Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 5 January 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region – including, however, more explosions – compared with the previous reporting period. In Luhansk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission observed damage to civilian property due to shelling in Pikuzy. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and observed a calm situation in each; its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere. The SMM observed a weapon in violation of withdrawal lines in Oleksandropillia. The Mission followed up on reports of a gas outage in Yasynuvata. It visited five border areas not under government control. The SMM monitored a court hearing in Odessa.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations[1] – including, however, more explosions (almost 150) – compared with the previous reporting period (about 70 explosions).

On the evening and night of 4-5 January, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, two undetermined explosions, an airburst, two projectiles in flight from west to east, three undetermined explosions, four projectiles from west to east and two projectiles from east to west, followed by totals of five undetermined explosions and 36 projectiles (21 from east to west and 15 from west to east), all 0.5-1.5km south. On the afternoon of 5 January, the camera recorded, in sequence, a projectile from east to west, an undetermined explosion and six projectiles from east to west, all 0.5-1.5km south.

During the day on 5 January, positioned at the railway station in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for about four hours, the SMM heard two undetermined explosions, as well as heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, 0.5-1km south-west and west. The Mission also heard 24 undetermined explosions and small-arms fire, all 1-5km at directions ranging from south-west to north.

On the evening of 4 January, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard nine explosions assessed as outgoing rounds of recoilless gun (SPG-9, 73mm), two undetermined explosions and five bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 5-7km south-south-west.

On the evening of 4 January, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 45 undetermined explosions and about 220 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 4-6km south-east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations compared with the previous reporting period (no ceasefire violations).

Positioned in “LPR”-controlled Kalynove (60km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard ten shots of small-arms fire 2-4km west.

The SMM observed damage to civilian property due to shelling in “DPR”-controlled Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol). At a shop on Akhmatova Street, the SMM saw fresh repair work on the south-west-facing edge of the roof and shrapnel damage on the wall below. On the ground nearby lay three twisted pieces of metal sheeting with fresh shrapnel damage. One of the pieces had a large hole in its centre. The Mission assessed the hole and shrapnel damage as caused by a mortar round (82mm) fired from an undetermined direction. A shopkeeper (woman, aged about 50) told the Mission that another shopkeeper had told her that an impact occurred at about 10:00 on 3 January.

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.*

During the day on 5 January, positioned near all three disengagement areas, the SMM observed calm situations. Near the government checkpoint north of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM observed Ukrainian Armed Forces and State Emergency Services personnel transporting a black plastic body bag on a cart towards the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) later told the Mission that a deceased “LPR” member had been transferred to “LPR”-controlled areas.

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Package of Measures and its Addendum as well as the Memorandum.

On 30 December, an SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle spotted a probable towed howitzer (D-30, 122mm) in violation of withdrawal lines on the south-eastern edge of government-controlled Oleksandropillia (71km west of Luhansk), within 200m of a residential area. Parked nearby was a probable fire control vehicle (MT-LB 1VXX).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, in a non-government-controlled area, the SMM saw five tanks (type undetermined) south-east of Ternove (57km east of Donetsk) in what was assessed as a training exercise. Also present were seven infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-2).

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 six stationary IFVs (BMP-1) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted on an armoured personnel carrier (MT-LB) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk). On 4 January the SMM observed light military vehicles parked at several houses in Orikhove-Donetske (44km north-west of Luhansk) but was unable to assess when civilians had most recently resided in the houses.

In non-government-controlled areas, on 4 January the SMM saw a stationary military-type armoured vehicle near Sarabash (formerly Komunarivka, 26km south of Donetsk). On 5 January, at a checkpoint on the northern edge of Ozerianivka (35km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM was stopped by an unarmed man wearing attire with a Russian Federation Armed Forces camouflage pattern and no rank insignia, and then was allowed to proceed after ten minutes.

The SMM followed up on reports of a gas outage in Yasynuvata. In “DPR”-controlled Zemlianky (17km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM observed repair work being conducted on a gas pipeline, and the chief engineer present told the Mission that residents of Yasynuvata and Zemlianky had been without gas since early in the morning due to a fire that had occurred in the pipeline. At 13:00, the chief engineer told the Mission that the problem had been fixed, but that pressure testing was necessary.

The SMM visited five border areas not under government control. During about 30 minutes at a border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk), the SMM saw nine cars (three with “DPR” plates) and a van exiting Ukraine, and three cars, a van and a bus entering Ukraine. During 55 minutes at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw 45 cars (six with “DPR” plates), a bus (with “DPR” plates) and two trucks exiting Ukraine, and four trucks (one with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine. During 20 minutes at a border crossing point near Ulianivske (61km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw two pedestrians (a man and a woman, both in their forties) exiting Ukraine and a man entering Ukraine.

During 25 minutes at a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (40km east of Mariupol), the SMM saw 12 cars and a minivan exiting Ukraine, and three cars, a bus and three trucks with covered cargo areas (one with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

During 35 minutes at a border crossing point near Novoborovytsi (79km south of Luhansk), the SMM observed no one present at the former State Border Guard Service facilities.

At the Prymorskyi district court in Odessa city, the SMM monitored a hearing for the head of self-defence organization Street Front, who had been charged with “mass disturbances” in connection with alleged activities during a protest on 18 November 2017. (See SMM Daily Report 20 November 2017.) About 30 people (aged 18-30, 70 per cent men) known to the Mission as members of Street Front, Right Sector, Automaidan and National Front were present in the courtroom. About 20 police officers were outside the court building, and three or four guards were inside the courtroom. The judge announced that the prosecutor had withdrawn the motion to extend the measure of restraint (house arrest), and that the defendant was thus free to leave. The judge then expressed a hope that the conflict in eastern Ukraine would end this year, and added, “Glory to Ukraine”; the group of activists in the courtroom responded by saying, “Glory to the heroes”, and applauding.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Lviv, 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, 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:

• 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.5
• 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.5

Conditional access:

• A “DPR” member stopped the SMM at a checkpoint on road H-15 east of “DPR”-controlled Kreminets (16km south-west of Donetsk) and allowed the SMM to proceed towards Donetsk city only after checking the interior of an SMM 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.