Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 4 October 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote and observed calm situations. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including near Siedove.* The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Ternove. It facilitated and monitored the inspection of essential infrastructure in Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM visited one border area not under government control.

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1], including 43 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (46 explosions).

On the night of 3-4 October the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, an explosion assessed as an impact 8-10km north and an airburst, followed by totals of 64 tracer rounds in flight (38 from east to west, 26 from west to east), six undetermined explosions, two rocket-assisted projectiles in flight from west to east and one from east to west, all at undetermined distances north.

On the night of 3-4 October the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, a tracer round in flight from west to east, nine tracer rounds in flight from north to south and an undetermined explosion, all 3-5km east-south-east.

During the day on 4 October, positioned at the railway station in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 3-5km west and north-west and three undetermined explosions 2-3km south-south-west.

Positioned in Avdiivka the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 3-4km east-south-east.

While in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard five undetermined explosions 4-8km south-east and east, and three undetermined explosions and small-arms fire 4-7km south-west.

Positioned about 3km south of government-controlled Chermalyk (31km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM heard 12 undetermined explosions (ten at an undetermined distance north-east and two at an undetermined distance south).

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including three explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (six 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.*

Positioned in government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote, 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, an SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted three self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) south-east of Ternove (57km east of Donetsk) on 3 October. The SMM observed fewer weapons at this location on 3 October compared with the last observation on 20 September. (See SMM Daily Report 22 September 2017).

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas an SMM mini UAV spotted one stationary self-propelled mortar (2S9 Nona-S, 120mm) and 11 tanks (T-64B) in an area west of Manuilivka (65km east of Donetsk) and 15 tanks (T-64B) south-east of Ternove. The SMM observed fewer weapons at these locations on 3 October compared with the last observation on 20 September. (See SMM Daily Report 22 September 2017).

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas the SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) near Bakhmut (formerly Artemivsk, 67km north of Donetsk).

The SMM revisited an “LPR” permanent storage site beyond withdrawal lines and noted that four tanks (one T-72, three T-64) continued to be absent.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas an SMM mini UAV spotted an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-70 or BTR-80) near Zolote on 3 October. In non-government-controlled areas the SMM saw two APCs (BTR-80) near Brianka (46km south-west of Luhansk) on 3 October.

An SMM mini UAV spotted five rows of anti-tank mines (TM-62) in a field close to a trench near Zolote on 3 October.

The SMM facilitated and monitored the inspection of power line poles in Stanytsia Luhanska carried out by the Luhansk Energy Association, co-ordinated by the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC).

The SMM visited one border area not under government control. At the border crossing point near Novoazovsk (102km south-east of Donetsk) for about 25 minutes, the SMM saw six cars (three with Ukrainian and two with Russian Federation licence plates, and one with “DPR” plates), three covered trucks and one bus (all with Ukrainian licence plates) exit Ukraine. During this time, one car (with Polish licence plates) and one truck (with Ukrainian licence plates) entered Ukraine. The SMM also saw 25 covered trucks with trailers (all with Russian Federation licence plates) waiting to exit Ukraine. Five of the truck drivers (men aged 40-55) told the SMM that they had been waiting to cross for three days and were not sure when they would be able to cross.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, 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:

• Three armed men stopped the SMM at a checkpoint in “DPR”-controlled Siedove (106km south of Donetsk) and denied it access to the village. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• 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 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. 

[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.

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