Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 25 December 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

Following the recommitment to cease fire, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a similar number of ceasefire violations in Luhansk region between the evenings of 22 and 23 December compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 23 and 24 December, the SMM recorded a significant decrease in the number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous 24 hours and no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 24 and 25 December compared with the previous 24 hours, but fewer compared with the period between the evenings of 22 and 23 December. The Mission followed up on reports of a civilian injured along the contact line near Berezove and observed damage to residential areas of Pavlopil and Yasynuvata assessed as caused by shelling. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded a ceasefire violation inside the Stanytsia Luhanska area. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including at two “DPR” weapons storage sites. The Mission observed weapons in violation near Poltavka. The SMM visited five border areas beyond government control. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored four gatherings in the city centre.

In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 22 and 23 of December, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1], including about 200 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 320 explosions). About 40 per cent of these violations, including about 140 explosions, were recorded between 00:00 and 19:30 on 23 December, mostly in the area between government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) and “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk). Between the evenings of 23 and 24 December, the SMM recorded a significant decrease in the number of ceasefire violations, including fewer explosions (18), compared with the previous 24 hours. Between the evenings of 24 and 25 December, although the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations (including 14 explosions) compared with the previous 24 hours, there were significantly fewer ceasefire violations compared with the period between the evenings of 22 and 23 December.

Between the evening and midnight on 22 December, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, nine projectiles in flight from west to east and two projectiles from east to west, followed by a total of two undetermined explosions and 42 projectiles (42 from west to east and one from east to west), all 1-3km south. In the early hours of 23 December, the same camera recorded three projectiles in flight from east to west, all 1-3km south. On the evening and night of 23-24 December, the camera recorded 12 undetermined explosions 2-4km south-east. It also recorded five undetermined explosions and a projectile in flight from west to east on the evening of 24 December and three projectiles from east to west in the early evening of 25 December, all 1-3km south.

During the day on 23 December, positioned at the railway station in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for about three hours, the SMM heard 20 bursts and shots of small-arms fire 2-3km west. The same day, positioned on the south-western edge of Yasynuvata, the SMM heard about 50 bursts and shots of small-arms fire 1-3km west.

Between the evening and midnight on 22 December, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in government-controlled Maiorsk (45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded two projectiles in flight from north to south, followed by 25 projectiles from south to north, all 2-4km south-east. In the early hours of 23 December, the same camera recorded, in sequence, an undetermined explosion, three projectiles in flight from east to west and two undetermined explosions, all 2-4km south-east. On the evening and night of 23-24 December, the camera recorded four undetermined explosions 2-4km south-east.

Between the evening and midnight on 22 December, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 5-7km south-west and about 40 undetermined explosions and over 240 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-5km south-east. The SMM heard in the early hours of 23 December 31 undetermined explosions 3-5km south-east; during the day, 14 undetermined explosions and ten bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 5-8km and 47 undetermined explosions and 65 bursts of small-arms fire, all 3-8km south-east; and in the evening, two undetermined explosions 5-6km south-east. During the day on 25 December, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions and small-arms fire 3-5km south-east.

During the day on 23 December, while in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 25 undetermined explosions and 30 bursts of small-arms fire, all 3-5km north-north-west.

Between the evening and midnight on 22 December, the SMM camera 1km south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, six projectiles in flight from east to west and eight projectiles from west to east, followed by a total of 11 undetermined explosions and 81 projectiles (67 from east to west and 14 from west to east), all 5-8km north. In the early hours of 23 December, the same camera recorded nine projectiles in flight from east to west, followed by two undetermined explosions, all 5-8km north. On the evening of 23 December, the SMM camera recorded five projectiles in flight from east to west 5-8km north. On the evening of 24 December, the same camera recorded, in sequence, a projectile in flight from west to east, three projectiles from east to west, two undetermined explosions and 39 projectiles from east to west, all 5-8km north. In the early evening of 25 December, the camera recorded five projectiles in flight from east to west, followed by a total of three illumination flares in vertical flight, seven projectiles (five from east to west and two from west to east) and six tracer rounds in flight from east to west, all 5-8km north.                         

In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 22 and 23 December, the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations, but more explosions (six) compared with the previous reporting period (no explosions). Almost all ceasefire violations were recorded between 00:00 and 19:30 on 23 December. Between the evenings of 23 and 24 December, the SMM recorded no ceasefire violations; between the evenings of 24 and 25 December, the SMM recorded an explosion and a shot of small-arms fire.

During the day on 23 December, positioned 1km north-west of “LPR”-controlled Depreradivka (65km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard five undetermined explosions and six bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 5-7km north-west.

During the day on 25 December, positioned on the south-western edge of “LPR”-controlled Molodizhne (63km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard an undetermined explosion at least 5km south-west.

On 23 December, a “DPR” member in “DPR”-controlled Oleksandrivka (20km south-west of Donetsk) told the SMM that a senior “DPR” member had issued an “order” to all “DPR”‑members of the armed formations to comply with the recommitment to the ceasefire and not to return fire. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co‑operation (JCCC) in Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk) told the SMM that he was aware of the recommitment to cease fire and that Ukrainian Armed Forces units in the area had also been informed. On 24 December, an armed “DPR” member in “DPR”-controlled Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north of Mariupol) told the SMM that “DPR” members in the area were aware of the recommitment to cease fire. In government-controlled Lebedynske (16km north-east of Mariupol), an officer of the Ukrainian Armed Forces told the SMM that he was aware of the recommitment to cease fire.

The SMM followed up on media reports of a civilian casualty. On 23 December, a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier told the SMM that a man (71 years old) had triggered a booby trap while off the paved surface north of a checkpoint near Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk) on 21 December. A volunteer paramedic, who said he had been working nearby at the time of the incident, told the SMM that the man had gone into the vegetation off the road when he tripped the booby trap, which had left his chest and left leg penetrated by metal fragments. Medical staff at the hospital in government-controlled Volnovakha (53km south of Donetsk), where the man was taken, showed the SMM X-rays which, according to the staff, showed approximately 15-20 fragments embedded in the man’s left leg, hip, and chest.

The SMM observed damage to civilian properties in residential areas. On 23 December, approximately 250m south-east of the house at 34 Yuvileina Street in government-controlled Pavlopil (26km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM observed a fresh crater, assessed as caused by an artillery shell (122mm) fired from an east-north-easterly direction. The SMM observed power lines cut about 75m south of the crater and saw a piece of shrapnel consistent with an artillery shell lodged in the outer pane of a south-facing window of the house at 34 Yuvileina Street. A resident of the house told the SMM that she had heard a loud explosion south-east of her home shortly after 22:00 on 22 December and immediately thereafter lost power. A resident of another house on the same street also told the SMM that he had lost power to his house shortly after hearing a loud explosion just after 22:00 on 22 December.

At 55 Karla Marksa Street in Yasynuvata, the SMM saw a fresh crater 3m south of the property’s entrance gate. The SMM saw fresh shrapnel marks on the gate, fence and south-facing wall of the house and assessed the impact as caused by an artillery round (at least 122mm) fired from a north-westerly direction. The owner of the property (man in his seventies) told the SMM that the impact that caused the crater had occurred at 21:45 on 20 December.

At 51 Karla Marksa Street, the SMM saw two fresh craters 3m south and 7m north of a house, as well as four south-facing windows shattered and the south-facing walls scarred by shrapnel. The north-facing wall of the house was destroyed. The SMM assessed the wall to have been destroyed by the blast wave of the impact north of the house. The SMM assessed the impact to have been caused by an artillery round (at least 122mm) fired from a north-westerly direction. One of the house’s residents (man in his seventies) told the SMM that shelling had started at around 22:00 on 20 December and that he, his wife and two minor grandchildren had been inside the house at the time.

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 evening of 21 December, the SMM camera in “DPR”-controlled Petrivske recorded a projectile in flight from south to north (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area).

On the evening of 22 December, the SMM camera in government-controlled Zolote recorded an explosion assessed as an impact of an artillery round about 4km east (assessed as outside the disengagement area). On the morning of 23 December, positioned on the eastern edge of “LPR”-controlled Pervomaisk (58km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard an explosion and saw smoke rising assessed as the detonation of unexploded ordnance (UXO) 500-700m south-west and outside the disengagement area.

During the day on 25 December, positioned on the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM heard a shot of small-arms fire 500m north-west, assessed as inside the disengagement area.

During the day on 23 December, positioned near the Stanytsia Luhanska and Petrivske disengagement areas, the SMM observed a calm situation. On 24 December, positioned near all three disengagement areas, the SMM observed a calm situation. On 25 December, positioned near the Zolote and Petrivske disengagement areas, 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 withdrawal lines, in a government-controlled area, the SMM observed four multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near Poltavka (54km north-west of Donetsk) on 23 December.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, the SMM observed a tank (type unknown) loaded on a flatbed truck in Rubizhne (84km north-west of Luhansk) and a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) in the outskirts of Klynove (68km north-east of Donetsk) on 25 December.

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 noted ten MLRS (BM-21) were missing for the first time 23 December; it also saw six self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), five towed mortars (2B9 Vasilek, 82mm) (three for the first time) and seven towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) (all seven for the first time) on 24 December. In non-government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM saw six self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and noted a mortar (2B11 Sani, 120mm) and 12 towed mortars (PM-38, 120mm) were again missing.

The SMM revisited a permanent storage site in an area outside government control in Donetsk region, whose location was beyond the respective withdrawal lines, and noted that eight tanks (three T-64 and five T-72) were again missing. The SMM was denied access to another permanent storage site in a “DPR”-controlled area as its gates were locked and no one was present to open them.*

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACV) and anti-aircraft guns[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw five infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-1) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) on 22 December; nine IFVs (BMP-1), an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted to a military-type truck, an ACV (type unknown) and four armoured reconnaissance vehicles (three BRM‑1K and one BRDM-2) near Popasna, as well as an APC (BTR-70) and an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) near Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk) on 23 December; ten IFVs (BMP-variants), four armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRM‑1K), a self-propelled anti-aircraft system (ZSU-23-4 Shilka, 23mm) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) near Popasna, as well as a combat engineering vehicle (IMR-2) near Bezhynove (45km north-west of Luhansk) on 24 December; and seven IFVs (BMP-variants) and four armoured reconnaissance vehicles (three BRM 1K and one BRDM-2) near Popasna on 25 December.

In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM observed an APC (BTR-70) near Petrivske on 24 December.

The SMM continued to observe the presence of mine hazard signs. At a checkpoint at the southern end of “DPR”-controlled Sakhanka (24km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM observed that two mines signs had been placed on a concrete barrier which had the message “No Passage” written on it in Russian. Although the concrete barrier was on the road, the SMM observed traffic driving around it. In front of the Ukrainian Armed Forces compound northwest of government-controlled Nadezhdynka (61km west of Donetsk), the SMM saw a 30x50cm rectangular wooden sign with a white background and black painted letters with “Danger Mines” written on it in Ukrainian.

The SMM visited five border areas not under government control. On 23 December, during about 40 minutes at a pedestrian border crossing point near Verkhnoharasymivka (57km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw 14 pedestrians exiting Ukraine and six pedestrians entering. On 23 December, during about 30 minutes at the pedestrian border crossing point near Novoborovytsi (79km south of Luhansk), the SMM observed a pedestrian entering Ukraine. On 25 December, during about one hour at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed 20 cars, four buses and nine pedestrians exiting Ukraine, as well as 20 civilian cars (three with “LPR” plates), a bus, a covered cargo truck and 11 pedestrians entering Ukraine. On 25 December, during about 45 minutes at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM observed a covered cargo truck and five cars (two with “DPR” plates) exiting Ukraine, as well as 19 cars (eight with “DPR” plates), two covered cargo trucks with “DPR” plates and two pedestrians entering Ukraine. On 25 December, during about ten minutes at a pedestrian border crossing point near Ulianivske (61km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM observed no pedestrians entering or exiting Ukraine.

In Kyiv, the SMM monitored gatherings in the city centre. On 24 December, between 12:00 and 14:00, the SMM saw up to 1,500 people (men and women, mixed ages) gathered at Independence Square. The gathering was held following a call on social media by an ATO veteran critical of the ongoing protest near the Parliament building. (See SMM Daily Report 19 December 2017.) The SMM saw no more than ten police officers near the square. The SMM also saw three other groups of people chanting slogans critical of the Government, including a group of about 25 men (aged 50-60) among the abovementioned crowd and another group of about 20 men (aged 20-40) near the square, and a third group of 25 people (mostly men, aged 20-60) in Shevchenko Park. The Mission saw the third group had marched from the park to Khreshchatyk Street. All gatherings ended without incidents.

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, 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:

• On 23 December, the SMM was denied access to a permanent storage site in a “DPR”-controlled area as its gates were locked and no guards were present to open them.
• On 23 December, the SMM was prevented from entering a heavy weapons holding area by two “DPR” members citing orders from their superiors.

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• On 23, 24 and 25 December, 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.
• On 23, 24 and 25 December, the SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. On 23 December, a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC at a checkpoint on the northern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that he was not authorized to disclose information about whether demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. On 24 and 25 December, Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC at a checkpoint on the northern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that he had no information regarding de-mining in the area during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC on each occasion.
• On 23, 24 and 25 December, 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 Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC on each occasion.
• On 23, 24 and 25 December, the SMM could not travel across the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) 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 Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC on each occasion.

Delay:

• On 23 December, the SMM was denied access to a permanent storage site in a “DPR”-controlled area by an armed man at the site who refused to allow the SMM to enter. When the SMM returned to the site six hours later, it was able to enter.

Conditional access:

• On 24 December, the SMM was stopped by an armed man at a checkpoint south of “DPR”-controlled Vasylivka (20km north of Donetsk) and was only allowed to continue its patrol after the man inspected the contents of the SMM vehicles, including the patrol’s personal effects.

 

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. 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.