Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 2 January 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including near Markyne. The SMM visited a border area not under government control. The Mission monitored a peaceful gathering in Kyiv.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1], including 35 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (84 explosions).

On the evening of 1 January, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 30 undetermined explosions and over 200 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 4-6km south-east.

On the evening of 1 January, the SMM camera 1km south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, two projectiles in flight from south-west to north-east, an illumination flare, three projectiles from east to west and two illumination flares, all 5-8km north. The following morning, the same camera recorded, in sequence, an undetermined explosion, a projectile from east to west, three projectiles from west to east and two projectiles from east to west, all 5-8km north.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including a similar number of explosions (five), compared with the previous 24 hours (three explosions).

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 afternoon of 1 January, the SMM camera near the Prince Ihor monument south-east of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk) recorded an undetermined explosion at an undetermined distance east-north-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area). On the morning of 2 January, positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard five undetermined explosions 3-6km south-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On 2 January, positioned near the disengagement areas south of government-controlled Zolote and near “DPR”-controlled 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 a stationary tank (T-64) in a field 2km west of Markyne (94km south of Donetsk). An armed “DPR” member demanded that the SMM leave the area.*

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft gun[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw a reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) moving north near Zolote. In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw a stationary infantry fighting vehicle (BMP-1) and a stationary armoured personnel carrier (MT-LB) with an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted atop near Slovianoserbsk (28km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to observe mine hazard signs. In “DPR”-controlled Bezimenne (30km east of Mariupol), the SMM observed two white rectangular signs stating “Mines” in Russian for the first time about 3m from the entrance gate to a compound formerly used by Russian Federation officers of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). On the gate of the compound, the SMM observed another sign proclaiming “Stop! Shooting!” in Russian. An armed “DPR” member walked through the mine hazard signs and told the Mission that they now use the compound as an observation post.  

The SMM visited a border area not under government control. During about 20 minutes at a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (40km east of Mariupol), the SMM saw seven cars (two with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine and four cars (three with “DPR” plates) exiting Ukraine.

On 2 January, the SMM monitored a gathering of about 200 people (men and women of various ages) in front of the Kyiv Region Department of the National Police at 15 Volodymyrska Street in Kyiv. Participants were heard demanding an independent and professional investigation into the death of Iryna Nozdrovska. The SMM observed about ten participants in the gathering wearing insignia of the Donbas battalion, as well as about 20-30 police officers deployed around the building. The Mission 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:

• An armed “DPR” member stopped the SMM near Markyne and demanded that the Mission leave the area (see above).                             

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. An “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. 
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. At a checkpoint on the northern side of the Zolote disengagement area, a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC 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 the JCCC.[3]
• 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.4
• 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.[3]

[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. Two SMM cameras continue to be tested until the end of January 2018.

[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.