Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 9 October 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 24 hours. The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty from Zaitseve. The SMM continued monitoring all three disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations close to the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote disengagement areas and saw a white signal flare fired from near a checkpoint south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere, including in Vesela Hora and Horlivka.* The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Zaichenko and Bezimenne. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of the thermal power plant in Shchastia and power lines near Toretsk. It visited two border areas not under government control.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] including about 120 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (about 65 explosions).

On the evening of 8 October, the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, 15 undetermined explosions, three tracer rounds in flight from north-west to south-east, a projectile in flight from north to south and a tracer round in flight from north-west to south-east, all 3-5km east-south-east. During the day on 9 October, the same camera recorded an airburst and two explosions assessed as impacts 2-3km east-south-east.  

On 9 October, positioned on the south-western edge of Avdiivka for about three and a half hours, the SMM heard 24 undetermined explosions, 36 shots of small-arms fire and four bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 1-5km at directions ranging from east-south-east to south.

On the evening of 8 October, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, seven projectiles in flight from west to east and an undetermined explosion 1-2km south, a projectile from west to east, a projectile from north to south, and five undetermined explosions, followed by totals of 14 tracer rounds in flight (five from west to east, eight from east to west and one from north to south), an airburst and an undetermined explosion, all 1-3km south-south-west.

On the night of 8-9 October, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, six tracer rounds in flight from east to west, 11 tracer rounds from west to east, followed by a total of 37 tracer rounds (33 from east to west and four from west to east), all at unknown distances north.

During the day on 9 October, positioned at the railway station in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for about six hours, the SMM heard 29 undetermined explosions and about 90 shots and bursts of small-arms fire, all 1-4km at directions ranging from south-west to north.

On the morning of 9 October, positioned over 2km south-west of government-controlled Pyshchevyk (25km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard four undetermined explosions and two bursts of small-arms fire 2-6km south-east. 

On the evening of 8 October, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard and saw 80 bursts of anti-aircraft cannon (ZU-23, 23mm) fire and heard 25 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 1km south-south-east. It also heard 25 undetermined explosions and about 50 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 3-4km south-south-east. During the day on 9 October, the SMM heard two undetermined explosions and 25 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 2-5km south, and an undetermined explosion and five bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 4-5km east.

On 9 October, positioned on the north-western edge of “DPR”-controlled Sakhanka (24km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard an undetermined explosion at an unknown distance west and four shots of small-arms fire 2km west-south-west.

Positioned about 3km north of government-controlled Lebedynske (16km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 2-4km east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including 39 explosions compared with the previous 24 hours (45 explosions).

On 9 October, positioned on the north-eastern edge of government-controlled Novozvanivka (70km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard four explosions assessed as mortar rounds 2km south-east.

During the night of 8-9 October, while on the northern edge of government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 15 undetermined explosions 5-8km east-south-east and south-east.

The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty. Medical staff at the morgue of Hospital no. 2 in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk) told the SMM that a man (48 years old), who, they said, was a resident at 53 Karbysheva Street in a non-government-controlled area of Zaitseve (50km north-east of Donetsk), had been brought to the morgue on the evening of 8 October. Medical staff added that he had died earlier on 8 October on the way to the hospital after sustaining shrapnel injuries to the left lung and heart. Outside the morgue, two men, who introduced themselves as the man’s brothers, told the SMM that they, while being in Zaitseve, heard an exchange of fire starting at about 16:30 and lasting for an hour. They also said that their brother had three children, who were with their mother inside the house while their father was in a barn next to the house when the exchange of fire began.  

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 8-9 October, the SMM camera at the Prince Ihor Monument south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge recorded six explosions, assessed as outgoing rounds 3km north (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

During the night of 8-9 October, while on the eastern edge of government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard an explosion assessed as an outgoing round 1-2km west and three explosions (one assessed as an impact and two undetermined) 3-5km south (the SMM was unable to assess if these were outside or inside the disengagement area).

On 9 October, positioned near the “LPR” checkpoint south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM saw two Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) and 12 armed “LPR” members, as well as three machine-guns (PK 7.62mm), a heavy-machine gun (12.7mm) and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher (RPG-7). At 11:55, positioned at the same location, the SMM saw an armed “LPR” member 50m north of the checkpoint fire a white flare up into the air. “LPR” members present told the SMM that the aim of the flare was to show their readiness to disengage. At the same time another SMM patrol positioned north of the bridge also saw a white flare.

During the day on 9 October, positioned in government-controlled Zolote, the SMM heard five undetermined explosions 6-8km south-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

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 areas outside of government control, the SMM saw two stationary self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) facing west 2.7km north-east of Zaichenko (26km north-east of Mariupol). An SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted, on 7 October, a probable towed howitzer (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) 4.5km north-west of Bezimenne (30km east of Mariupol) in a zone within which deployment of heavy armaments and military equipment is further proscribed according to Point 5 of the Memorandum of 19 September 2014.

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. On 9 October, in government-controlled areas, the SMM observed 16 self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) and 25 tanks (T-64) and noted that 23 mortars (two 2B9 Vasilek, 82mm; three PM-38, 120mm; 12 2B11 Sani, 120mm; and six PM-120, 120mm), 16 self-propelled howitzers (2S1), 69 towed howitzers (18 D-20, 152mm; 39 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm; and 12 2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm), 30 tanks (T-64) and two surface-to-air missile systems (9K33 Osa) continued to be absent.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw a stationary infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) near Zolote. An SMM mid-range UAV spotted, on 7 October, four armoured personnel carriers (APC) (BTR-variant) near Lebedynske.

In areas outside government control, the SMM saw an APC (BTR-70) heading west near Brianka (46km south-west of Luhansk). An SMM mid-range UAV spotted, on 7 October, an IFV (BMP-2) and an APC (BTR-variant) near Bezimenne. An SMM mini UAV spotted, on 8 October, an IFV (BMP-2), an APC (MT-LB) and a trench digger (PZM-2) in Dokuchaievsk (30km south-west of Donetsk) (about 600m south of buildings where the Mission previously observed damage from gunfire (see SMM Daily Report 27 September 2017).

The SMM saw a convoy of 30 stationary curtain-sided heavy goods articulated civilian trucks with covered licence plates, as well as a sport utility vehicle with flashing lights mounted on top and two persons wearing military-style clothing on board, on the side of the road at the junction of road H21 and road T0517 about 7km south-east of “DPR”-controlled Shakhtarsk (50km east of Donetsk). The SMM saw that all the trucks had “RUS” stickers on their back. The SMM saw seven additional curtain-sided heavy goods articulated civilian trucks, whose licence plates were also covered, as well as a truck (Kamaz) in Shakhtarsk on road H21. 

The SMM saw about 60 stationary empty railroad wagons at the cargo railway station in “LPR”-controlled Dovzhansk (formerly Sverdlovsk, 60km south-east of Luhansk), where the Mission one week previously had seen about 50 stationary railroad wagons filled with coal.

The SMM observed the presence of mines and mine hazard signs. An SMM mid-range UAV spotted, on 7 October, 11 anti-tank mines across road T-0519 between Ukrainian Armed Forces and “DPR” checkpoints near “DPR”-controlled Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol). (See SMM Daily Report 21 June 2017.) On 9 October, the SMM saw again a mine hazard sign (white board with “Stop, Mines” written in Russian) on an asphalt road on the northern edge of “LPR”-controlled Vesela Hora (16km north of Luhansk); however, the SMM noted that it had been moved 100-150m south of its previous position, thus preventing the SMM from proceeding towards Vesela Hora*. The SMM saw a man wearing military-style clothing driving a car which hit the sign and drove over it.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance works, co-ordinated by the JCCC, the thermal power plant in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) and power lines in government-controlled Toretsk (formerly Dzerzhynsk, 43km north of Donetsk).

At the bridge south of Shchastia, the Mission monitored and facilitated a transfer of funds from non-government- to government-controlled areas; the funds were reportedly in relation to a water utility debt. (See SMM Daily Report 9 September 2017.) 

The SMM visited two border areas not under government control. At a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk) for about an hour, the SMM saw 17 cars (eight with Ukrainian and nine with Russian Federation licence plates), a bus (with Ukrainian licence plates, marked “Krasnyi Luch-Rostov”), four trucks (with Ukrainian licence plates, three with covered cargo and one carrying a wooden plank) and 13 pedestrians (seven men and six women aged 25-60) exiting Ukraine. The SMM saw 12 cars (six with Ukrainian and six with Russian Federation licence plates), a bus (with Ukrainian licence plates, marked in Russian “Rostov-Stakhanov” with about 35 passengers), nine trucks (all with Ukrainian licence plates, eight with covered cargo and one carrying timber planks), and five pedestrians (three women and two men aged 50-60) enter Ukraine.

At a border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) for about an hour, the SMM saw 16 cars (12 with Ukrainian, two with Russian Federation licence plates and two with “DPR” plates), seven curtain-sided heavy goods articulated trucks (with Ukrainian licence plates and covered trailer) exit Ukraine. The SMM saw ten cars (seven with Ukrainian, two with Russian Federation and one with Polish licence plates) and a bus (with Ukrainian licence plates) enter Ukraine.

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, 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:

• On 9 October, on the northern edge of Vesela Hora, the SMM noted that a mine hazard sign on the asphalt road had been moved 100-150m south of its previously observed location. The possible presence of mines prevented the SMM from proceeding into Vesela Hora. The SMM informed the JCCC.

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.

Conditional access:

• On 9 October, at a “DPR” checkpoint on the north-western edge of Horlivka on road T0513, armed persons stopped the SMM and asked to check the trunks of the SMM vehicles, as well as the content of toolboxes. The SMM opened the trunks but did not show the content of the toolboxes. The armed men prevented the SMM from proceeding through the checkpoint. The SMM informed the JCCC. After about one hour, they allowed the SMM to proceed without opening the toolboxes.

[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.