Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 18 May 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remained restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations. The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM continued to follow up on reports of shelling in Maiorsk. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; the Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. It observed demining activity and mine hazard signs. The Mission visited a border area currently not under government control. The SMM monitored peaceful gatherings in Kyiv and Kherson.

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations,[1] including about 230 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 420).

On the evening of 17 May the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, 28 explosions assessed as impacts, 50 undetermined explosions, five projectiles in flight from south-east to north-west, 45 tracer rounds in flight from north-west to south-east, one undetermined explosion, one projectile in flight from south-east to north-west and five undetermined explosions, all 3-6km ranging from east-south-east to south. During the day on 18 May, positioned in Avdiivka, the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions, three bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and three bursts of small-arms fire, all 1-4km east-south-east and south-east.

On the evening of 17 May the SMM camera at the “DPR”-controlled Oktiabr mine (9km north-west of Donetsk city centre) recorded, in sequence, one explosion assessed as an impact 7-9km north-east, one airburst and one explosion assessed as an impact 10-12km north-east, six projectiles in flight from east to west, one undetermined explosion and one projectile in flight from east to west, all 4-6 km north-north-east.  

On the evening and night of 17-18 May the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, 19 tracer rounds in flight from east to west, 16 tracer rounds in flight from west to east, followed by aggregate totals of 162 tracer rounds in flight from east to west, 168 tracer rounds in flight from west to east and one undetermined explosion, all at an unknown distance north-north-east. On the evening of 18 May the camera recorded two houses on fire in government-controlled Berdianske (18km east of Mariupol), 550m south-west of the camera.

On the evening of 17 May, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 130 shots of anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) fire and 15 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 4-5km south-south-west.

On the evening and night of 17-18 May, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard four bursts of small-arms fire 3-4km south-east and 37 undetermined explosions 6-8km south. On 18 May the SMM heard seven bursts and six shots of small-arms fire 2-4km south-east.

On 18 May, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 53 undetermined explosions, about 20 bursts and 20 shots of small-arms fire 3-5km west, 11 undetermined explosions 8-10km west, and one undetermined explosion 2-4km north.

On the same day, positioned 3km north-west of government-controlled Lebedynske (16km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard 26 undetermined explosions at an unknown distance north and north-north-west.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 20 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 90).

Positioned in “LPR”-controlled Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard four undetermined explosions 3km south-west.

Positioned 2km east of government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 3-5km east.

The SMM continued to follow up on reports of shelling. The SMM saw two craters in government-controlled Maiorsk (45km north-east of Donetsk). At Koltsova Street 1, the SMM saw a crater about ten metres north of a house. The SMM could not assess the calibre and the direction of fire. The resident of the house told the SMM that shelling had occurred on 16 May. The SMM saw a second crater approximately 30m east of the first crater, at the junction between Koltsova Street and road T0153. The SMM assessed it as caused by an 82mm mortar shell fired from an easterly direction. 

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.*

On 18 May, positioned south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge near the “LPR”-controlled checkpoint, the SMM heard one single shot of small-arms fire 500m east, assessed as inside the disengagement area. On the same day, positioned in a parking lot in the “LPR”-controlled area south of the bridge, the SMM saw a military-type truck (Ural) arriving with about 10-15 armed men on board who disembarked and took up positions near the document check booth at the northernmost “LPR” checkpoint on the bridge. Positioned south of the bridge, at 11:51, an SMM patrol saw a white flare, assessed as fired 30m north of the “LPR” checkpoint south of the bridge. Three Russian officers of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) and an “LPR” member said that “LPR” members were ready to disengage.

Positioned 1.7km south-west of “LPR”-controlled Molodizhne (63km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions and ten shots, all 3km east, assessed as outside the Zolote disengagement area.

On the same day, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Petrivske, the SMM noted a calm situation.

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

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines an SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted on 16 May in non-government-controlled areas 13 multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad 122mm) near Khrustalnyi (formerly Krasnyi Luch, 56km south-west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside storage sites, the SMM saw, on 18 May, in government-controlled areas, a tank (T-64) on a transporter near Oknyne (53km north-west of Luhansk) heading west; and one stationary tank (T-64) in Novoaidar (49km north-west of Luhansk).

An SMM mini UAV spotted on 7 May, nine pieces of artillery (type unknown) near Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk).

The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage does not comply with the criteria set in the 16 October 2015 notification. In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM visited a holding area which continued to be abandoned, with eight anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) missing.

The SMM observed fresh tracks assessed as those of tanks in the security zone. On 17 May the SMM saw six sets of fresh tracks, assessed as those of tanks (T-72 and T-64) near “DPR”-controlled Makiivka (12km north-east of Donetsk). The SMM followed the tracks east to “DPR”-controlled Khartsyzk (26km north-east of Donetsk), where the tracks of two tanks (T-64) continued east on highway H21 and the tracks of the other one (T-72) continued to south-east, and then west, near “DPR“-controlled Ilovaisk (30km south-east of Donetsk). On 18 May the SMM saw fresh tracks of a tank (T-64) near “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk).

The SMM observed demining activity and mine hazard signs. On 18 May the SMM saw a man wearing protection gear conducting a de-mining operation in a field marked with mine warning signs and near government-controlled Ozerne (formerly Illichivka, 100km north of Donetsk). On the same day, positioned at a Ukrainian Armed Forced checkpoint 3.5km east of government-controlled Popasna, the SMM monitored and facilitated the controlled detonation by a Ukrainian Armed Forces demining unit of two rocket-propelled-grenades and two mortars (120mm). The SMM observed the same unit re-installing safety pins on fuses of seven anti-tank mines nailed on a wooden plank at the checkpoint.

The SMM saw for the first time red triangular mine warning signs attached to the barbed wire on top of the wall of a compound in “DPR”-controlled Dokuchaievsk (30km south-west of Donetsk).

The SMM continued to monitor the adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure. On 18 May the SMM saw the Luhansk Water Company conduct repair works to a broken section of the water pipeline (Karbonit-Pervomaisk) in the western outskirts of “LPR-controlled Pervomaisk.

The SMM visited one border area currently not under government control. In about one hour at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (65km southeast of Luhansk), the SMM saw one civilian vehicle with Ukrainian licence plates and one bus (with Ukrainian licence plates, with signs on its windows indicating the line “Sverdlovsk–Gukovo”) with approximately 30 passengers on board exiting Ukraine. The SMM saw nine civilian vehicles (six with Ukrainian licence plates, two with Russian Federation licence plates and one with Georgian licence plates) enter Ukraine. 

The SMM monitored peaceful gatherings in Kyiv and Kherson. On 18 May in Kyiv the SMM monitored a gathering near the national Parliament building of some 2,500 people (of mixed ages and gender, including clergy), organized by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Participants were protesting against two draft laws on the status of religious communities and religious organizations pending in Parliament. The SMM saw about 300 National Police and National Guard officers present, as well as 21 police and National Guard buses and three camouflage-coloured National Guard trucks parked nearby. The gathering took place peacefully.

On 17 May in Kherson the SMM observed a march of about 15 activists of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community (mostly women) to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. About 100 police officers and National Guard members were present. The SMM observed several middle-aged women and men shouting at the marchers as they walked (flanked by police officers) along Suvorova Street. Several men unsuccessfully attempted to break through the police cordon. One threw himself at the police line, and was immediately tackled to the ground by five police officers. When the march concluded, marchers left the area in police vehicles.

The SMM continued monitoring in 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 (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:

• An armed “LPR” member told the SMM that that he could not guarantee the safety of the Mission in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.
• The SMM could not travel across the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) as Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel said no demining had taken place and that the road south of the bridge remained mined. The Mission informed the JCCC.
• The SMM could not travel west from “DPR”-controlled Petrivske due to a lack of security guarantees and the possible presence of mines. The SMM informed the JCCC

Delay:

• The SMM was approaching a checkpoint, previously observed as abandoned, near a compound in the western outskirts of Debaltseve, when it saw a civilian vehicle painted in green blocking the road. An armed man exited the vehicle and shouted they had received orders not to let the SMM pass and that the SMM should leave the area. After about one hour, and the intervention of the JCCC, the SMM patrol was allowed to pass through the checkpoint.

[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.