Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 22 September 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote, and Petrivske, and recorded ceasefire violations assessed as inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including in Siedove and Olenivka. The SMM saw multiple launch rocket systems in violation of withdrawal lines near Poltavka. An SMM unmanned aerial vehicle spotted near Myrne, an area outside government control in Luhansk region, a large number of tanks and artillery pieces, as well as other hardware, which appeared to be well-maintained, refurbished and loaded with ammunition. The Mission facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of the thermal power plant in Shchastia and water pipelines in Zolote. It continued to monitor the situation of schools and kindergartens near the contact line on both sides. The SMM continued to monitor a gathering in Kyiv.

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

On the night of 21-22 September, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, three tracer rounds in flight from north-west to south-east, four tracer rounds from east to west, three tracer rounds from west to east and one tracer round from east to west, all 1-3km south.

On the morning of 22 September, positioned in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 3-5km east-south-east.

During the day on 22 September, positioned at the railway station in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 2-4km south-west and west.

On the evening and night of 21-22 September, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion and ten bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 2-3km south and south-south-east. On the morning of 22 September, while in the same location, the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 3-5km south-east.

On the evening and night of 21-22 September, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, two rocket-assisted projectiles in flight from west to east, five tracer rounds in flight from east to west, one tracer round from west to east, followed by a total of 36 tracer rounds in flight (27 from east to west and nine from west to east), all at unknown distances north.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, consisting of two explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 140 explosions).

On 22 September, positioned on the southern edge of government-controlled Vrubivka (72km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions about 5km north-east.

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 19 September, the SMM camera in Petrivske recorded four projectiles in flight from west to east 2-3km south-south-west, assessed as outside the disengagement area. On the evening and night of 20-21 September, the same camera recorded 45 projectiles in flight from north to south about 1km south-south-west, assessed as inside the disengagement area.

On 22 September, positioned at the disengagement areas near government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and non-government-controlled Petrivske, 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 withdrawal lines, the SMM saw seven stationary multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near government-controlled Poltavka (54km north-west of Donetsk).

Beyond the respective withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, in non-government-controlled Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk) on 22 September, an SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted a large number of weapons and other hardware, which appeared to be well-maintained, refurbished and loaded with ammunition. The UAV spotted 30 tanks (28 T-64 and two T-72), seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), six towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm), nine mortars (120mm) and six anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm), as well as 56 infantry fighting vehicles (IFV), six trucks each mounted with an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm), 14 APCs (13 MT-LB-variant and one BRDM), three armoured recovery vehicles (VT-55) and three mine-clearance vehicles (two UR-07 and one UR-77).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] and other indications of military presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw an IFV (BMP-2) near Starohnativka (51km south of Donetsk) heading south-east, a stationary APC (Kozak) and three recently built shelters for military vehicles near Svitlodarsk, an APC (BRDM-2) towed by a military truck Makarove (19km north-east of Luhansk) heading north, a stationary APC (BRDM) near Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk) and a flatbed trailer transporting one APC (MT-LB) near Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) heading south.

In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw a stationary APC (MT-LB) in Stare (formerly Chervonyi Prapor, 58km west of Luhansk). On 21 September, an SMM mini-UAV spotted a trench digger (TMK-2), three IFVs (BMP-1), as well as indications of an active encampment – including fighting positions, dugouts and trenches, all assessed as recently constructed or under construction – near Dovhe (22km north-west 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 and water pipelines in Zolote.

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

In government-controlled areas, on 21 September, the SMM visited a school in Zolote-4/Rodina (60km north-west of Luhansk) where the director told the Mission that 50 pupils were enrolled, compared with 60 in 2014. The SMM saw mine-awareness posters in the school building.

In an area not under government control, on 22 September, the SMM visited a school and a kindergarten in Betmanove (former Krasnyi Partyzan, 23km north-east of Donetsk). The school director told the SMM that there were 59 pupils enrolled in the school, compared with 140 in 2014. The SMM saw all windows of the school building were covered with plastic sheets or boards instead of glass. In the kindergarten, the director told the SMM that there were 13 pupils enrolled, adding that there was no shelter in the building and in case of emergency the pupils would gather in a corridor where windows were not covered, which were observed by the Mission. The Mission also saw mine-awareness posters in the kindergarten.

The SMM continued to monitor a gathering in Kyiv. (See SMM Daily Report 22 September 2017). The SMM observed around 1,000 men and women (mostly elderly) gathered in front of the National Bank of Ukraine, some of whom were carrying flags of a political party. About ten police officers were present.

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, 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:

• Three armed “DPR” members at a checkpoint at the north-western entrance to “DPR”-controlled Siedove (33km north-east of Mariupol), prevented the SMM from entering the village, claiming that Siedove was a restricted area. They also asked the Mission to move 2km away from the checkpoint. The Mission left the area and informed the JCCC.

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.

Conditional access:

• An armed person at a “DPR” checkpoint near Olenivka (23km south-west of Donetsk) stopped the SMM and requested to open the trunks of its vehicles and pieces of luggage. The Mission opened the trunks, but refused to open the luggage or a toolbox inside one of the trunks. After 22 minutes, the SMM was allowed to proceed. The Mission informed the JCCC.

 

[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.