Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 13 February 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a similar number in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty from Hranitne. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Petrivske and Zolote disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including in Siedove, an area near the border with the Russian Federation, in Manhush and near Donetsk city’s Kirovskyi district.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Donetsk city’s Kirovskyi district. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance works to a pumping station near Artema and a dam near Nelipivka. The Mission visited a border area not under government control.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including more explosions (about 280), compared with the previous reporting period (about 210 explosions).

On the evening and night of 12-13 February, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, five projectiles in flight from east to west and four undetermined explosions, followed by totals of 47 undetermined explosions, 57 projectiles (41 from east to west and 16 from west to east) and an illumination flare, all 0.5km-1.5km south. During the day on 13 February, the camera recorded an illumination flare and an undetermined explosion 0.5km-1.5km south.

On the evening and night of 12-13 February, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 95 undetermined explosions as well as about 230 bursts shots of heavy-machine-gun, automatic-grenade-launcher and small-arms fire, all 4-7km south at directions ranging from east to south. The following day, while at the same location, the SMM heard 55 undetermined explosions and about 120 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 5-10km at directions ranging from south to south-west.

During the day on 13 February, positioned in Novoluhanske (government-controlled, 53km north-east of Donetsk) for about three hours, the SMM heard 11 undetermined explosions 5-6km south-south-west and south-west.

Positioned on the south-western edge of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) for about four hours, the SMM heard about 20 undetermined explosions 2-6km south and south-south-east.

Positioned on the western edge of Sofiivka (non-government-controlled, formerly Karlo-Marksove, 40km north-east of Donetsk) for about half an hour, the SMM heard 21 undetermined explosions and 70 shots and bursts of small-arms fire 2-3km south-south-east.

Positioned about 2km south-south-east of Sofiivka for about an hour, the SMM heard and saw 18 explosions assessed as outgoing infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) cannon (73mm) rounds 2-3km west-north-west (assessed as part of a live-fire exercise, in violation of the decision of the Trilateral Contact Group as of 3 March 2016 that prohibits the conduct of live-fire training (exercises) in the security zone).

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations, including, however, more explosions (17), compared with the previous reporting period (six explosions).

During the day on 13 February, positioned about 5km south of Zhovte (non-government-controlled, 17km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions 10-20km west.

Positioned about 1km south-west of Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 10km south-west.

Positioned about 2km north-east of Stepanivka (non-government-controlled, 62km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 10-15km south-west.

The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty. Medical staff at a hospital in Volnovakha (government-controlled, 53km south of Donetsk) told the SMM that a 63-year-old man from Hranitne (government-controlled, 60km south of Donetsk) had been admitted on 12 February with a bullet wound to his left shoulder. The SMM saw the 63-year-old man, who was wearing a shirt and had a bandage around his neck to support his left arm. The man told the SMM that around midday on 12 February, he had been clearing snow from the front yard of his house when he heard a single shot of small-arms fire followed by another a single shot of small-arms fire and suddenly felt pain in his shoulder. The head of police in Volnovakha told the SMM that police had launched an investigation into the incident.

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 13 February, positioned 6km east of Petrivske for about ten minutes, the SMM heard two undetermined explosions and 20 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun fire 2-3km south-south-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

Positioned in Zolote 5 (Mykhailivka) (65km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 10-13km south-west (assessed as outside the Zolote disengagement area).

Positioned near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, 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 non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw three stationary self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) close to an abandoned building about 2km south-west of Donetsk city’s Kirovskyi district (9.5km south-west of Donetsk city centre).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw three stationary tanks (type undetermined) near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk).

The SMM revisited a permanent storage site in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region whose location corresponded with the withdrawal lines and noted that four tanks (three T-64 and one T-72) continued to be missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles, anti-aircraft guns[2] and other indications of military presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas on 12 February, the SMM saw three IFVs (BMP-1) in Popasna (69km west of Luhansk). On 13 February, the SMM saw two IFVs (BMP-1) near Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk), nine IFVs (four BMP-1 and five BMP-variant) and four armoured reconnaissance vehicles (two BRDM-2 and two BRM-1Ks) in Popasna, three IFVs (BTR-80) near Petrivka (27km north of Luhansk) and two military-type trucks with a mounted anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) near Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk).

In areas outside of government control on 12 February, the SMM saw an armoured personnel carrier (MT-LB) in Irmino (54km west of Luhansk).

The SMM saw an excavator digging a trench in a field near Debaltseve (non-government-controlled, 58km north-east of Donetsk) about 150m east of road M03. The SMM also saw an excavator digging a trench in a field 1.5km south-east of Kalynove (non-government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk).

The SMM observed the presence of remnants of ammunition in a museum in Starobesheve (non-government-controlled, 32km south-east of Donetsk) as part of some exhibitions. Museum staff told the SMM that the purpose of the exhibitions was to conduct awareness training for local residents, including school children, on the dangers of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). The SMM, however, assessed the presence of remnants of ammunition in the museum as a potential threat to its visitors.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance works to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk) and to a dam near Nelipivka (government–controlled, 40km north-east of Donetsk).

The SMM visited a border area not under government control. While at a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (non-government-controlled, 102km south-east of Donetsk) for about ten minutes, the SMM observed no traffic in either direction.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, 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, 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 Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (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 below.) 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:

• A group of National Guard officers, citing orders from their superior, denied the SMM entry to a military compound in Manhush (government-controlled, 111km south of Donetsk).

• Three armed “DPR” members, citing orders from their superior, denied the SMM access to Siedove (non-government-controlled, 106km south of Donetsk).

• Close to an abandoned building where the SMM saw three self-propelled howitzers (S21) (see above) about 2km south-west of Donetsk city’s Kirovskyi district, an armed man wearing military-style clothes told the SMM to leave the area immediately.

Related to disengagement areaas and mines/UXO:

• 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.[3]

• 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 formation 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.

• < > 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 told the SMM by phone 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.

  The SMM did 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. Two SMM cameras continue to be tested until the end of February 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.