Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 20 August 2017

This report is for the media and the general public

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region between the evenings of 18 and 19 August – including, however, fewer explosions – compared with the previous 24 hours. Between the evenings of 19 and 20 August, it recorded more ceasefire violations compared with the previous 24 hours. In Dokuchaievsk, the Mission heard small-arms fire assessed as targeting its unmanned aerial vehicle.* In Luhansk region between the evenings of 18 and 19 August, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations compared with the previous 24 hours. Between the evenings of 19 and 20 August, it recorded more ceasefire violations compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission followed up on a report of civilian casualties in Petrovskyi district of Donetsk city. It observed damage to residential areas due to shelling in Dokuchaievsk, Yasynuvata and an area of Luhansk city. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas and recorded ceasefire violations assessed as inside the Stanytsia Luhanska area. The Mission resumed permanent presence of monitoring officers in Stanytsia Luhanska. Its access remained restricted in the three disengagement areas and elsewhere, including in Horlivka and Verkhnoshyrokivske.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in Kalmiuske. It facilitated access for a fire brigade to extinguish a fire in Avdiivka. The SMM visited two border areas not under government control in Luhansk region.

In Donetsk region between the evenings of 18 and 19 August, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] – including, however, fewer explosions (about 60) – compared with the previous 24 hours (about 70 explosions). Between the evenings of 19 and 20 August, it recorded more ceasefire violations, including almost 330 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours.

On the night of 18-19 August, the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, nine undetermined explosions, 16 projectiles in flight from west to east, two undetermined explosions, three projectiles from east to west, five tracer rounds in flight from north to south, three explosions assessed as impacts, one projectile from north to south, about 70 tracer rounds from north to south, one undetermined explosion, one projectile from north to south, 30 tracer rounds from north to south, three explosions assessed as impacts, 35 tracer rounds from north to south, seven explosions assessed as impacts, three airbursts, and four explosions assessed as impacts, all 3-5km at easterly directions. On the night of 19-20 August, the same camera recorded, in sequence, one projectile from west to east, one undetermined explosion, six projectiles from west to east, two projectiles from east to west, three projectiles from west to east, one projectile from east to west, and two projectiles from west to east, all 4-5km south-east. Around mid-day on 20 August, the camera recorded about 80 explosions assessed as impacts 4-6km east-south-east and south-east, followed by about 140 undetermined explosions 4-5km east and east-south-east.

On the night of 18-19 August, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, three projectiles in flight from west to east, three undetermined explosions, 15 tracer rounds in flight from west to east, one undetermined explosion, 20 tracer rounds from east to west, and three undetermined explosions, all 1km south. On the night of 19-20 August, the same camera recorded, in sequence, one tracer round from east to west, one undetermined explosion, nine tracer rounds from east to west, two tracer rounds from west to east, seven projectiles from west to east, three tracer rounds from west to east, one projectile from east to west, five tracer rounds from west to east, two tracer rounds from east to west, 18 tracer rounds from west to east, seven tracer rounds from east to west, nine tracer rounds from west to east, one tracer round from east to west, and ten tracer rounds from west to east, all 1-3km south. Around mid-day on 20 August, the camera recorded almost 50 undetermined explosions 1.5-3km south-south-east, followed by two undetermined explosions 1.5km east-south-east.

On the evening of 19 August, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 30 undetermined explosions and over 30 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 5-7km south-east.

On the night of 18-19 August, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, one tracer round in flight from east to west, seven tracer rounds from west to east, four tracer rounds from east to west, two undetermined explosions, 43 tracer rounds from east to west, five tracer rounds from west to east, four tracer rounds from east to west, one tracer round from west to east, three tracer rounds from east to west, two rocket-assisted projectiles in flight from east to west, one undetermined explosion, one tracer round from west to east, two undetermined explosions, three tracer rounds from east to west, one undetermined explosion, and 33 tracer rounds from east to west, all at undetermined distances north. On the night of 19-20 August, the same camera recorded, in sequence, nine rocket-assisted projectiles from east to west, one tracer round from west to east, three undetermined explosions, one tracer round from west to east, three undetermined explosions, two tracer rounds from west to east, one undetermined explosion, eight tracer rounds from east to west, two tracer rounds from west to east, one undetermined explosion, one tracer round from west to east, and three tracer rounds from east to west, all at undetermined distances north.

On the morning of 19 August, positioned 3km north-east of government-controlled Hnutove (20km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard four explosions assessed as mortar rounds 2km south-east.

On 19 August at about 13:00, while flying a mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in “DPR”-controlled Dokuchaievsk (30km south-west of Donetsk) to follow up on reports of damage from shelling (see below), the SMM heard bursts and shots of small-arms fire (about 35 rounds in total) 15-20m south and saw an armed man, in military-style clothing and carrying a hand-held radio, pointing with his hand at the UAV while the shots were being fired. The SMM landed and recovered the UAV, which did not appear to be damaged. Armed “DPR” members at the site told a Russian Federation Armed Forces officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) accompanying the SMM that they had not been notified in advance of the flight. The Mission had informed the JCCC in advance about the flight.*

In Luhansk region between the evenings of 18 and 19 August, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 40 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (about 115 explosions). Between the evenings of 19 and 20 August, it recorded more ceasefire violations, including over 140 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours.

On the night of 18-19 August, while on the northern edge of government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 12 explosions assessed as automatic-grenade-launcher rounds, 21 undetermined explosions, and about 100 shots of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 5-15km west-north-west and west, as well as six undetermined explosions 10-15km east.

On the night of 19-20 August, while in the same location, the SMM heard almost 80 undetermined explosions and over an hour of uncountable bursts and shots of automatic-grenade-launcher, heavy-machine-gun, and small-arms fire, all 5-10km at southerly directions. The Mission also heard five shots of small-arms fire 6-7km north-east and east-north-east. On the morning of 20 August, positioned on the south-eastern edge of Popasna, the SMM heard four explosions assessed as mortar rounds, 20 shots of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm), 50-100 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, and 150-200 shots of small-arms fire, all 5-7km south-east.

The same morning, positioned on the southern edge of “LPR”-controlled Kalynove (60km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard almost 60 undetermined explosions, as well as heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 5-10km north-west. The Mission also saw one airburst assessed as a 120mm mortar round 3km south-west and two tracer rounds in flight from north to south 7km north-west.

On 20 August the SMM followed up on a report, received from a “DPR” member, of civilian casualties registered earlier in the afternoon at 115 Zelenyi Hai Street in the Trudivskyi area of Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district (15km south-west of city centre). In front of Hospital no. 14 in Donetsk city, the Mission saw a covered body being placed into a morgue vehicle. Inside the hospital, the SMM saw a man (aged 46) with a bandage on his right elbow; he told the Mission that he had been hit by shrapnel when an explosion had occurred in the yard of a house where he and other members of a fire brigade had been attempting to extinguish a fire. He said that the explosion had also killed one of his co-workers and injured another. Medical staff told the SMM that three firefighters had been admitted at around 16:00. According to them, one (man, aged 48) had died prior to arrival, while two (the abovementioned, and another man, aged 30) had been injured. The staff told the Mission that the other injured man, who they said had been lightly wounded in his right knee, had left the hospital. On the morning of 21 August, a “DPR” member told the SMM by telephone that his “superiors” had instructed him not to go to the area due to “security concerns”, adding that the SMM would probably not be permitted to access the area either. He also advised that the Mission not fly a UAV in the area. A Russian Federation Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the Mission by telephone that the “DPR” had said it could not guarantee security in the area for either the SMM or the JCCC.

The SMM followed up on reports of damage in residential areas caused by shelling. On 19 August, accompanied by a Russian Federation Armed Forces officer of the JCCC and a “DPR” member, the SMM visited several sites in Dokuchaievsk.

At 2 Kripkoho Street, the SMM saw shrapnel holes 2-5cm in diameter in west-facing metal gates and cracks in two west-facing windows, as well as a crater about 35m west of the house, assessed as caused by a 120mm mortar round fired from a westerly direction. The house’s owner (man in his sixties) said that shelling had occurred between 17:00 and 18:00 on 15 August.

At 38 Lenina Street, the SMM saw a small mark in the west-facing wall of a house and a crack in a west-facing window, both assessed as caused by a small-arms projectile fired from a westerly direction. No occupants were present to speak to the Mission.

At 6 Melnykova Street, the SMM saw a hole through the west-facing wall of a house, a hole through the inner door of a bedroom, and a hole through an interior wall, all assessed as caused by a projectile of at least 30mm fired from a westerly direction. A woman (in her fifties) told the Mission that she had discovered the damage while checking the apartment (owned by her daughter) on the morning of 16 August.

At 61 Lenina Street, the SMM saw a hole in a west-facing window of 5-7cm in diameter and a hole in a couch near the window, assessed as caused by a 12.7mm heavy-machine-gun bullet fired from a westerly direction. The house’s owner (man in his thirties) told the SMM that he had heard from a neighbour about shooting on the evening of 15 August and had then gone on 16 August and observed the damage.

At a water company’s office about 50m west of 61 Lenina Street, the SMM saw a hole in the west-facing door of a warehouse assessed as caused by a bullet fired from a westerly direction. A woman (in her late forties) who said she was a Voda Donbassa employee told the Mission that she had been present at the office when shooting had occurred between 20:00 and 21:00 on 15 August.

An SMM mini-UAV flown above 3 Hrybna Street spotted three impact sites on the roof of a building, assessed as caused by 82mm and 120mm mortar rounds fired from an undetermined direction. During the flight, the SMM heard small-arms fire assessed as targeting the UAV. (See above.)*

On 20 August, accompanied by a Russian Federation Armed Forces officer of the JCCC and a “DPR” member, the SMM visited 21 Zaliznychna Street in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), where it saw a hole in a west-facing window and a hole in an interior wall, both assessed as caused by a bullet fired from a north-westerly direction. The house’s owner and her husband (both in their sixties) told the SMM that they had heard shooting at about 20:15 on 19 August.

On 20 August, led by a Russian Federation Armed Forces officer of the JCCC and “LPR” members, the SMM visited 65 Samoilovoi Street in an area of Luhansk city by the Siverskyi Donets river (12km north-east of city centre), where it saw a broken south-facing window in a house and broken roof tiles in the south-eastern corner of a building 10m east of the house. The Mission assessed the damage to be fresh and caused by a 120mm mortar round fired from an easterly direction. The house’s owner (man in his late twenties) told the SMM that he had heard three impacts between 06:00 and 06:15 on 20 August. The Mission saw an “LPR” checkpoint 500m south-east of the house.

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near 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 18 August, the SMM camera in government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska recorded two tracer rounds in flight from north-east to south-west 1km south-south-east, assessed as inside the disengagement area.

On 19 August the Mission resumed permanent presence of monitoring officers at its forward patrol base in Stanytsia Luhanska, from which SMM staff had relocated since September 2016.

On the night of 17-18 August, the SMM camera in government-controlled Zolote recorded, in sequence, five projectiles in flight from north-west to south-east 3-5km east, one undetermined explosion 3-5km east-north-east, and two projectiles in flight from south-east to north-west 9km east-north-east, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On the night of 18-19 August, the same camera recorded two projectiles in flight from south-west to north-east 5-7km south, followed by four projectiles from north-west to south-east 4-5km north-east and north, all assessed as outside the disengagement area. On the morning of 20 August, positioned 700m north of “LPR”-controlled Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 10km south-west, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

During the day on 19 August, positioned near the disengagement area south-west of “DPR”-controlled Petrivske, the SMM observed a calm situation. In a crater previously observed near the SMM camera site, the Mission observed for the first time a section of a projectile embedded in the ground.

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

In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, aerial imagery revealed the presence on 17 August of two surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10, 120mm) in Kalmiuske (formerly Komsomolske, 42km south-east of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas, aerial imagery revealed the presence on 15 August of three tanks (type unknown) at a training area near Markyne (94km south of Donetsk), about 4km from the border with the Russian Federation. (The SMM had previously observed that the area had been expanded with new trenches and equipment positions. (See SMM Daily Report 21 June 2017.))

The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles (ACVs)[2] in the security zone. In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw on 20 August an armoured personnel carrier (MTLB-2) traveling south-east near Molodizhne (63km north-west of Luhansk). Aerial imagery revealed the presence on 15 August of an ACV near Kachkarske (91km south of Donetsk), on 16 August of an ACV near Veselohorivka (64km west of Luhansk), and on 17 August of four ACVs and 44 military-type trucks near Kalmiuske.

On 19 August, the Mission again saw an unexploded 120mm mortar round on the road between “DPR”-controlled Bezimenne (30km east of Mariupol) and Sakhanka (24km north-east of Mariupol). (See SMM Daily Report 11 August 2017.)

On 19 August, shortly before 14:00, the SMM saw a fire in a field about 10m from a civilian building in southern Avdiivka. The SMM informed the JCCC, and within half an hour a fire brigade arrived and extinguished the fire.

The SMM visited two border areas not under government control in Luhansk region. During one hour at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw 85 cars (49 with Ukrainian and 36 with Russian Federation licence plates), six buses (all with Ukrainian licence plates), one mini-bus (with Ukrainian licence plates), two trucks with covered cargo areas (both with Ukrainian licence plates), and 14 pedestrians (mixed gender and ages) in queues to exit Ukraine, and ten cars (seven with Russian Federation and three with Ukrainian licence plates), three buses (all with Ukrainian licence plates), and ten pedestrians (three men aged 40-45 and seven women aged 30-35) entering Ukraine. During one hour at a border crossing point near Sievernyi (50km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw nine pedestrians (mixed gender and ages) exit Ukraine and three pedestrians (one man and two women, aged 30-35) entering Ukraine.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi, and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of the 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 19 August, while flying a mini-UAV in “DPR”-controlled Dokuchaievsk, the SMM heard bursts and shots of small-arms fire and saw an armed man pointing at the UAV. (See above.) The Mission landed the UAV and informed the JCCC.
• On 20 August, an armed man at a barrier in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk) signalled with his hands to the SMM that the street was closed and the Mission should reverse its direction. The SMM did so and reached its destination via another street.

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• On 19 and 20 August, the SMM was prevented from accessing areas in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, with the exception of the main road, due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer at the JCCC told the SMM that no demining activities had taken place during the previous 24 hours in the area. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC both times.
• On 19 and 20 August, the possible presence of mines and UXO prevented the SMM from accessing secondary roads north of the Zolote disengagement area. At a checkpoint on the northern edge of the area a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer at the JCCC told the SMM that no demining had taken place over the previous 24 hours. The SMM informed the JCCC both times.
• On 19 and 20 August, the possible presence of mines and UXO prevented the SMM from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area. Armed “LPR” members positioned on the southern side of the disengagement area told the SMM that no demining activity had been conducted in the area. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC both times.
• On 19 August, the possible presence of mines and UXO prevented the SMM from accessing the road leading west from Petrivske. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• On 19 August, the SMM could not travel across the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) due to the presence of mines. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that mines on the road south of the bridge were still present. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Conditional access:

• On 19 August, three armed persons at a checkpoint south of “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk) stopped the Mission and inspected the trunks of its vehicles before allowing the SMM to pass. A Russian Federation Armed Forces officer of the JCCC, present onsite, did not intervene. The Mission informed the JCCC.
• On 20 August, armed persons at a checkpoint north-west of Horlivka stopped the Mission and inspected the trunks of its vehicles before allowing the SMM to pass. The Mission informed the JCCC.

Delay:

• On 19 August, an unarmed man prevented an SMM patrol from proceeding east at an entry-exit checkpoint near “DPR”-controlled Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, 29km north-east of Mariupol). The Mission informed the JCCC and, after a delay of nearly an hour, was allowed to proceed through the checkpoint.
• On 20 August, armed persons prevented an SMM patrol from proceeding east at the entry-exit checkpoint near Verkhnoshyrokivske. The Mission informed the JCCC and, after a delay of over an hour, was allowed to proceed through the checkpoint.

[1] Please see the annexed report for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as a map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report. During this reporting period the SMM camera at the Oktiabr mine (Donetsk) remained non-operational.

* 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”.

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