Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 28 September 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports of a civilian casualty from Kramatorsk. The SMM observed damage to civilian properties in residential areas in Marinka and near a bus stop in the Trudivski area of Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas and recorded ceasefire violations near, but outside, the Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere.* It saw weapons in violations of withdrawal lines in areas outside of government control. The Mission facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure in Shchastia, Almazna, Luhanske, and Myronivka. The SMM followed up on reports of an incident at an ammunition depot in Kalynivka, Vinnytsia region.

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations,[1] including, however, more explosions (35), compared with the previous reporting period (18 explosions).

On the evening and night of 27-28 September, the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded one projectile in flight from north to south 3-5km east-south-east and one projectile from west to east 2-4km east-south-east. During the day on 28 September, the same camera recorded three explosions, assessed as impacts 3-4km east-south-east. On the same day, positioned in Avdiivka for about five hours, the SMM heard 15 undetermined explosions 3-5km east-south-east and south-east.

On the evening and night of 27-28 September, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded one undetermined explosion and one projectile in flight from east to west 1km south. 

On the evening and night of 27-28 September, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, five tracer rounds in flight from west to east, three tracer rounds from east to west, one tracer round from west to east, followed by totals of 40 tracer rounds from west to east, six tracer rounds from east to west and 20 tracer rounds in vertical flight, all at unknown distances north.

During the day on 28 September, positioned at the railway station in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about ten bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire 1-3km at directions ranging from south-west to north-west and two undetermined explosions 2-4km north-north-west.

During the day on 28 September, positioned 2.9km south-south-east of “DPR”-controlled Lozove (52km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 5-8km north-north-east and heard and saw one undetermined explosion 2-3km north-north-east.

Positioned in government-controlled Lebedynske (16km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard six undetermined explosions 3km east.

Positioned at the western edge of government-controlled Berdianske (18km east of Mariupol), the SMM heard five undetermined explosions, 29 shots and three bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all at unknown distances east-north-east.

While in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 3-4km south-south-east and south-east.  

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

On 28 September, positioned 2.5km south of government-controlled Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 90 undetermined explosions, 20 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and 15 shots of small-arms fire, all 5-7km south-east.

Positioned in “LPR”-controlled Obozne (18km north of Luhansk), the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 10-15km north-north-west.

Positioned in “LPR”-controlled Shymshynivka (27km south-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 11 undetermined explosions 5km south-south-east, assessed as part of a live-fire exercise.  

The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty. On 25 September, medical staff at Hospital no. 3 in government-controlled Kramatorsk (83km north of Donetsk) told the SMM that a man (51 years old) had been admitted to the hospital on 19 September with injuries to his left hand. Medical staff told the SMM that the man had found a heavy-machine-gun round in 2014 and had kept it in his house in Kramatorsk until 17 September, when he had decided to dismantle it, causing an explosion. They said that, as a consequence of the explosion, the man had lost part of a finger on his left hand.

The SMM observed damage to civilian properties in residential areas it assessed was caused by shelling and cannon fire.

On 27 September, the SMM visited four fresh impact sites in government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk) and, on 28 September, a fresh one, in the Trudivski area of “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district (15km south-west of Donetsk city centre).

At 72 Prokofeva Street in Marinka, the SMM saw a fresh crater on a concrete surface between a house and an outdoor kitchen; the crater was located 2m west-north-west of the house. The SMM observed minor shrapnel damage to the west-north-western facing walls and windows of the house, as well as a shattered window and a destroyed window frame in the outdoor kitchen. The SMM assessed that the crater was caused by a mortar (82mm) round fired from an easterly direction. A resident, who introduced herself to the SMM as the sister of the owner of the house, told the SMM that she had heard shelling about 14:00 on 25 September and that the house had not been occupied since 2014.

At 61 Prokofeva Street, the SMM saw a fresh crater in a yard 1m east-north-east of a house. It saw shrapnel damage to the east-north-eastern facing walls and fence of the house, shattered windows, and destroyed window frames. A man (61 years old) told the SMM that he was the son of the owner and that he had heard three explosions about 14:00 on 25 September. The SMM saw shrapnel damage to the west-south-western facing walls of a neighbouring house at 68 Zhovtena Street. It assessed that the damage at 61 Prokofeva Street and 68 Zhovtena Street was caused by a mortar (82mm) round fired from an easterly direction.

At 64 Prokofeva Street, the SMM saw two craters in the yard of a house. The SMM saw damage to the north-eastern part of the roof of an outdoor kitchen, located 3m east-south-east of the house. It saw shrapnel damage to the west-south-western facing walls, entrance door and fence of the house. At 64A Prokofeva Street, the SMM saw shrapnel damage to the east-north-eastern facing walls. On 62A Prokofeva Street, the SMM also saw shrapnel damage to the east-south-eastern facing walls of the houses and fences, as well as shattered windows. It assessed that the damage was caused by mortar (82mm) rounds fired from an easterly direction.

At 55a Prokofeva Street, the SMM saw shrapnel damage to the west-north-western facing walls of an outdoor kitchen and shrapnel penetration holes in two east-south-eastern facing windows. The SMM was unable to assess the cause of the damage or direction of fire.

In the Trudivski area of Donetsk’s city Petrovskyi district, accompanied by a woman wearing military-style clothes, the SMM saw a fresh hole (10-15cm diameter) in the west-facing metal panel and wooden parts of the roof of a one-storey building located next to the bus station on Petrovskoho Street. The SMM assessed it was caused by an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) round fired from a westerly direction.    

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 26 September, the SMM camera in government-controlled Zolote (60km north-west of Luhansk) recorded five projectiles in flight from north to south 3-8km east, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

During the day on 28 September, positioned at the southern edge of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area in “LPR”-controlled Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 36 undetermined explosions 10km north-east, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

During the day on 28 September, positioned in and around the disengagement areas near “DPR”-controlled Petrivske and near Zolote, the SMM observed calm situations.

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

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines, in areas outside of government control, the SMM saw three surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10) 5km north-west of Donetsk city centre. An SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted a surface-to-air missile system (9K35) near Dovhe (22km north-west of Luhansk).  

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside assigned storage sites, in government-controlled areas, on 27 September, the SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 OSA) in Selidove (41km north-west of Donetsk). In areas outside of government control, the SMM saw three stationary tanks (T-64) in firing positions facing north-west near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk) and nine stationary tanks (type unknown) near Shymshynivka.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2], anti-aircraft guns, tracks assessed as those of tanks, and other indications of military-type presence in the security zone.

In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw two stationary armoured personnel carriers (APC) (BTR-3) on the northern outskirts of Mariupol. An SMM mid-range UAV spotted  trenches (700m in length) parallel to a forest and extending in south-west to north-east, an APC (BMP-2) and two series of anti-tank mines (TM-62) in a field near Komyshuvakha (68km west of Luhansk), about 3km from the Zolote disengagement area.

In areas outside of government control, the SMM saw: nine APCs (MT-LB) heading west 5km north-west of Donetsk city centre; a stationary infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) near Slovianoserbsk (28km north-west of Luhansk); 17 IFVs (MT-LB) six of which with a mounted anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) heading east near Brianka (46km south-west of Luhansk); fresh tracks assessed as those of an IFV (BMP-1 or MT-LB) leading east-south-east near Molodizhne (63km north-west of Luhansk); two sets of fresh tracks assessed as those of tanks (T-72) and two fresh tracks assessed as those of an IFV (BMP-2), all leading east near a “DPR” checkpoint in the Trudivski area of Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district; fresh tracks assessed as those of an IFV (BMP-1) leading north-east near the Donetsk central railway station; and fresh tracks assessed as those of an IFV (BMP-1) leading east-north-east from Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, 44km west of Luhansk) to Holubivka (51km west of Luhansk). An SMM mid-range UAV spotted three IFVs (BMP-1, BMP-2 and BMP-variant) and a trench digger (TMK-2) near Dovhe. (See SMM Daily Report 23 September 2017.)

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance work, co-ordinated by the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), to the thermal power plant in Shchastia, the Yuzhna Lomuvatka-Veselohorivka power lines near Almazna (55km west of Luhansk), water wells in Stanytsia Luhanska, electric power lines near road M03 east of Luhanske (59km north-east of Donetsk) and the electric power line in Myronivka (46km north of Donetsk).

On 28 September, the SMM observed a convoy of trucks with “Humanitarian Aid from the Russian Federation” written in Russian on the side. The SMM observed a convoy of 15 covered cargo trucks, five support vehicles (with Russian Federation licence places), as well as two cars (with “LPR” plates) escorting the convoy in Luhansk city

The SMM continued to follow up on an incident at an ammunition depot in Kalynivka, Vinnytsia region (230km north-east of Chernivtsi) on the evening of 26 September. (See SMM Daily Report 28 September 2017.) On 28 September, the SMM noticed that a police checkpoint on road M21, about 20m south of Kalynivka, which had been observed the day before, was no longer present and the road was reopened to traffic. In Kalynivka, the SMM saw police and National Guard officers patrolling at different locations, one of whom said that their patrol was to prevent looting. At a press briefing the head of Vinnytsia regional state administration said that upon completion of security clearance on 28 September, approximately 30,000 evacuated residents were allowed to return. At the same briefing a representative of the State Emergency Service added that six fires had been extinguished at the depot but the extinguishing of fires was still underway.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, 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 parts of 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 de-mining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. Armed “LPR” members positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC at a checkpoint on the northern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. 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 the road leading west from Petrivske. The Mission 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 said there were mines on the road south of the bridge. The SMM 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.

* 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.