Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 12 July 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including a similar number of explosions, compared with the previous reporting period. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in Siedove, and at a checkpoint in Novoazovsk near the border with the Russian Federation, where armed men stopped the SMM and asked all SMM members to step out of their vehicles.* The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians travelling across the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. It facilitated and monitored the completion of repair works to the Mykhailivka-Almazna high-voltage power lines near Pervomaisk, which supplies electricity to approximately 150,000 people. The SMM monitored three peaceful protests in Kyiv.

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] though a similar number of explosions (about 100), compared with the previous reporting period.

On the evening of 11 July, while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard six undetermined explosions 8-12km north-west.

On the evening and night of 11-12 July the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, eight explosions assessed as impacts 3-5km east-south-east. On 12 July the same camera recorded four explosions assessed as impacts 3-5km east-south-east. Positioned in Avdiivka for over five hours, the SMM heard about 25 undetermined explosions, eight bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and 30 shots of small-arms fire, all 2-5km south and south-east.

On 12 July, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for over five hours, the SMM heard about 20 explosions (four assessed as outgoing and the remainder undetermined), about 20 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun fire and about 70 bursts and shots of small-arms fire, all 1-5km west. 

On the evening and night of 11-12 July, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 15 undetermined explosions 5-12km south-east and about 30 bursts and shots of small-arms fire 3-5km south-east.

On the night of 11-12 July the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, one rocket-assisted projectile in flight from west to east, four rocket-assisted projectiles in flight from east to west, followed by aggregate totals of six undetermined explosions, 26 rocket-assisted projectiles and about 231 tracer rounds in flight from east to west, 30 rocket-assisted projectiles and about 167 tracer rounds in flight from west to east, eight tracer rounds in vertical flight and three illumination flares (one in flight east to west and two in vertical flight), all at unknown distances north.

On 12 July, positioned 2.5km south-east of government-controlled Lebedynske (16km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard five undetermined explosions 1-2km north-north-east.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, though fewer explosions (about 20), compared with the previous reporting period (about 30 explosions).

On the morning of 12 July, positioned 2.5km south of “LPR”-controlled Zhovte (17km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard five undetermined explosions 10km north-west.

Positioned 3km south-east of government-controlled Raihorodka (34km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 10km east and three undetermined explosions 15km north, assessed as part of a live-fire exercise.

Positioned in government-controlled Dmytrivka (43km north of Luhansk), the SMM heard five shots of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1, 73mm) cannon fire and about 100 to 150 shots of small-arms fire, assessed as part of a live-fire exercise.

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 the evening of 10 July, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded, in sequence, three undetermined explosions, a rocket-assisted projectile in flight from north-west to south-east, six undetermined explosions and two rocket-assisted projectiles in flight from north-west to south-east, all 3-9km east and east-south-east, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.

The SMM observed a calm situation while present near the disengagement area of Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM remained unable to access its camera in “DPR”-controlled Petrivske due to security considerations.

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

In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw four to six weapon systems (approximately 2m length and 1.6m height) loaded with possible mortar (240mm) rounds about 2km east of Naberezhne (33km north-east of Mariupol). An SMM unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted, on 10 July, one towed anti-tank gun (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) near Naberezhne.

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside assigned areas, in government-controlled areas, on 12 July, the SMM saw four towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) in Dobropillia (75km north-west of Donetsk) heading east.

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 government-controlled areas, the SMM observed 11 mortars (six 2B11 Sani, 120mm, four M-120-15 Molot, 120mm and one BM-37, 82mm noted as present for the first time). The SMM observed that the following weapons were again missing: 12 mortars (four 2B11 and eight M-120-15 of which two noted as missing for the first time), six towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) and three anti-tank guns (MT-12).   

The SMM revisited an “LPR” permanent storage site whose location corresponded with the respective withdrawal lines and observed that one tank (T-64) was again missing. 

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACVs) and an anti-aircraft gun,[2] as well as other indications of military-type presence, in the security zone.

In government-controlled areas, on 12 July, the SMM saw three stationary armoured personnel carriers (two BTR-70 and one BTR-60) in Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk). An SMM UAV spotted, on 11 July, three IFVs (a BMP-1 and two BMP-2) near Starohnativka (51km south of Donetsk) and a reinforced military position under construction near Chermalyk (77km south of Donetsk). 

In non-government-controlled areas, aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence, on 10 July, of 25 ACVs and 11 military-type trucks near “DPR”-controlled Boikivske (formerly Telmanove, 67km south-east of Donetsk); 12 ACVs and about 50 military-type trucks near Kalmiuske (formerly Komsomolske, 42km south-east of Donetsk). An SMM UAV spotted, on 10 July an IFV (BMP-2) near Naberezhne (77km south of Donetsk) and two reinforced positions near Kalynove-Borshchuvate (61km west of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to observe the presence of mine hazard signs. On 12 July, on road T0513 at approximately 20km south of Bakhmut (formerly Artemivsk, 67km north of Donetsk), the SMM saw again mine hazard signs (with a white skull inside a red square and “Stop mines” written in Ukrainian) on both sides of the road for 1km.

The SMM observed demining activities on 12 July west of the road at the northern edge of “DPR”-controlled Nikishyne (60km north-east of Donetsk). The SMM saw an area marked off with tape where five members of a mine-clearance organization were conducting demining activities by trimming the grass and scanning the ground.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians travelling across the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. On 12 July, at an “LPR” checkpoint south of the bridge, at 09:10 the SMM saw about 300 people queuing to travel toward government-controlled areas and about 75 people queuing in the opposite direction. On the same day at approximately 10:00 at the government checkpoint north of the bridge, the SMM saw about 300 people queuing to enter government-controlled areas and 50 people queuing in the opposite direction.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs, co-ordinated by the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), to the high voltage Mykhailivka-Almazna power line near Pervomaisk. (See SMM Daily Report 12 July 2017.) On 12 July, the SMM observed that all the previously observed damaged electric wires had been replaced and reconnected. A representative of the Luhansk Main Power Transmission Lines Company, which completed the repair works on 12 July, told the SMM that restoration of this high voltage line would improve the quality of electricity supply to approximately 150,000 people in “LPR”-controlled Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk), “LPR”-controlled Brianka (46km south-west of Luhansk) and Pervomaisk. The repair works started on 27 April 2017. The SMM also spoke separately with several residents of Zolote-5, who were among the beneficiaries of the repair works, who all confirmed that the electricity had been restored.

The SMM monitored three peaceful protests in Kyiv. The SMM continued monitoring protests related to anti-corruption and immunity of members of Parliament (MPs) (see SMM Daily Report 12 July 2017). On the evening of 11 July, during a debate in Parliament on the lifting of immunity for five MPs, about 300 people (men and women of different ages) gathered outside the Parliament building to express their support for the lifting of their immunity. Some of the participants held flags carrying symbols of political parties and other groups, including the “Right Sector” and the National Corps. The SMM observed about 300 police officers and National Guard officers in riot gear present in the area and six police buses parked around the Parliament and Mariinskyi Park. On 12 July the SMM monitored two similar protests at the same location with about 60-80 participants each. All three protests were peaceful.

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 (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. 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, including at the disengagement area near Petrivske.

Denial of access:

• On 12 July, approximately 1.2km north-west of “DPR”-controlled Siedove (33km north-east of Mariupol), armed “DPR” members stopped the SMM and denied it proceeding further on the road towards Siedove, citing orders from superiors. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• A Ukrainian officer of the JCCC told the SMM that no demining activities had taken place during the previous 24 hours in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and that, with the exception of the main road, the SMM’s safety could not be guaranteed in the surrounding areas due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.
• At a checkpoint on the northern edge of the Zolote disengagement area a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that no de-mining had taken place over the previous 24 hours and that, due to the possible presence of mines and/or UXO, they could not guarantee the SMM’s safety. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.
• Armed “LPR” members positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that that they could not guarantee the safety of the Mission on side roads 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 there were mines on the road south of the bridge. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Delay:

• On 12 July, at a checkpoint north of “DPR”-controlled Novoazovsk (40km east of Mariupol), armed “DPR” members asked to see the patrol route and other documents, including personal identification documents. They also asked all SMM members to exit their vehicles. The SMM did not provide the requested documents. After about 20 minutes, the “DPR” members allowed the SMM through the checkpoint. The SMM informed the JCCC.

 

[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.