km west of Luhansk) the SMM observed a hole on the north-west facing side of the roof of a house on Yaltinska Street, and assessed it as having been caused by a round of the 30mm cannon of IFV (BMP-2) fired from a north-north-westerly direction. A resident (a man aged 55) said that early afternoon on 3 March he had heard shooting and subsequently shrapnel had damaged the roof.

On 4 March in “DPR”-controlled Oleksandrivka (20km south-west of Donetsk) the SMM observed a hole on the east-facing section of the roof of a shed, and damage to its windows, concrete blocks and wooden planks, and debris scattered across the yard at Shkilna Street 158. The Mission assessed the damage as having been caused by an 82mm mortar round fired from a westerly direction. Inside the shed, a Russian officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) showed the SMM an 82mm mortar tailfin, which appeared and smelt freshly exploded. The SMM also observed a small hole on a window and two fresh scars on the south-facing wall of a building next to the shed, where the Russian officer said he was living. The following day, on Shkilna Street 155, the SMM observed a fresh crater on the ground 3m from the fence of a house, and assessed it as caused by an 82mm mortar round fired from a south-westerly direction. The Mission observed shrapnel damage to the fence and the south-facing wall of the house, as well as shattered windows. Four residents told the SMM the shelling had occurred on the evening of 3 March.

On 4 March in “DPR”-controlled Dokuchaievsk (30km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM, accompanied by Russian officers of the JCCC, observed three fresh craters, one inside the compound of an electricity company and the other two 5-10m from the external fence in Heolohicheska Street. The SMM also saw shrapnel fragments on the ground, shattered windows and damage to the metal gate and the concrete fence of the compound. The Mission assessed two craters as having been caused by recoilless gun rounds (73mm) and the third crater by a recoilless gun round (73mm) or a mortar round (82mm), all fired from a south-westerly direction. The SMM also observed a fourth crater in front of an abandoned commercial building, and assessed it as having been caused by a recoilless gun round (73mm) fired from a south-westerly direction.                 

On 5 March in government-controlled Loskutivka (72km west of Luhansk) the SMM followed up on reports of shelling near a water pumping station. An employee of the station told the SMM that the shelling had occurred on 2 March, but the station had not been damaged and was functioning normally. An SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted five fresh impacts outside the station: one located 130m south-east, one located 130m east, and the other three 600m south-east of the station. The SMM assessed four of them having been caused by 152mm artillery rounds fired from a south-easterly direction. The SMM was not able to determine the weapon type and direction of fire of the fifth impact located 600m south-east of the station.

On 5 March in “DPR”-controlled Pikuzy, in the presence of an armed “DPR” member, the SMM observed three fresh craters in an area between uninhabited houses on 4 and 6 Akhmedov Street, about 10m away from either house, and minor shrapnel scarring on the walls of both buildings. The Mission assessed the craters as having been caused by artillery rounds (152mm in one case and 122mm in the other two), fired from a west-south-westerly direction. The SMM also saw a destroyed bathroom located in the yard of an uninhabited house on the same street.

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 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 but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.*

On the night of 2-3 March the SMM camera in Stanytsia Luhanska recorded three flares in vertical flight 1km south-east and 1.2km south of the camera (assessed as inside the disengagement area). On 3 March, the SMM saw Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel filling with sand newly established barriers (a frame with a metal net) of their forward position north of a broken part of bridge.

At 12:25 on 5 March, positioned in government-controlled Zolote (60km west of Luhansk) the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 2-3km south-east (the SMM was not able to assess whether it had occurred inside the disengagement area).

On 5 March positioned in Petrivske the SMM heard 52 bursts of small-arms fire 2-3km south (assessed as outside 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.[3]

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM saw in non-government-controlled areas, on 4 March, four stationary self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) in Vesele (28km north-east of Mariupol).

In government-controlled areas the SMM observed in violation of the respective withdrawal lines, on 4 March, and on 5 March, two stationary surface-to-air missile systems (9K33 Osa, 210mm): one in Rozivka (32km north of Donetsk) and another in Vershyna (63km north-east of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside storage sites, the SMM observed one self-propelled howitzer (2S1 Gvozdika, 12mm) on a flatbed trailer heading north in government-controlled Dachenske (49km north-west of Donetsk) on 4 March.

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 respective withdrawal lines, the SMM noted that one area continued to be abandoned with 18 anti-tank guns (MT-12) missing. In “DPR”-controlled areas beyond respective withdrawal lines, the SMM noted for the first time an area as abandoned with six self-propelled howitzers (2S1) missing.

The SMM revisited a Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent weapons storage site, whose location corresponded to the respective withdrawal lines, and noted all weapons previously observed as withdrawn to the site present.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and one anti-aircraft weapon [4] in the security zone. In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw, on 4 March, one stationary armoured personnel carrier (APC; BTR) near Vesele (28km north-east of Mariupol); 12 IFVs (ten BMP-1 and two BMP-2) and two APCs (MTKB), all stationary near  Stare (formerly Chervonyi Prapor, 58km west of Luhansk); one IFV (BMP) and one APC (MTLB), both stationary near Veselohorivka (64km west of Luhansk), and on 5 March, one anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) mounted on a military-type truck heading south in Donetsk city centre; three stationary IFVs (three BMP-1) south of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (outside the disengagement area).

In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw, on 4 March, one stationary armoured combat vehicle mounted with a heavy machine-gun near Lebedynske; two stationary IFV (BMP-1) near Stanytsia Luhansk; four stationary IFVs (BMP) near Orikhove-Donetske (44km north-west of Luhansk);  four stationary IFVs (BMP) near Popasna; two stationary IFVs (BMP) near Zolote (outside the disengagement area), and on 5 March, one IFV (BMP-2) heading west in Orikhove-Donetske.

On 5 March, the SMM observed fresh tracks of IFVs on a road, which continued from Yasynuvata through the Yasynuvata railway station towards the contact line. Russian officers of the JCCC in Yasynuvata told the SMM that they had heard the sounds of engines and movement of military equipment passing their observation post after midnight of 4-5 March.

The SMM monitored and facilitated adherence to the ceasefire, co-ordinated by the JCCC, to enable demining and repair of essential infrastructure. On 4 March, the SMM observed a demining team from government-controlled Kamianka (20km north of Donetsk) clearing explosive devices on the western side of the highway H20 leading to the Donetsk Water Filtration station, and a demining team from Yasynuvata clearing on the eastern side of the road. At 13:00 the SMM observed both teams simultaneously entering the station and begin demining activities. Shortly later the SMM saw a bus with 30 employees of the station arrive at the station and start repair work.  

On 4 March at an “LPR” checkpoint south of the bridge to government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) the SMM saw “LPR” members collecting detonation wires. An “LPR” member, introducing himself as a member of a demining team, told the SMM that they had collected trip wires, detonators and mortar round tails on a road lane leading toward Shchastia bridge. At the same time the SMM noted that the four anti-tank mines in “LPR”-controlled areas south of Shchastia (see SMM Daily Report 1 March 2017) were still present.  On 5 March in government-controlled Katerynivka (64km west of Luhansk) (outside the disengagement area) the SMM observed, for the first time, three mine hazards signs (red metal boards with signs labelled “Stop mines” in Russian) installed in front of houses close to the main road.

The SMM continued to monitor in three locations the blockades of routes that lead across the contact line from government-controlled areas. (See SMM Daily Report 4 March 2017). On 4 March, in Hirske (63km west of Luhansk), the SMM saw that the railway tracks remained blocked by wooden logs and barbed wire, while the SMM noted that the train, which it had previously observed stationary on the tracks, was not present. Four men (aged between 50 and 60) told the SMM that earlier that day the train had been moved back. On 4 March in Bakhmut (formerly Artemivsk, 67km north of Donetsk), the SMM saw several men wearing military-style clothes digging trenches around three military-style tents. On 5 March at the same location the SMM observed six military-style tents surrounded by trenches, barricades of sandbags, wooden obstacles, and barbed wire. The SMM also saw about 15 men wearing camouflage clothes standing around the area. At the blockade site in Shcherbynivka (44km north of Donetsk), the SMM noted a calm situation.

The SMM followed up on reports received from the Russian side of the JCCC that houses had been set on fire in government-controlled Bolotene (22km north-east of Luhansk) on the night of 3-4 March. On 4 March in the village the SMM note a calm situation. A group of residents (men in their thirties) told the SMM that on 3 March old grass had been set of fire in the area of a dried up marsh land north-west of the village. The SMM observed large burnt areas north-west of the village.  

The SMM followed up on media reports that certain companies would be placed under “temporary administration” if not “registered” in non-government-controlled areas. On 3 March, staff of DETZ in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk told the SMM that a “DPR” member had already started working in the company office after receiving a separate room as a workplace.

The SMM visited one border area currently not controlled by the Government. On 4 March, at the Sievernyi border crossing point (50km south-east of Luhansk), in one hour, the SMM observed 12 pedestrians leaving Ukraine, and 40 pedestrians entering Ukraine.

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 (UXO), 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:

• Both on 4 and 5 March, at the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, a Ukrainian officer of the JCCC told the SMM that its safety could not be guaranteed in the areas surrounding the main road due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. The SMM informed the JCCC.

• Both on 4 and 5 March, at an "LPR" checkpoint at the edge of the Zolote disengagement area, armed men told the SMM that its safety could not be guaranteed in the fields and side roads due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. The SMM informed the JCCC.

• On 5 March, the possible presence of mines and UXO prevented the SMM from travelling further south-east into the Zolote disengagement area from government-controlled Katerynivka.

• Both on 4 and 5 March, the SMM was unable to travel west from “DPR”-controlled Petrivske due to a lack of security guarantees and the possible presence of mines. The Mission informed the JCCC.

• On 5 March, the SMM was unable to travel east from government-controlled Bohdanivka due to the lack of security guarantees and the presence of anti-tank mines on the road. The SMM informed the JCCC.

• Both on 4 and 5 March, the SMM could not travel across the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia (20 km north of Luhansk) as Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel said there were mines on the road south of the bridge. The SMM informed the JCCC.

• On 4 and 5 March, the presence of anti-tank obstacles on the road prevented the SMM from traveling between Katerynivka and government-controlled Popasna. Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel told the SMM that permission to pass should be granted by higher Ukrainian Armed Forces authorities.

• On 4 March an armed man stopped the SMM and prevented the SMM from entering “LPR”-controlled Veselohorivka (64km west of Luhansk), stating he had been tasked to deny the SMM access to the village. The SMM informed the JCCC.

• On 4 March In “DPR”-controlled Petrovskyi district (15km south-west of Donetsk city centre), while the SMM was conducting an impact site assessment, accompanied by Russian officers of the JCCC, five armed “DPR” members approached the SMM and told the SMM to leave the area. Armed men escorted the SMM to another location.

• On 5 March, in government-controlled Zoria (22 km north-east of Mariupol) Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel denied access to a compound. The SMM informed the JCCC.

• On 5 March in “LPR”-controlled Khoroshe (36km west of Luhansk) armed men denied access to a compound. The SMM informed the JCCC.

• On 5 March, at a checkpoint 4km north-west of a border crossing point in “LPR”-controlled Leonove (formerly Chervonyi Zhovten, 82km south of Luhansk) two armed men prevented the SMM from proceeding further to the border crossing point, citing ongoing demining activities in the area. The Mission departed and informed the JCCC.

  Other impediments:

• On 5 March, while conducting an impact site assessment in the middle of Pikuzy the SMM heard two explosions assessed as outgoing 82mm mortar rounds 100-150m north-west. Due to security concerns the SMM had to leave the area.

• On 5 March, in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk) an armed manin a military-type truck with an “LPR” sign approached the SMM and told it to leave the area, citing security reasons. Subsequently he left and the SMM remained in its position.

[1] All times are in Eastern European Time.

[2] 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”.

[3] Despite the joint statement of 1 February by the Trilateral Contact Group and the consent reached on 15 February, the sides have not yet provided the baseline information requested by the SMM related to weapons to be withdrawn and locations of units and formations.

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