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

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period and fewer in Luhansk region. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including near Pervomaiske.* The Mission facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure near Shchastia, Zolote, Artema, Krasnyi Lyman and Luhanske. The SMM observed long queues of civilians at a checkpoint in Stanytsia Luhanska. It continued to monitor the situation of schools and kindergartens near the contact line on both sides. In Odessa, the SMM monitored a gathering related to a fire at a children’s camp, and it monitored two gatherings in Kharkiv.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] including about 70 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 60 explosions).

On the evening of 19 September, while in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 3-5km east.

On the evening of 19 September, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard five shots of small-arms fire 4-5km west. On 20 September, while in the same location, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 10km south-west and three undetermined explosions 4-6km north-west.

On the evening and night of 19-20 September, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, nine tracer rounds in flight from east to west, two tracer rounds from west to east, one tracer round from east to west and six tracer rounds from west to east, followed by aggregated totals of 101 tracer rounds (100 from east to west and one from west to east), one undetermined explosion and one illumination flare in vertical flight, all at unknown distances north.

On the night of 19-20 September, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 3-4km south-south-east.

On 20 September, positioned in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk), in about four hours, the SMM heard 31 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and 52 undetermined explosions, all 1-3km east and south-east.

On 20 September, positioned at the central railway station in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city (6km north-west of Donetsk city centre), in about one hour, the SMM heard about 120 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 2-4km north-north-east and five undetermined explosions 3-5km west-north-west.

On 20 September, positioned in government-controlled Memryk (33km north-west of Donetsk) the SMM heard five undetermined explosions, two bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and about 20 minutes of uncountable, overlapping bursts and shots of small-arms fire, all 3-4km east.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including one explosion near the Zolote disengagement area, compared with the previous reporting period (about 20 explosions).

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 September, the SMM camera in government-controlled Zolote recorded three projectiles in flight from north-west to south-east and one undetermined explosion, all 5km east-north-east and assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On 20 September, positioned at the disengagement areas near government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote, and in government-controlled Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk), west of the Petrivske disengagement area, the SMM observed calm situations.

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

The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage did not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification from the SMM to the signatories of the Package of Measures on effective monitoring and verification of the withdrawal of heavy weapons. In government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM observed 11 towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) and six anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm), and noted that 13 towed howitzers (five 2A65 and eight 2A36, Giatsint, 152mm) and six anti-tank guns (MT-12) were again missing.

The SMM revisited a permanent storage site in an area outside government control in Luhansk region, whose location was beyond the respective withdrawal lines, and noted that four tanks (three T-64 and one T-72) were again missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 19 September, an SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle spotted three stationary armoured personnel carriers (APC) (two MTLB and one BRDM-2) near Prychepylivka (50km north-west of Luhansk) and, on 20 September, the SMM saw an APC (BRDM-2), an infantry fighting vehicle (BTR-4) and an automatic grenade launcher (AGS-type), all stationary under camouflage netting in Makarove (19km north-east of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance, co-ordinated by the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), to the thermal power plant in Shchastia, water pipelines in Zolote, the Petrivske water pumping station near government-controlled Artema (26km north of Luhansk), water wells near “LPR”-controlled Krasnyi Lyman (30km north-west of Luhansk) and electrical works in Luhanske (59km north-east of Donetsk).

The SMM continued to observe long queues at a checkpoint at the contact line. At a government checkpoint north of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, at 08:00 on 20 September, the SMM saw about 1,000 pedestrians queuing to travel further into government-controlled areas and about 800 pedestrians queuing to travel in the opposite direction. The SMM spoke with ten people in the queue (six women and four men, aged 30-60) who separately told the SMM that, in general, the waiting time was around three hours. About eight hours later, at the same checkpoint, the SMM saw about 300 pedestrians queuing to travel further into government-controlled areas and about 450 pedestrians queuing to travel in the opposite direction.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation at schools and kindergartens near the contact line on both sides.

In government-controlled areas, the SMM visited schools in Komyshuvakha (68km west of Luhansk), Soledar (79km north of Donetsk) and Bilozerske (81km north-west of Donetsk).

A teacher and a teaching co-ordinator in Komyshuvakha told the SMM that there were 120 pupils enrolled in the school, compared with 105 in 2016, and 29 in the kindergarten. In Soledar, the director and deputy director of a school told the SMM that there were 723 pupils enrolled (including 12 internally displaced persons) and the school director in Bilozerske told the SMM that there were 357 pupils enrolled (including ten internally displaced persons). In the above mentioned schools and kindergarten, the SMM was told that mine awareness is being taught by teachers and, in Bilozerske, the SMM saw a flip-chart with information about the risks posed by landmines and explosives.

In an area not under government control, the SMM visited a kindergarten and a school in Horlivka where the directors told the SMM that the number of pupils enrolled had decreased by between 50 and 70 per cent respectively. The director of the kindergarten also told the SMM that during school hours, they often heard explosions and gunfire nearby. The SMM was also shown teaching material for mine awareness.

The SMM monitored a demonstration in Odessa and two gatherings in Kharkiv. The SMM observed about 1,200 people (men and women, mixed ages) gathered in front of the city hall in Odessa. According to media, the demonstration was organized by the political party Svoboda in response to the city administration’s response to the fire at the children’s camp on the night of 15-16 September. (See SMM Daily Report 19 September 2017). Participants included some fifty people wearing insignias of the movements National Corps, C-14, Right Sector and Odessa Self-defence, as well as a group of 15 people wearing balaclavas and masks. In front of the city hall, the SMM also saw eight buses with approximately 240 National Guard officers, ten police cars, 15 buses with approximately 450 police officers, two fire trucks, and four ambulances. About 80 National Guard officers and 15 riot police formed a cordon in front of the main entrance of the city hall while another 40 National Guard officers and ten riot police secured a secondary entrance on the right-side of the building. The SMM saw about 400 people break away from the main group and gather outside the offices of the regional prosecutor at 3 Pushkinska Street, about 200m away, before returning to the city hall. The SMM heard participants voice their disapproval regarding the arrests made in relation to the fire at the children’s camp and calling for the resignation of the mayor of Odessa. The SMM saw three clashes between participants and law enforcement officers, including one which resulted in the police using tear gas to disperse the crowd. No further incidents were observed.  

The SMM saw about 200 people (mixed ages, 70 per cent men) outside the city council in Kharkiv, including two members of the Kharkiv Anti-Corruption Centre non-governmental organization (NGO), who had been involved in incidents earlier this month. (See SMM Daily Reports 1 September 2017 and 19 September 2017). A member of the political party Samopomich told the SMM that they were protesting against what he said was corruption within the city council and that members of various political parties were regularly prevented from attending the council’s sessions. The SMM observed about 200 police and National Guard officers securing the building from all sides. The protest ended peacefully.

The SMM monitored a gathering in front of the Kharkiv Regional Economic Court with about 200 people (mixed ages, 70 per cent men). Ten people told the SMM that the protest was against a particular judge. Amongst the group, the SMM spoke with people who said that they were members of the National Corps, football ultras and representatives from the NGO Fair Trial, 15 of whom were holding banners, and three National Corps flags. The SMM saw two judges meet with the crowd and, fifteen minutes later, the crowd dispersed. The SMM did not observe any police presence or incidents.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, 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. 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.

Denial of access:

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• 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 of 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.
• 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 of the JCCC told the SMM that no demining had taken place over the previous 24 hours. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• 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.
• The SMM could not travel across the bridge in Shchastia 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.
• On 20 September, the possible presence of mines and UXO prevented the SMM from accessing the road leading west from Petrivske. The Mission informed the JCCC.

Conditional access:

A Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier told the SMM that it needed to disclose the nationalities of its patrol members before visiting a military compound in government-controlled Pervomaiske (17km north-west of Donetsk). The SMM informed the JCCC and, after about three hours, two Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC arrived at the site and, after the SMM shared the requested information, it was allowed to enter.

 

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. 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.