Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 26 April 2017

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, but, following the serious security incident that involved an SMM patrol on 23 April near Pryshyb, its monitoring in eastern Ukraine continued to be conducted with some security restrictions, which affected its observations, including of ceasefire violations. The Mission continued assessing the site of the 23 April incident. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted at all three and elsewhere.* The SMM saw damage from gunfire inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and near Zhovte. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in areas not controlled by the Government. The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to power lines near Nyzhnoteple.

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] including about 240 explosions compared with the previous reporting period (110 explosions).

On the night of 25-26 April while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city, the SMM heard 24 undetermined explosions, 3-5km north.

On the evening and night of 25-26 April, the SMM camera at the “DPR”-controlled Oktiabr mine (9km north-west of Donetsk city centre) recorded one undetermined explosion followed by seven tracer rounds in flight from west to east. More than two hours later, the camera recorded one projectile in flight from west to east followed by an undetermined explosion and one projectile in flight from east to west. All ceasefire violations were recorded 4-6km north-north-east.

On the evening of 25 April the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded one airburst, one projectile in flight from west to east and three undetermined explosions, all 3-5km east-south-east. The following day, positioned at two locations in Avdiivka for about five hours, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions, mostly 3-5km south-east. On the day of 26 April, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for about four hours, the SMM heard five undetermined explosions and small-arms fire at locations ranging from 1km to 6km, mostly north-north-west, west-south-west and west.

On the evening and night of 25-26 April, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard 51 undetermined explosions and over 220 bursts of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) and heavy-machine-gun fire mostly at distances ranging from 4km to 8km south, south-south-west and west. While in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) the same evening the SMM heard 86 undetermined explosions and heavy-machine-gun fire, mostly 2-4km south-east. While in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk) the same evening, the SMM heard 25 undetermined explosions 5-7km west-north-west.

On the night of 25-26 April, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, one airburst, one rocket-assisted projectile in flight from west to east and one rocket-assisted projectile in flight from east to west, all at undetermined distances to the north-north-east. On the day of 26 April, positioned at two locations near government-controlled Pyshchevyk (25km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM heard ten explosions (two assessed as an outgoing round and two as impacts of rounds from unknown weapons, the remainder undetermined), mostly 1-2km south-east. Positioned about 3km east-south-east of government-controlled Lomakyne (15km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard 26 undetermined explosions at unknown distances mostly east-south-east and south-east.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations compared with the previous reporting period (one shot), including 125 explosions. Positioned at two locations near government-controlled Zolote-4 (60km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM heard 110 undetermined explosions assessed as caused by mortar rounds and over 100 bursts of IFV (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) and heavy-machine-gun fire mostly at locations ranging from 3km to 6km south-west. All ceasefire violations were assessed as taking place outside the Zolote disengagement area.

On 25 April, the SMM continued assessing the site of the serious incident, in which one SMM patrol member died near “LPR”-controlled Pryshyb (34km north-west of Luhansk) (see SMM Spot Report 23 April 2017) and collected a number of items available at the site. Two Russian officers of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) accompanied the SMM throughout its stay.

The Mission continued to observe damage from gunfire. The SMM saw two fresh craters sites 15m apart, 70m west of an “LPR” checkpoint 1km south of “LPR”-controlled Zhovte (17km north-west of Luhansk) and two fresh remnants (tails) in a nearby field assessed as from IFV (BMP-1) cannon rounds (73mm). The SMM assessed the impacts as caused by IFV (BMP-1) cannon rounds fired from a north-north-easterly direction. Armed “LPR” members and five residents separately told the SMM that the gunfire had occurred on 25 April between 22:00 and midnight. No casualties were reported.

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 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.*

The SMM saw a fresh impact site in the tarmac road, 200m south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (16km north-east of Luhansk) and 50m south of the “LPR” booth for checking documents, inside the disengagement area. The impact site was located in the middle of the pathway leading from the parking lot towards the bridge, three-four metres west of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) shelter. Around 40-50cm south of the impact site the SMM saw the remnants of a rocket-propelled grenade launcher (RPG-7) round. At the ICRC shelter on the west-facing wall the SMM saw that a plastic window had fallen down and there were a few small scratches and holes around the window. The SMM assessed that the impact had been caused by a rocket-propelled grenade launcher (RPG-7) round fired from a north-westerly direction. An armed “LPR” member told the SMM that the impact had occurred the previous night between 23:20 and 23:30.

Positioned inside the Petrivske disengagement area, the SMM heard six shots 1-2km east, assessed as taking place outside the disengagement area.

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

In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM again saw one tank (T-64) with a front-mounted mine sweeper near “DPR”-controlled Nikishyne (60km north-east of Donetsk; see SMM Daily Report 22 April 2017) and continued to observe seven multiple-launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm), seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), ten towed howitzers (five D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm; and five 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm), and seven tanks (T-72) at an aerodrome in the south-eastern outskirts of Luhansk city. (See SMM Spot Report 5 April 2017.)

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft gun[2] in the security zone. The SMM saw one armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-80) heading north-east on road T1309 near government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk).

In non-government-controlled areas the SMM saw: an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23-2) mounted on an undetermined tracked vehicle parked in front of a house at the north-eastern edge of Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, “DPR”-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol) and an APC (BTR-80) 1.7km east of Pikuzy with at least ten armed “DPR” members sitting on top heading south-west. At the Luhansk aerodrome, the SMM saw 12 APCs (five MTLB and seven BTR–80), seven IFVs (BMP-2), 15 trucks and five vehicles for towing howitzers, all stationary. There were also over 500 armed men wearing military-style clothing.

The SMM monitored and facilitated, in co-ordination with the JCCC, repairs to power lines in government-controlled Nyzhnoteple (26km north of Luhansk).

The SMM saw one overturned civilian minibus and a police car parked nearby 2km south-west of government-controlled Voitove (33km north-west of Luhansk). The SMM paramedic provided first aid to eight passengers (five women, three men; all but one elderly) who appeared to have sustained multiple fractures and head wounds. The SMM remained at the scene until the first of four ambulances arrived. The SMM assisted medical personnel in evacuating the injured to the ambulances.

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

• At the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, a Ukrainian officer of the JCCC told the SMM that its safety still 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.

• The SMM could not travel eastward from government-controlled Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk) through the disengagement area due to a lack of security guarantees and the possible presence of mines. The SMM informed the JCCC.

• At a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint north of the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia, a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer told the SMM that no de-mining activities had taken place during the previous 24 hours and that the road south of the bridge was still mined. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.

  Other impediments:

  Medical staff at the Kalinina Hospital in Donetsk city refused to provide the SMM information regarding a civilian casualty reportedly injured on 26 April saying that the SMM needed written permission by senior “DPR” members.

[1] Please see the annexed table for 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.