Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 11 December 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. In Chermalyk, the Mission saw damage to civilian properties in residential areas caused by shelling and gunfire. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote and Petrivske disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including at a checkpoint near Verkhnoshyrokivske.* The SMM followed up media reports that Mospyne was cordoned off and observed that the entrances to the town were blocked by armed persons. The Mission observed long queues at the entry-exit checkpoint near Stanytsia Luhanska. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure near Artema. The SMM visited one border area outside of government control. In Kyiv, the Mission monitored the security situation in front of a detention centre and a court building.

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] including over 1,000 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (about 860 explosions).

On the evening and night of 10-11 December, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, 20 projectiles in flight from west to east, two undetermined explosions, three projectiles from east to west, an illumination flare in vertical flight, ten projectiles from east to west, two undetermined explosions, an illumination flare in vertical flight and a projectile from west to east, followed by a total of eight undetermined explosions, an airburst, two illumination flares in vertical flight and 24 projectiles (17 from west to east and seven from east to west), all 0.5-1.5km south. On 11 December, the same camera recorded, in sequence, four projectiles in flight from east to west, four projectiles from west to east, two projectiles from east to west, an undetermined explosion, nine tracer rounds from east to west, an undetermined explosion, followed by a total of 16 undetermined explosions, 102 projectiles (88 from east to west and 14 from west to east), and 21 tracer rounds in flight from east to west, all 0.5-1.5km south.

During the day on 11 December, positioned at the railway station in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for about five hours, the SMM heard about 330 undetermined explosions and about 440 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-6km at directions ranging from west to north.

On the morning of 11 December, positioned on the south-western edge of government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) for about three hours, the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions 5-7km north-north-west, five undetermined explosions 3-5km east-south-east, and heavy-machine-gun fire 2-3km west. In the afternoon, positioned in Avdiivka for one hour and a half, the SMM heard nine undetermined explosions 3-5km at directions ranging from east to south-west and three undetermined explosions 1-2km at directions ranging from east-south-east to south-west

On the morning of 11 December, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 40 undetermined explosions 3-5km north-west. The same morning, positioned on the north-western edge of Horlivka for four and a half hours, the SMM heard about 40 undetermined explosions and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 6km south-west.

On the evening and night of 10-11 December, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in government‑controlled Maiorsk (45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded four undetermined explosions and 67 projectiles in flight from south-east to north-west, all at undetermined distances east.

On the evening of 10 December, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 280 explosions (about 130 assessed as impacts of artillery rounds, about 20 as outgoing artillery (122mm) rounds, and the remainder undetermined) and about 200 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, as well as 34 minutes of uncountable overlapping explosions assessed as rounds of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) cannon (73mm) fire 46 minutes of uncountable overlapping bursts and shots of IFV (BMP-2) cannon (30mm), heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 5-8km south-east and south-south-east. The SMM also heard about 40 explosions assessed as outgoing artillery (122mm) rounds 5-6km north, 20 explosions assessed as mortar (120mm) rounds and 20 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 6-7km west.

While at the same location on the following day, the SMM heard about 190 explosions (about 170 assessed as impacts of artillery and mortar rounds and the remainder undetermined), about 50 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, ten minutes of uncountable overlapping undetermined explosions, and 15 minutes of uncountable overlapping shots of small-arms fire, all 5-9km at directions ranging from south-east to south-west, as well as 22 explosions (two assessed as outgoing artillery (122mm) rounds and the remainder as artillery rounds) 7-9km north-east.

On the evening and night of 10-11 December, the SMM camera 1km south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, an undetermined explosion, two projectiles in flight from east to west, and 17 projectiles from west to east, followed by a total of five undetermined explosions and 79 projectiles (71 from east to west and eight from west to east), all 5-8km north. On 11 December, the SMM camera recorded, in sequence, 20 projectiles from west to east, four tracer rounds from east to west, a projectile from east to west, 20 projectiles from west to east, four projectiles from east to west, 35 projectiles from west to east, nine projectiles from east to west, seven projectiles from west to east, and a projectile from east to west, all 5-8km north.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, more explosions (about 50), compared with the previous 24 hours (four explosions).

One the evening of 10 December, while on the northern edge of government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions and 15 shots of small-arms fire 3-5km north-north-east, three undetermined explosions 10-15km south-south-west, and 22 undetermined explosions and about ten bursts and shots of IFV (BMP-2) cannon and heavy-machine-gun fire, all at unknown distances south-south-west. While at the same location on the following day, the SMM heard 18 explosions assessed as outgoing mortar rounds and 20 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 2-3km south-east.

The SMM assessed damage to civilian properties in residential areas caused by shelling and gunfire. On 11 December, the SMM observed five fresh impact sites in government-controlled Chermalyk (31km north-east of Mariupol).

At 33 Torhivelna Street, the SMM saw shrapnel damage to the south-facing wall of a barn which had partially collapsed. The SMM also saw the tailfin of a round next to the barn. The SMM assessed that the damage had been caused by a round of either an IFV (BMP-1) cannon or a recoilless gun (SPG-9, 73mm) fired from an east-south-easterly direction.

At 30 Torhivelna Street, the SMM saw a fresh crater 8m south-west of an abandoned house. The SMM also saw shattered windows and shrapnel damage to the south-facing wall of the house and shrapnel damage to the north-facing wall. The SMM assessed that the damage to the south-facing wall had been caused by either a round of an IFV (BMP-1) cannon or a recoilless gun (SPG-9, 73mm) fired from an east-south-easterly direction and the damage to the north-facing wall resulted from the impact to the barn at 33 Torhivelna Street (see above).

About 100m west of the house at 30 Torhivelna Street, the SMM saw a fresh crater in a field; the SMM was unable to determine the direction of fire or the type of weapon used.

At 43 Pervomaiska Street, the SMM saw a fresh crater and three holes in a north-east-facing fence about 20m south-west of a house, assessed as caused by either a round of an IFV (BMP-1) cannon or a recoilless gun (SPG-9, 73mm) fired from an east-south-easterly direction.

At 44 Naberezhna Street, the SMM saw a fresh crater 35m south of a one-storey house, assessed as caused by a mortar (82mm) round. The Mission was unable to determine the direction of fire.

Three female residents (in their sixties) of Chermalyk told the SMM that that shelling had occurred between 08:30 and 14:00 on 10 December. The SMM observed Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers armed with assault rifles (AK-variant) close to residential houses in Chermalyk, including 40m north-west of the impact site at 43 Pervomaiska Street.

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, 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 afternoon of 9 December, the SMM camera in “DPR”-controlled Petrivske recorded 21 tracer rounds in flight from west to east, followed by eight tracer rounds from south-west to north-east, all at unknown distances south-south-west and south-west (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area).

During the day on 11 December, positioned in government-controlled Zolote-4 (60km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions and a burst of heavy-machine-gun fire 4km south and five shots of small-arms fire 200-300m north, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On 11 December, positioned in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and in Petrivske, 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.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, in a non-government-controlled area, the SMM saw four stationary tanks (type unknown) on a firing platform about 4km south-east of Ternove (57km east of Donetsk).

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 beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM saw 21 tanks (T-64), seven self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm – four of which were observed for the first time) and eight self-propelled mortars (2S9 Nona-S, 120mm – for the first time), and noted that 35 self-propelled howitzers (seven 2S3 – for the first time; 16 2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm; and 12 2S3M, 152 mm), 18 towed howitzers (D-20, 152mm), 34 tanks (T-64 – four of which were missing for the first time), two surface-to-air missile systems (9K33 Osa), six anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm), and 35 mortars (nine PM-38; 120mm; two 2B9 Vasilek, 82mm; six PM-42, 120mm; and 18 2B11 Sani, 120mm) continued to be absent.

The SMM revisited a Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent storage site whose location was beyond withdrawal lines and noted that the site continued to be abandoned and that 13 anti-tank guns (MT-12) continued to be absent.

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

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles, anti-aircraft guns[2] and other indications of military presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) near Vidrodzhennia (66km north-east of Donetsk) and an APC (BTR-80) near Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk). The SMM also saw five caps assessed as from a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near Novomykhailivka (28km south-west of Donetsk). On 8 December, an SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle spotted a probable reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) near Svitlodarsk.

In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw a stationary IFV (BMP-variant) under camouflage netting behind a house in Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol), an APC (BTR-80) near Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, 29km north-east of Mariupol), an APC (BTR-80) near Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk), an IFV ( BMP-2) and an APC (MT-LB) mounted with an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) near Slovianoserbsk (28km north-west of Luhansk), two APCs (MT-LB mounted with an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) and BTR-80) near Dovhe (22km north-west of Luhansk), and two IFVs (BMP-1) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk).

The SMM followed up on media reports that “DPR”-controlled Mospyne (24km south-east of Donetsk) was cordoned off by the armed formations. At the southern entrance to Mospyne, at the junction of Zaoieva and Biriuzova Streets, the SMM saw two armed men guarding the entrance, one of whom was wearing a balaclava and had a red-cross patch on his chest. One of them approached the SMM and told it to turn back. When the Mission asked why, he refused to answer. At the south-eastern edge of the town, the SMM saw three persons in military-style clothing at a roadblock, one of whom approached the Mission and told it to turn back without providing any reason.

In “DPR”-controlled Byriuky (28km south-east of Donetsk), a village adjacent to Mospyne, two women (in their thirties) told the SMM that they were residents of Mospyne and that when they had been exiting Mospyne at around 05:00 on the morning of 11 December, they had been stopped by “military” people. The women said that the “military” people had checked their identification documents, adding that the “military” people had been inspecting houses in the town. The women expressed concern that they would not be able to re-enter the town and noted that children had been sent home from school in Mospyne because most of the teachers had not shown up. Also in Byriuky, a group of four men (in their twenties) told the SMM that all roads leading to Mospyne were blocked and that no one was allowed to enter or exit the town. They said that no public buses were allowed to pass through the town and that the “military” was checking identity documents of people and vehicles. They added that they had heard that the blockade had started at 04:00 on 11 December and would last until 04:00 on 12 December.

The SMM continued to observe long queues at the entry-exit checkpoint near Stanytsia Luhanska. At the government checkpoint north of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, at 13:00, the SMM saw about 300 pedestrians queuing to travel further into government-controlled areas and about 30 queuing to travel in the opposite direction. At an “LPR” checkpoint south of the bridge, at 09:30, the SMM saw about 1,600 pedestrians queuing to travel towards government-controlled areas and about 350 queuing in the opposite direction. At the same checkpoint, at 12:20, the SMM saw about 600 pedestrians queueing to travel towards government-controlled areas.

The SMM followed up on reports of lack of electricity in Avdiivka and government-controlled Kriakivka (38km northwest of Luhansk). In Avdiivka, the SMM observed that there was no electricity on Chapaivea, Molodizhna and Haharina Streets in the central part of the town. The head of the military-civil administration told the SMM that electricity had been cut off due to shelling damage to power lines in the south-eastern area of Avdiivka. In Kriakivka, three women (aged 50-70) told the SMM that electricity had been cut to the entire village when power lines were damaged by shelling that had occurred on the night of 10-11 December. The SMM observed three men (aged 50-60) trying to restore electricity, one of whom climbed a wooden pole and attempted to re-connect the broken power line in the village.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance work, co-ordinated by the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), on the water pumping station near government-controlled Artema (26km north of Luhansk).

The SMM visited one border area outside of government control. At the border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk), the SMM saw 11 cars (two with “DPR” plates), a van (with “DPR” plates), and a covered cargo truck in a queue to exit Ukraine. During about 25 minutes, the Mission saw eight cars, a van, and a truck exiting Ukraine, and five cars, a bus, and two female pedestrians (aged 30-40) entering Ukraine.

In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a gathering outside a detention centre (See SMM Daily Report 11 December 2017). On 9 December at 3B Askoldiv Lane, the SMM saw about 40-50 people (mixed gender, aged 40-65) gathered in front of the detention centre in which Mikheil Saakashvili had reportedly been since the evening of 8 December. The SMM saw that some of them were covering their faces and that three metal barrels and firewood were set up. The Mission observed about 20 police officers in riot gear blocking the entrance to the detention centre with a bus and a section of Askoldiv Lane closed-off to traffic. During its presence, the SMM observed a calm situation.

On 11 December, the SMM monitored a gathering outside Pecherskyi District Court in Kyiv where the court hearing of Mr. Saakashvili was taking place. At 42A Khreshchatyk Street, the SMM saw about 100 people (mixed gender, aged 30-65), some of whom were dressed in camouflage, gathered in front of the court building. The Mission observed a passage leading to the court yard cordoned off by about 70 police officers in riot gear and an additional 150 police and National Guard officers in riot gear standing on both sides of the court entrance. The SMM heard some participants saying that the prosecution was requesting house arrest for Mr. Saakashvili. The Mission also saw minor scuffles between some participants of the gathering and the police officers when the former attempted to enter the court yard, but it noted that the overall situation was calm. Later in the day, the media reported that the court had refused the prosecution’s request and ordered Mr. Saakashvili’s release.

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. 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 2 December 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:

• At a checkpoint near Verkhnoshyrokivske, an armed person denied the SMM’s passage through the checkpoint after it stated its intention to visit Novoazovsk. The person claimed that the SMM was not allowed to pass due to a “reconnaissance group operation.” 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. “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 there was no available information about the de-mining process. 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 table 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. Four SMM cameras continue to be tested until the end of December 2017.

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