Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 21 September 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period and more in Luhansk region. The Mission observed damage to residences in Chervonyi Yar in Luhansk region and Bohdanivka in Donetsk region due to shelling. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote, and Petrivske, and recorded ceasefire violations near the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere. Staff in schools near the contact line in non-government-controlled areas told the SMM they had been ordered not to speak with the SMM. The Mission facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure near Shchastia, Zolote, Artema, Krasnyi Lyman, and Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM visited a border area not under government control. The Mission monitored two gatherings in Kyiv and followed up on reports of an explosion in Uman.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations,[1] including about 20 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 70 explosions).

On the evening of 20 September, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded one tracer round in flight from north to south 1-2km south. In the early hours of 21 September, the same camera recorded, in sequence, five tracer rounds and fourteen projectiles in flight from east to west, and four projectiles from west to east, all 1-2km south.

On the evening of 20 September, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded seven rocket-assisted projectiles in flight from south-west to north-east at an undetermined distance north. In the early hours of 21 September, the same camera recorded, in sequence, seven tracer rounds in flight from south to north, five tracer rounds from south-west to north-east, five tracer rounds from south to north, one tracer round from east to west, two tracer rounds from south to north, and one tracer round from south-east to north-west, all at undetermined distances north.

On 21 September, positioned in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) for five hours, the SMM heard 15 undetermined explosions and 14 shots of small-arms fire, all 2-4km south-east.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 140 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (one explosion).                                                                                                                     

On 21 September, positioned in “LPR”-controlled Slovianoserbsk (28km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 60-70 undetermined explosions in a 20 minute period 15km south. Approximately one hour later on the same day, positioned in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), the SMM heard 75 undetermined explosions 7-10km south-east.

The SMM followed up on reports of damage to residential areas caused by shelling in the Chervonyi Yar area of “LPR”-controlled Luhansk city’s Zhovtnevyi district (6km north-east of Luhansk). At 100 Mariupolska Street, the SMM saw five fresh shrapnel punctures, each 2cm in diameter, on a metal gate, an outer wall, a metal gutter and a wooden fence – all on the north-north-east side of a house. The house’s resident (man, aged 25) said that multiple impacts had occurred between 05:20 and 05:40 on 21 September. The SMM assessed that the damage had been caused by shrapnel of a mortar (82mm) round. At 108 Mariupolska Street, the SMM saw four shrapnel scratches on the north-north-east side of a house. The SMM observed a fire brigade dousing a destroyed and still-smouldering café approximately 900m south-east of the damaged properties.

At 4 Stepova Street in Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed a house with its roof and interior walls completely incinerated. According to the house’s owner, a flare had impacted the ground 10-15m east of the house the night of 27 August, causing the roof of the house to catch fire. He said that his wife and three children had been in the house at the time of impact.                                                                                                 

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 and night of 18-19 September, the SMM camera in Petrivske recorded ten projectiles in flight from west to east, all 1-3km south and assessed as outside the disengagement area.                                           

On 20 September, positioned at the disengagement areas near government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote, and non-government-controlled Petrivske, as well as west of the Petrivske disengagement area in Bohdanivka, 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.

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, aerial imagery revealed the presence on 17 September of 21 self-propelled howitzers south-east of Ternove (57km east of Donetsk) and, on 18 September, of 16 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (type unknown) about 6km south-east of Miusynsk (62km south-west of Luhansk), two MLRS (type unknown) and 11 towed howitzers south-east of Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk), and 23 howitzers (17 self-propelled and six towed) near Shymshynivka (27km south-west of Luhansk). An SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted, on 20 September, three pieces of towed artillery (D-20, 152mm) near Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, 85km south of Donetsk).

Beyond the respective withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas, aerial imagery revealed the presence on 17 September of 24 tanks south-east of Ternove and 41 tanks west of Manuilivka (65km east of Donetsk) and, on 18 September, of 18 towed artillery pieces and 32 tanks near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk), 22 howitzers (ten self-propelled and 12 towed) and 18 tanks about 6km south-east of Miusynsk, 25 tanks and six surface-to-air missile systems south-east of Buhaivka, and 32 tanks near Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2], tracks of military-type vehicles and a radar in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 20 September, the SMM observed four armoured personnel carriers (APC) (BRDM), an artillery battery command/observation vehicle and one tracked armoured vehicle in a military compound near Pervomaiske (17km north-west of Donetsk) and fresh tracks assessed as those of tanks (T-72) heading west near Netailove (22km north-west of Donetsk). Aerial imagery revealed the presence on 18 September of two military-type armoured vehicles near Krymske (42km north-west of Luhansk).

In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM observed multiple fresh tracks assessed as those of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP) on the bridge from Holubivske (51km west of Luhansk) to Donetskyi (49km west of Luhansk). Near Khreshchatytske (formerly Krasnoarmiiske, 86km south of Donetsk), an SMM UAV spotted two APCs (MT-LB and BTR-variant), an engineering vehicle (IMR-2), a trench digger (PZM-2) and four towed mine layers (PMZ-4). Near Romanivka (41km north of Donetsk), an SMM UAV spotted a battlefield surveillance radar (BRM-1k Small Fred) and one APC (MT-LB) and one IFV (BTR-60). Near Verkhnoshyrokivske, it spotted another APC (BTR-variant) and an IFV (BMP).

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, water wells near “LPR”-controlled Krasnyi Lyman (30km north-west of Luhansk) and Stanytsia Luhanska, and the Petrivske water pumping station near government-controlled Artema (26km north of Luhansk).

The SMM visited a border area not under government control. At the border crossing point in Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk) during one hour, the SMM observed 16 cars (nine with Ukrainian, six with Russian Federation and one with Azerbaijani licence plates), one bus (with Ukrainian licence plates), and four covered trucks (three with Ukrainian licence plates and one with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine. During the same period, the SMM observed 15 cars (eight with Ukrainian and seven with Russian Federation licence plates), three buses (with Ukrainian licence plates), and one pedestrian exiting Ukraine.

The SMM monitored two gatherings in Kyiv. The SMM observed around 1,000 men and women (mostly elderly) gathered in front of the National Bank of Ukraine carrying flags of a political party. Twenty unarmed National Guard officers and two patrol police officers were also present. Near the Motherland Monument, the SMM observed 500 mostly young people, celebrating International Peace Day. No security forces were present.

The Mission followed up on reports of an explosion in Uman (210 km south of Kyiv). It saw a one-metre-wide hole in the roof of a metal garage which had been cordoned off by police. According to a police officer, the damage had been caused by a hand grenade that (RGD-5) exploded at 04:30 on 21 September, slightly injuring two individuals.

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.

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.
• The possible presence of mines and UXO prevented the SMM from accessing the road leading west from Petrivske. The Mission informed the JCCC.

Other impediments:

• At several schools in “DPR”-controlled Yenakiieve (41km north-east of Donetsk), staff told the SMM that they were under orders from “DPR” members not to share information with the SMM without prior permission.
• The director of a school in “LPR”-controlled Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, 44km west of Luhansk) told the Mission he was not allowed to interact with the SMM and directed the patrol to “LPR” members.

[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.

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