Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 29 October 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region between the evenings of 27 and 28 October compared with the previous reporting period and more between the evenings of 28 and 29 October compared with the previous 24 hours. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations between the evenings of 27 and 28 October compared with the previous reporting period and a similar number of ceasefire violations between the evenings of 28 and 29 October compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission followed up on reports of a casualty in Donetsk city. The SMM observed fresh damage to civilian properties caused by shelling in Marinka, Avdiivka, Pikuzy, Oleksandrivka and Sakhanka. The Mission continued monitoring all three disengagement areas; it recorded a ceasefire violation inside the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including near Metalist (twice).* The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Luhanske and in Bakhmut. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance to power lines between Novozvanivka and Troitske. The SMM visited a border area not under government control. The Mission continued monitoring the administrative boundary line between Kherson region and Crimea. With respect to ongoing local elections, the SMM monitored the security situation around polling stations in Lviv region and government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, where it observed calm situations.

In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 27 and 28 October, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations,[1] including 35 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 130 explosions). Between the evenings of 28 and 29 October, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions (about 260), compared with the previous 24 hours.

On the evening and night of 27-28 October, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 3-5km west, as well as nine explosions (three assessed as outgoing rounds of rocket-propelled grenade fire and the remainder undetermined) and about 110 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-4km at directions ranging from south to south-east. On the morning of 28 October, while at the same location, the SMM heard about 20 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 1-2km south-south-east. On the evening and night of 28-29 October, while at the same location, the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions and almost 130 bursts and shots of infantry-fighting-vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm), heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-5km south-east and south-west. On the morning of 29 October, while at the same location, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 3-5km south-west, and in the afternoon, 14 undetermined explosions 5-7km south-east.

In the late evening of 27 October, while in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard nine undetermined explosions 6-10km north-west and north.

On the evening of 27 October, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence: six projectiles in flight from west to east and two projectiles from east to west, all at unknown distances south; two undetermined explosions 3-5km south-east; five projectiles from east to west, 18 projectiles from west to east, one projectile from east to west, five projectiles from west to east, three projectiles from east to west and six projectiles from west to east, all at unknown distances south; and one undetermined explosion 3-5km south. On the evening and night of 28-29 October, the same camera recorded, in sequence, four projectiles in flight from west to east, five projectiles from east to west, three projectiles from west to east, followed by aggregated totals of two undetermined explosions and 91 projectiles in flight (71 from east to west and 20 from west to east), all 500m-1km south.

On the evening of 27 October, the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (16km north of Donetsk) recorded four projectiles in flight, all at unknown distances and directions. During the day on 29 October, the same camera recorded three explosions assessed as impacts 5-7km south-south-west. The same day, positioned on the south-western edge of Avdiivka, within about 30 minutes, the SMM heard 75 undetermined explosions, all 3-6km south.

During the day on 29 October, positioned at the railway station in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for about five hours, the SMM heard about 110 undetermined explosions 6-10km west-south-west, as well as about 30 undetermined explosions and about 40 shots of small-arms fire, all 1-4km at directions ranging from west-south-west to north-west.

During the day on 28 October, positioned in government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk) for about four hours, the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions and about 30 bursts of small-arms fire, all 1-3km east-north-east. On the evening of 28 October, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Marinka recorded eight projectiles in flight from west to east, all at unknown distances north-north-west.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including 12 explosions, between the evenings of 27 and 28 October, compared with the previous reporting period (four explosions). It recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations, including 16 explosions, between the evenings of 28 and 29 October, compared with the previous 24 hours.

During the day on 28 October, positioned 2.5km north-east of “LPR”-controlled Teplychne (8km west of Luhansk), the SMM, within a 20-minute period, heard ten undetermined explosions and ten bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 1-2km south.

During the day on 29 October, positioned in “LPR”-controlled Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions 10-15km west.

The same day, positioned about 3km west of “LPR”-controlled Almazna (55km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions 2-3km east.

The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty. On 28 October, the SMM visited a morgue in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city, following up on information from Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) that at around 18:10 on 27 October a 25-year-old man had died from injuries sustained following an explosion in the Trudivski area of “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district (15km south-west of Donetsk city centre). Staff at the morgue told the SMM that a 25-year-old man had been transported to the morgue on 27 October. The morgue’s logbook showed that he had been just outside of his house at 30 Udachna Street in the Trudivski area when he had sustained an injury to his left leg. The SMM saw a large wound on the front of the left thigh of the man’s body. Later in the day, the morgue staff told the Mission via telephone that during autopsy a heavy machine-gun (14.5mm) round had been extracted from the deceased man’s body, adding that the round had penetrated into his left thigh and reached his pelvis and that he had died from severe blood loss.

While attempting to follow up on the abovementioned incident, the SMM also met with a “DPR” member in the Petrovskyi district, who, however, refused to provide information, claiming that the Mission should contact other “DPR” members for such information.

The SMM observed damage to civilian properties in residential areas. In government-controlled areas, accompanied by Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC, the SMM observed fresh impact sites in Marinka and Avdiivka. In non-government-controlled areas, accompanied by Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the JCCC, the SMM observed fresh impact sites in Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol) and Oleksandrivka (20km south-west of Donetsk); the SMM also saw fresh impact sites in Sakhanka (24km north-east of Mariupol).

In Marinka, on 28 October the SMM saw a hole (50-70cm in diameter) in either the east- or south-east-facing side of the roofs of three houses (at 58, 60 and 61 Kashtanova Street, respectively), all assessed as caused by unknown weapons fired from a north-easterly direction. The SMM also saw a fresh crater in the grass 5m from the nearest damaged house, assessed as caused by an unknown weapon fired from a north-easterly direction. Two residents (a woman in her sixties and a man in his seventies) separately told the Mission that shelling had occurred between 21:00 and 21:45 on 27 October.

In Avdiivka, on 29 October the SMM saw a hole in a west-facing fence in front of an apartment building at 128 Nekrasova Street, assessed as caused by an automatic-grenade-launcher (AGS-17) round fired from an east-south-easterly direction. At 127 Nekrasova Street, the SMM saw a hole in the east-facing side of the roof of a shed about 5-7m north of a house, assessed as caused by an automatic-grenade-launcher (AGS-17) round fired from an east-south-easterly direction. A female resident (in her forties) of the house told the Mission that she had been inside the house, together with other three family members when she had heard an explosion at about 15:50 on 28 October.

In Pikuzy, on 28 October the SMM observed that the entire roof of the house at 18 Akhmatovoi Street had collapsed and saw, from a distance, a 20cm-long and 7.5cm-wide green cylindrical object, assessed as unexploded ordnance (UXO), in a field about 10m south of the house. The UXO appeared to have a tailfin. The owner of the house was absent at the time of the SMM’s visit; however, on the evening of 26 October, two residents of Pikuzy separately had told the Mission via telephone that shelling had occurred that evening.

At a school on Shkilna Street in Oleksandrivka, about 2km east of the contact line, on 29 October the SMM saw that the north-west-facing double-glazed window of a four-storey school building was broken. The Mission also a fragment between windows, assessed as that of a recoilless gun (SPG-type), and the tailfin of a recoilless gun (SPG-type) round on the slightly disturbed soil about 25m north-west of the building. The SMM assessed that the damage had been caused by the recoilless gun round (SPG-type), but it was unable to assess the direction of fire.

In Sakhanka, on Havrylenko Street, on 29 October the SMM saw four windows on the south-facing wall of a house were covered with tarpaulin and fresh concrete on a part of the same wall. About 10m east of the house, the SMM saw a hole in the west-facing side of the roof of a house, shrapnel damage to the north-facing front wall of the house and damage to trees 10m north of the house, all assessed as fresh. The mother (in her fifties) of the owner of the first house told the SMM that her daughter and the daughter’s two children had been at home when shelling had occurred between 17:30 and 18:30 on 26 October. The Mission was not able to assess the direction of fire or the weapons used.

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 25 October, the SMM camera in government-controlled Zolote recorded, in sequence, an undetermined explosion 4-8km south, a flare in flight 3-5km east and an undetermined explosion 4-8km south-south-west, all assessed as outside the disengagement area. On the evening of 26 October, the same camera recorded a projectile in flight from north-west to south-east 3-5km east-north-east, assessed as outside the disengagement area. In the early hours of 28 October, the camera recorded a flare in flight from north-east to south-west 2.4km east-south-east, assessed as inside the disengagement area.

On 28 October, positioned in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, and in government-controlled Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk), west of the Petrivske disengagement area, the SMM observed calm situations. On 29 October, positioned near all three disengagement areas, 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 government-controlled areas, on 28 October the SMM saw two self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) on flatbed trucks near Luhanske (57km north-east of Donetsk) moving north and five self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) on rail cars facing north at the railway station in Bakhmut (formerly Artemivsk, 67km north of Donetsk).

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, in government-controlled areas, on 27 October the SMM saw 27 tanks (T-72) loaded on a train stationary at the railway station in Bakhmut. On 28 October, the SMM saw eight tanks (T-64), as well as 40 IFVs (BMP-2), all on rail cars facing north at the railway station in Bakhmut, and four towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) being transported by trucks in Khlibodarivka (65km south-west of Donetsk) heading south.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 26 October the SMM saw an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (Saxon), three IFVs (BMP-1) and two reconnaissance vehicles (BRM-1K and BRDM-2), all stationary near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk). On 27 October, the SMM saw an APC (Saxon), two IFVs (one BMP-1 and one BMP-variant) and four reconnaissance vehicles (two BRM-1K and two BRDM-2), all stationary near Popasna, eight APCs (MT-LB) on flatbed trailers stationary near Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), two APCs (MT-LB) heading north near Makarove (19km north-east of Luhansk), five APCs (four MT-LB and one BTR-70), two IFVs (BMP-1) and a light armoured vehicle (Kraz Cougar) with a heavy machine-gun (12.7mm) mounted on top in Stanytsia Luhanska, and an IFV (BMP-2) and a light armoured vehicle (Kraz Cougar) with a heavy machine-gun (12.7mm) mounted on top, all stationary near Zolote. On 28 October, the SMM saw five IFVs (four BMP-1 and one BMP-variant) and three reconnaissance vehicles (one BRM-1K and two BRDM-2), all stationary near Popasna, nine IFVs (BMP-1) and two APCs (MT-LB), all being transported by trucks heading north-west, near Shchastia, two stationary APCs (BTR-70 and MT-LB) near Heivka (27km north-west of Luhansk), a stationary APC (BTR-80) in Stanytsia Luhanska, two IFVs (BMP-2) and a light armoured vehicle (Kraz Cougar) with a heavy machine-gun (12.7mm) mounted on top, all stationary near Zolote, and four stationary APCs (MT-LB) near Kapitanove (49km north-west of Luhansk). On 29 October, the SMM saw a stationary IFV (BMP-1) in Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk).

The SMM followed up on an explosion in Donetsk city on 26 October. (See SMM Daily Report 28 October 2017.) On 28 October, the SMM visited the Donetsk Trauma Hospital in Donetsk city, following up on information provided by staff at the same hospital that a 40-year-old man had been admitted with a leg injury. The SMM met with the injured man lying on a bed in the hospital and saw wounds to his legs and right arm and bandages on his feet. He told the Mission that he had been home on the third floor of a five-storey apartment building at 84 Chervonoarmiiska Street in Donetsk city when he heard an explosion at around 16:30 on 26 October. He said that due to the explosion his room’s floor had fell onto the second floor and that he had sustained injuries, mostly from glass of shattered windows.

At another medical facility in Donetsk city, medical staff told the SMM that a woman injured by the explosion on 26 October (see above) was being treated in the intensive care unit. The injured woman’s mother in the hospital told the Mission that her 18-year-old daughter had sustained burns to most parts of the body but she was conscious after having undergone surgery. She also said that her daughter had been at home in the five-storey apartment building at 84 Chervonoarmiiska Street when the explosion occurred at around 16:30 on 26 October.

The SMM facilitated and monitored clearance of mines co-ordinated by the JCCC, of road M03 between Svitlodarsk and Debaltseve. Following the removal of mines on 28 October, the SMM could use the road to travel between the towns. The SMM was able to travel along road M03 for the 15th time since July 2017 – when the Mission was able to travel the road for the first time since early 2015. (See SMM Daily Report 20 July 2017.) After its passage, the SMM saw that the Ukrainian Armed Forces demining team laid the anti-tank mines back onto road M03.

On 29 October, the SMM noted that six previously observed anti-tank mines near a checkpoint on road T-0504 in “LPR”-controlled Molodizhne (63km north-west of Luhansk) were no longer present. (See SMM Daily Report 28 October 2017.)

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance work, co-ordinated by the JCCC, to power lines between government-controlled Novozvanivka (70km west of Luhansk) and Troitske (69km west of Luhansk) on 27 October.

The SMM visited a border area not under government control. On 28 October, at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk), during about one hour, the SMM saw 65 cars (36 with Ukrainian, 23 with Russian Federation, two with Lithuanian and one with Georgian licence plates, and three “LPR” plates) and four buses (three with Ukrainian licence plates, and one with “LPR” plates) in a queue to exit Ukraine. The SMM also saw 23 cars (11 with Ukrainian, seven with Russian Federation, two with Lithuanian and one with Polish licence plates, and one with “DPR” and one with “LPR” plates), three buses (all with Russian Federation licence plates) and three trucks (all with Ukrainian licence plates and covered cargo) enter Ukraine.

The SMM continued monitoring the administrative boundary line between Kherson region and Crimea. On 25 October, the SMM visited a crossing point near Chonhar (162km south-east of Kherson) and noted a calm situation.

With respect to ongoing local elections, the SMM monitored the security situation around polling stations in Lviv region and government-controlled areas of Donetsk region.

In government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, in Serhiivka (81km north of Donetsk), Andriivka (93km north of Donetsk), Verkhnokamianske (100km north of Donetsk) and Zvanivka (93km north of Donetsk), the SMM observed calm situations.

In Lviv region, in Solonka (9km south of Lviv) and Pidberiztsi (14km east of Lviv), the SMM observed calm situations.

The SMM continued monitoring in Odessa, 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. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government, citing orders to do so. (See, for example, SMM Daily Report 23 October 2017.) 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 28 October, two armed men at a checkpoint 2.5km south-west of “LPR”-controlled Metalist (7km north-west of Luhansk) prevented the SMM from proceeding further by refusing to open a gate at the checkpoint.
• On 29 October, three armed men at the same checkpoint near Metalist denied the SMM access to a compound, claiming that demining activities were underway. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• On 28 and 29 October, 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 on both occasions.
• On 28 and 29 October, 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 on both occasions.
• On 28 and 29 October, 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 on both occasions.
• On 28 and 29 October, 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 on both occasions.

 

[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.