Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 1 January 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 29 and 30 December compared with the previous 24 hours. Between the evenings of 30 and 31 December, it recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both regions compared with the previous 24 hours. Between the evenings of 31 December and 1 January, it recorded more ceasefire violations in both regions compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission observed damage, including from shelling, to civilian residences in Donetsk city. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded a ceasefire violation in the Petrivske disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere. The SMM saw recently laid anti-tank mines in a field near Vesela Hora. It visited three border areas outside government control. The Mission monitored a peaceful gathering in Kyiv.

In Donetsk region between the evenings of 29 and 30 December, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including almost 180 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (36 explosions). Between the evenings of 30 and 31 December, it recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 90 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours. Between the evenings of 31 December and 1 January, it recorded more ceasefire violations – including, however, a similar number of explosions (84) – compared with the previous 24 hours.

On the evening and night of 29-30 December, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded an undetermined explosion, five projectiles in flight from east to west, a tracer round in flight from east to west and an illumination flare in flight from south to north, all 1-3km south. On the evening of 31 December, the same camera recorded, in sequence, an airburst, three undetermined explosions and an illumination flare in vertical flight, all 1-3km south. Shortly after midnight, the camera recorded three undetermined explosions followed by an illumination flare in flight (trajectory undetermined), all 1-3km south. Also shortly after midnight, while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard five undetermined explosions 3-5km at directions ranging from west to north and nine bursts of small-arms fire 1-2km west.

During the day on 31 December, positioned on the south-western edge of government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) for about five hours, the SMM heard about 40 undetermined explosions and about 50 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-5km south-east and south-west.

On the evening of 29 December, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 130 undetermined explosions and about 450 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 2-6km south-west. The following evening, while in the same location, the SMM heard about 30 undetermined explosions and about 140 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 4-6km south-east. On the night of 31 December to 1 January, while in the same location, the SMM heard 30 undetermined explosions and about 170 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 4-6km south-east.

On the evening of 30 December, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in government-controlled Maiorsk (45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded two undetermined explosions 2-4km south-east.

On the morning of 1 January, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 36 undetermined explosions and about 40 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 5-7km west-south-west.

On the morning of 30 December, the SMM camera 1km south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded three undetermined explosions 5-8km north. In the early evening of 1 January, the camera recorded two projectiles in flight from south-east to north-west followed by two projectiles from south-west to north-east, all 5-8km north.

Around mid-day on 1 January, positioned 1km north of government-controlled Pyshchevyk (25km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions and about 70 shots of small-arms fire, all at unknown distances at directions ranging from north-north-east to north-east.

In Luhansk region between the evenings of 29 and 30 December, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including one explosion, compared with the previous 24 hours (no explosions). Between the evenings of 30 and 31 December, it recorded fewer ceasefire violations – including, however, more explosions (four) – compared with the previous 24 hours. Between the evenings of 31 December and 1 January, it recorded more ceasefire violations – including, however, fewer explosions (two) – compared with the previous 24 hours.

The SMM observed damage, including from shelling, to civilian residences in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city. On 30 December, at 1 Tumaniana Street, the SMM saw a fresh crater about 15m north-east of a residential building’s north-east-facing wall, as well as fresh shrapnel damage to several nearby tree branches, one of which lay on the ground, severed. Five of the building’s north-east-facing windows appeared to have been recently replaced. The Mission assessed the crater as caused by an artillery round (of at least 122mm calibre) fired from a direction between west and north. A resident of the building (man in his fifties) told the SMM that the impact had occurred in the early morning of 28 December and had broken the building’s windows, which he said had since been replaced.

On 31 December, at 2 Sokolovskoho Street in the Trudivski area of Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district (15km south-west of city centre), the SMM saw fresh fire damage to a balcony on the fifth floor of the south-south-east-facing side of an apartment building, two impact sites on the building’s west-south-west-facing wall near the ground, and broken masonry lying on the ground. The Mission assessed that the balcony had been struck by a round of an undetermined weapon fired from a south-westerly direction, but could not assess the cause of the two impact sites near the ground. Three local residents (a man aged about 50 and two women, one aged about 40 and the other aged about 70) told the SMM that at about 14:30 on 30 December they heard heavy-machine-gun fire, after which they saw that the fifth-floor balcony had caught fire; they also then saw the impact sites in the west-south-west-facing wall.

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 30 December, while on the eastern edge of government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 1.5km south (assessed as outside the disengagement area). On the night of 31 December to 1 January, while in the same location, the SMM heard two undetermined explosions and 22 shots of heavy-machine-gun fire 1-2km south and south-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On the morning of 28 December, the SMM camera in “DPR”-controlled Petrivske recorded an undetermined explosion 2-3km south-south-west (assessed as inside the disengagement area). The following morning, the camera recorded an undetermined explosion 3-5km west (assessed as outside the disengagement area). During the day on 30 December, positioned in Petrivske, the SMM heard six shots of small-arms fire 2-4km south (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On 30 and 31 December, and on 1 January, positioned near the disengagement area south of government-controlled Zolote, 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.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles, an anti-aircraft gun[2] and other indications of military-type presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw, on 30 December, an armoured recovery vehicle (BTS-5B) on a flatbed trailer travelling north near Myrna Dolyna (67km north-west of Luhansk), and on 1 January, an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-variant) parked between houses on the north-western edge of Pobeda (27km west of Donetsk).

In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw, on 30 December, an APC (BTR-80) travelling north near Zorynsk (54km south-west of Luhansk), a stationary APC (MT-LB) with a mounted anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) and a stationary infantry fighting vehicle (BMP-1) near Slovianoserbsk (28km north-west of Luhansk), and two military-style trucks parked in the gardens of civilian houses in Mykhailivka (30km north-east of Donetsk). The Mission also saw fresh tracks assessed as those of tanks (probably T-72) in the south-western outskirts of Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk) travelling in the direction of Kalynove (60km west of Luhansk), with additional traces on the asphalt assessed as those of an offloading platform. On 1 January, the SMM saw a military-type truck with a mounted antenna and a military-type car, both parked beside a civilian house in the northern outskirts of Obozne (18km north of Luhansk).

On 31 December, the SMM observed, for the first time, at least ten recently laid anti-tank mines in a field next to a road about 600m south-east of “LPR”-controlled Vesela Hora (16km north of Luhansk). The Mission did not observe any mine hazard signs.

On 30 December, the SMM noted that previously observed barbed wire and a mine hazard sign were no longer present on road P22 east of Stanytsia Luhanska. (See SMM Daily Report 28 December 2017.) A Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier at a nearby checkpoint told the Mission that a Ukrainian Armed Forces demining team had cleared the road on 29 December, the same day that the SMM had asked a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) to facilitate clearance of the road.

On 30 December, the SMM saw a stationary tank (T-64) with a front-side road-clearing attachment, and no turret or gun, in government-controlled Lysychansk (75km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM visited three border areas not under government control. On 30 December, during 40 minutes at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw five cars and 35 pedestrians (11 men and 24 women, mostly aged 30-50) exiting Ukraine, and nine cars, two buses and 51 pedestrians (30 men and 15 women, mostly aged 30-50; and six children, aged three to eight) entering Ukraine. On 1 January, during 75 minutes at the same border crossing point, the SMM saw 18 cars (three with “LPR” plates) and 13 pedestrians (five men and seven women, aged 30-60; and one child aged six to eight) exiting Ukraine, and 15 cars (two with “LPR” plates) and 26 pedestrians (12 men and ten women, aged 25-60; and four children, aged eight to 12) entering Ukraine.

On 30 December, during 25 minutes at a border crossing point near Verkhnoharasymivka (57km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw three pedestrians (one man, aged about 40; one woman, aged about 35; and one girl, aged about ten) exiting Ukraine and nine pedestrians (eight men, aged 20-30; and one girl, aged about ten) entering Ukraine. On 1 January, during 30 minutes at a border crossing point near Sievernyi (50km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw five pedestrians (one man and four women, aged 50-60) exiting Ukraine, and one pedestrian (man, aged 50-60) entering Ukraine.

On 1 January in Kyiv, the SMM monitored an event marking the anniversary of the birth of Stepan Bandera. About 4,000 people (men and women of various ages), some of whom carried flags of parties and organizations such as Svoboda, Right Sector and National Corps, walked from Shevchenko Park to Independence Square. About 100 police officers were present along the route. The SMM did not observe any 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, 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 remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:+

• On 30 and 31 December, and on 1 January, the SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. An armed “LPR” member 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 30 and 31 December, and on 1 January, 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 on the northern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that he had no information regarding demining in the area during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC each time.[3]
• On 30 and 31 December, and on 1 January, 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 he had no information regarding demining activities over the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC each time.4
• On 30 and 31 December, and on 1 January, the SMM did 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 the JCCC each time.

Conditional access:

• On 30 December, “DPR” members stopped the SMM at a checkpoint on road H15 east of “DPR”-controlled Kreminets (16km south-west of Donetsk) and allowed the SMM to proceed only after looking inside its trailer.

 

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. Two SMM cameras continue to be tested until the end of January 2018.

* 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.

[3] The SMM informed Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC. Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the JCCC have withdrawn from the JCCC as of 18 December 2017.