Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 20 October 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM continued monitoring all three disengagement areas. The Mission observed that three civilians were let through the government checkpoint north of the Zolote disengagement area but were denied passage to areas not under government control. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including again in Samiilove, a settlement close to the border with the Russian Federation, and in Boikivske.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance to essential infrastructure in Shchastia and near Artema. The SMM visited three border areas not under government control. The Mission continued to monitor an ongoing gathering in Kyiv where it observed reduced numbers of participants.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations,[1] including about 75 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 110 explosions).

On the evening of 19 October, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded projectiles in flight, in sequence: two from west to east, one from north to south and one from west to east, followed by an illumination flare in vertical flight, all 0.1-2km south.

On the same evening, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard six undetermined explosions and ten bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, 3-5km and 10-12km north-north-west.

While in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), on the evening of 19 October, the SMM heard 41 explosions assessed as impacts of mortar (82mm) rounds 1.5-2.5km east and south-east. The following day, the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 1-3km south.

In the early morning of 20 October, while in the city centre of “DPR”-controlled Donetsk, the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions 8-10km north-west. Positioned at the central railway station in Donetsk (6km north-west of Donetsk city centre) for about one hour during the day on 20 October, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions and two bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-5km north-west and north.

During the day on 20 October, positioned at the railway station in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for about six hours, the SMM heard 12 undetermined explosions and more than 80 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-5km south-west and west.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including 17 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 190 explosions).

While in government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard nine undetermined explosions and 14 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 5-7km east-south-east.

The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty At a hospital in “DPR”-controlled Yenakiieve (41km north-east of Donetsk), medical staff told the SMM that a woman had been admitted on 9 October with shrapnel injuries on her body and face, including a severe eye injury. According to the medical staff, the patient had told the doctors that she had been in her garden when an object she had seen had exploded. In the area where the woman allegedly lived, at 6 Urozhaina Street in Yenakiieve, a neighbour told the SMM that the woman had been in the garden on 9 October and had been injured due to the explosion of an object.

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 “DPR”-controlled Petrivske, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 2-4km south-west, assessed as inside the disengagement area.

Positioned north of the “LPR” checkpoint at the southern edge of the disengagement area near government-controlled Zolote, the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions (six 3-5km north-east and north-north-east and one 10km south-west), all assessed as outside the disengagement area.

At 08:00, at the government checkpoint on the northern edge of the Zolote disengagement area, a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) told the SMM that Ukrainian border guards had opened the checkpoint at 07:00. At 10:45, the SMM saw a 35-year-old woman pass through the checkpoint and walk towards non-government-controlled areas. The SMM observed media and civil-military administration staff, present near the government checkpoint.

At the “LPR” checkpoint south of the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM saw, at about 10:00, two civilians (a woman and a man, aged 66 and 80 respectively), and later, at about 12:30, the abovementioned woman, arrive at the checkpoint from government-controlled areas. Unarmed “LPR” members denied them passage. One of the “LPR” members told the civilians that he had orders not to allow them to pass through, without providing an explanation. At 15:25, about five hours later, at the government checkpoint north of the disengagement area, the SMM saw two of the civilians return to government-controlled areas. At 17:00, the 35-year-old woman was still present at the “LPR” checkpoint. The SMM saw one of the “LPR” members walk towards the woman with a blanket and a food/tea pot. At 18:30, a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that the third civilian had still not returned, adding that she would be allowed to pass through if she returned, even after closure of the checkpoint. The SMM last saw a similar attempt to open this checkpoint on 31 March 2016 (see SMM Daily Report 1 April 2016 and SMM Daily Report 2 April 2016.)

While present at the southern edge of the disengagement area, the SMM observed an unidentified mini unmanned aerial vehicle flying, at 50m altitude, from the north towards the “LPR” checkpoint on the road between Zolote and “LPR”-controlled Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk), inside the disengagement area. The UAV stayed for half a minute above the location where two civilians were waiting to travel south and then circled above the “LPR” checkpoint for about one minute before returning north.

During the day on 20 October, positioned in the disengagement area near government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM observed a calm situation.

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 withdrawal line, in a government-controlled area, the SMM saw 12 anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) in Sievierodonetsk (74km north-west of Luhansk).

In violation of the withdrawal line, in non-government-controlled areas, on 19 October, aerial imagery revealed the presence of two multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm), 18 self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and six towed howitzers (type unknown) about 1km north-west of Shymshynivka (27km south-west of Luhansk), as well as 18 towed howitzers (type unknown) just south-east of Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines, but outside designated storage sites, in non-government-controlled areas, aerial imagery revealed on 19 October the presence of 24 tanks (type unknown) and six surface-to-air missile systems (type unknown) just south-east of Buhaivka. Aerial imagery revealed also the presence of a concentration of about 90 military-type armoured vehicles and 70 military-type trucks in the same area.

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. In government-controlled areas the SMM visited a heavy weapons holding area and noted that 21 anti-tank guns (18 MT-12 and three D-48, 85mm) continued to be missing.

The SMM revisited an “LPR” heavy weapons permanent storage site and found that seven towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) were missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] and military-type armoured vehicles in the security zone. In non-government-controlled areas, aerial imagery revealed the presence on 18 October of two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-variant) and three armoured personnel carriers (APC) (one MT-LB, two BTR-variant) near Bezimenne (30km east of Mariupol) and one APC (BTR-variant), three mine-laying vehicles (GMZ-3) and almost 40 military-type cargo vehicles and trucks in Kalmiuske (formerly Komsomolske, 42km south-east of Donetsk), in a zone within which deployment of heavy armaments and military equipment is proscribed according to Point 5 of the Memorandum of 19 September 2014.

Also in non-government-controlled areas, aerial imagery revealed training activity in progress about 1.5km north of Svobodne (73km south of Donetsk), consisting of three IFVs (BMP-variant) on firing lanes in a range area. In addition, 15 IFVs (BMP-variant), four reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-variant) and eight military-type trucks were present in vehicle parks (see SMM Daily Report 18 October 2017). The training area is in a zone within which deployment of heavy armaments and military equipment is proscribed according to Point 5 of the Memorandum, and the training occurred inside the security zone, in violation of the decision of the Trilateral Contact Group as of 3 March 2016 that prohibits the conduct of live-fire training (exercises) in the security zone.

In government-controlled areas, on 19 October, the SMM saw five reconnaissance vehicles (four BRM-1K, one BRDM variant), five IFVs (three BMP-1, two BMP variant), all stationary near Popasna, as well as an IFV (BMP-2) and a light armoured vehicle (Kraz Cougar) with a heavy machine-gun (12.7mm) mounted on top, stationary near Zolote.

The SMM saw, for the first time, a mine hazard sign on a road at the northern entrance to government-controlled Lisne (43km south-west of Donetsk).

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance works, co-ordinated by the JCCC, to the thermal power plant in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk),  the Petrivske water pumping station near government-controlled Artema (26km north of Luhansk), and the power lines east of government-controlled Druzhba (45km north-east of Donetsk).

The SMM visited three border areas not under government control. During 20 minutes at a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (102km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw two trucks with covered containers (with Ukrainian licence plates), and a car enter Ukraine. A “DPR” member present told the SMM that he had orders not to speak to the SMM about any subject.

During 45 minutes at a pedestrian border crossing point near Verkhnoharasymivka (57km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw 16 pedestrians (ten men and six women) in a queue to exit Ukraine. The SMM observed 44 parked cars.

During one hour at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk) the SMM saw 52 cars (including four with “LPR” plates) in a queue to exit Ukraine, as well as 27 cars and 32 pedestrians (16 men and 16 women) exit Ukraine. The SMM also saw nine cars (five with Ukrainian and four with Russian Federation licence plates), three buses with tinted windows and a truck with covered cargo area (all with Ukrainian licence plates), as well as 12 pedestrians, enter Ukraine.

In Kyiv, on the evening of 19 October, the SMM continued to monitor the gathering in front of the national Parliament building. (See SMM Daily Report 20 October 2017.) Around 20:20 about 400 protestors (mixed age and gender) arrived on Bankova Street, where about 400 police and National Guard officers were present. They sang the Ukrainian national anthem and then returned to the area of tents in front of the Parliament building. The SMM did not observe any incidents during its presence.

During the day on 20 October, the SMM observed about 250 people (about 80 per cent men, many wearing military-style clothing and balaclavas) at the protest site. The SMM did not observe any incidents during its presence.

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:

• Four armed men in military-type attire denied the SMM access to a compound in “DPR”-controlled Samiilove (89km south of Donetsk). The SMM informed the JCCC. (While close to another military-type compound in Samiilove, the fence around which was newly painted, a black minivan with black “DPR” plates overtook the SMM vehicles and an armed man told the SMM that it was not allowed to access the compound and that it had to turn away and leave the area.)
• Seven armed men in military-type attire prevented the SMM from entering “DPR”-controlled Boikivske (formerly Telmanove, 67km south-east of Donetsk) from the west, citing “an ongoing anti-terrorist operation” in the town. The SMM saw that other civilian cars were granted passage into and out of the area. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• Following the above denial of access, the SMM tried to reach Boikivske through another road from the south. Five armed men again denied the SMM passage into the town, saying that nobody was allowed to enter it. The SMM saw that, at the same time, other civilian traffic was moving freely. The Mission 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. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC at a checkpoint north of the Zolote disengagement area told the Mission 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 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] 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.

* 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.