Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 27 February 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, including more explosions, and fewer in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission observed damage caused by shelling, including to civilian properties and essential infrastructure, in Zaitseve and Zolote-5. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and observed ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including near Siedove close to the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission facilitated and monitored repair works and maintenance of essential infrastructure near Zolote and Berezove and in Olenivka. It visited a border area not under government control. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a gathering in front of the Parliament building and the situation outside a courthouse. The Mission followed up on media reports that paint had been thrown at a building where the Russian Federation Consulate-General is located in Odessa and on media reports of an explosion at the building where the office of the Zakarpattia Hungarian Union is located in Uzhhorod. It also monitored the administrative boundary line between Kherson region and Crimea as well as gatherings in Kharkiv.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including more explosions (about 620), compared with the previous reporting period (about 125 explosions). Over half of the explosions were recorded south-east, south-south-east and south of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk) in the late afternoon of 27 February (see below).

In continuation of ceasefire violations recorded in the late afternoon of 26 February (see SMM Daily Report 27 February 2018), on the evening and night of 26-27 February, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded five projectiles from west to east, an illumination flare (trajectory undetermined), four projectiles from west to east and a projectile from east to west, followed by totals of 64 undetermined explosions, 273 projectiles in flight (177 from west to east and 96 from east to west), an illumination flare (trajectory undetermined) and two muzzle flashes, all 0.5-3km south. In the early evening of 27 February, the camera recorded, in sequence, five projectiles in flight from east to west and three projectiles from west to east, followed by totals of four undetermined explosions and seven projectiles (four from west to east and three from east to west), all 0.5-3km south.

On the evening of 26 February, the SMM camera in Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, a projectile in flight from east to west, four undetermined explosions and six projectiles from west to east, followed by totals of two undetermined explosions and four projectiles (three from east to west and one from west to east), all at undetermined distances east-south-east. The following day, positioned on the south-western edge of Avdiivka for five and a half hours, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 3-5km south-west.

On the evening of 26 February, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 25 undetermined explosions, 70 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire and six minutes of uncountable and overlapping bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 4-8km north-north-west. During the same time period, the SMM also heard six undetermined explosions 4-8km south-south-west.

On the evening of 26 February, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north of Donetsk) recorded 19 projectiles in flight from south to north, followed by six projectiles from west to east, all 2-4km south-east. In the early evening of 27 February, the camera recorded six undetermined explosions 2-4km south-east.

On the evening of 26 February, while in Svitlodarsk, the SMM heard about 130 undetermined explosions and about 150 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 4-7km south-east and south. In the late afternoon of 27 February, while at the same location, the SMM heard about 320 explosions – about 50 assessed as outgoing artillery rounds, about 250 as artillery rounds (both outgoing and impacts) and the reminder undetermined – all 4-7km at directions ranging from south-east to south.  

On the morning of 27 February, positioned in a non-government-controlled part of Zaitseve (50km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions 2-5km north-north-west.

In continuation of ceasefire violations recorded in the late afternoon of 26 February (see SMM Daily Report 27 February 2018), on the evening and night of 26-27 February, the SMM camera 1km south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded 15 projectiles in flight from east to west, three projectiles (trajectory undetermined) and 105 projectiles from west to east, followed by totals of 26 undetermined explosions and 455 projectiles (369 from west to east and 86 from east to west), all 1-4km north.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including six explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (18 explosions).

The SMM followed up on reports of damage caused by shelling, including to civilian properties and essential infrastructure. In a non-government-controlled part of Zaitseve, the SMM saw a fresh crater in a field about 30m north of the nearest residential house (24N Bahrytskoho Street), assessed as caused by an 82mm mortar round fired from a north-north-westerly direction.

At 24N Bahrytskoho Street, the SMM saw shrapnel damage to the east-facing side of a residential house. The Mission was not able to assess the type of weapon used or the direction of fire. A resident of the house told the SMM that shelling had occurred during the day on 25 February.

At 15N Zahorskoho Street, the SMM saw a fresh crater about 30m south of a house, in its backyard, assessed as caused by an 82mm mortar round fired from a northerly direction. The Mission also saw a south-facing window with a plastic cover. A resident of the house said that she had been at home when shelling occurred at around 16:00 on 25 February.

On Karbysheva Street, six residents (men and women, aged 30-60) separately told the SMM that shelling had occurred in Zaitseve on the afternoon of 25 February.

At a power substation building on the southern edge of Zolote-5 (Mykhailivika, non-government-controlled, 61km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM saw two craters – one 50m west and another 100-120m north of the building in which, according to an employee of the power substation, mercury is stored. The Mission also saw three west-facing shattered windows – two on the ground floor and one on the second floor of the building – and a fresh hole in the north-facing side of an oil tank, assessed as shrapnel damage. Near the oil tank, the SMM saw yellow marks in the snow, assessed as oil leaked from the tank. The Mission was unable to assess the type of weapon used or the direction of fire. The employee told the SMM that his colleagues had been inside the building when they heard explosions on the night of 24-25 February.

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 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 morning of 27 February, positioned on the northern edge the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM heard six undetermined explosions 6-7 km south-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

During the day on 27 February, positioned near the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM noted 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, aerial imagery revealed the presence of two surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10) in Kalmiuske (formerly Komsomolske, 42km south-east of Donetsk) on 21 February. An SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted a tank (type undetermined) near Boikivske (formerly Telmanove, 67km south-east of Donetsk) on 26 February.

In a government-controlled area, the SMM saw, on 27 February, a tank (T-64) loaded on a flatbed trailer heading north in Klynove (68km north-east of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, in non-government-controlled areas, aerial imagery revealed the presence of 49 tanks (type undetermined) about 4km south-east of Ternove (57km east of Donetsk) and 27 tanks (type undetermined) about 2km north-east of Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk) on 25 February.

In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw, on 27 February, an anti-tank gun (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) loaded on a military-truck moving south near Zaliznianske (79km north of Donetsk) and two stationary surface-to-air missile systems (9K33 Osa) in Kasianivka (22km north of Mariupol).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] in the security zone. In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-2) near Vesela Hora (16km north of Luhansk) and an IFV (BMP-1) near Zaichenko (26km north-east of Mariupol).

On 26 February, an SMM mini-UAV spotted nine IFVs (BMP-1) and an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) near Boikivske in a zone within which deployment of heavy armaments and military equipment is proscribed according to Point 5 of the Memorandum of 19 September 2014.

The SMM continued to observe mines. On 26 February, an SMM mini-UAV again spotted at least 21 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid across the road between Bohdanivka (government-controlled, 60km south-east of Donetsk) and Viktorivka (non-government-controlled, 42km south-west of Donetsk), about 170m north of the Petrivske disengagement area. (For previous observations in this area, see SMM Daily Report 27 December 2017.)

The SMM monitored and facilitated repair works and maintenance works to a water pipeline between Zolote and Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), a water pipeline near Berezove (government-controlled, 31km south-west of Donetsk) and a water pumping station in Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk).

The SMM visited a border area not under government control. At a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (101km south-east of Donetsk) for 20 minutes, the SMM saw four cars and a covered cargo truck (all with Ukrainian licence plates) exiting Ukraine and four cars (with Ukrainian licence plates) entering Ukraine.

In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a gathering. In front of the Parliament building at around 10:30 on 27 February, the Mission saw a group of about 400 people (mostly men, aged 50-70) standing outside about 50 tents set up on a section of Hrushevskoho Street between Shovkovychna and Lypska Streets blocked with gates on either side. (For previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 8 February 2018.) The SMM saw some of the people carrying banners with messages demanding higher pensions. In the same tent area, the Mission saw another group of about 40-50 men (aged 30-50) dressed in black and camouflage, many of whom were wearing balaclavas or covering their faces and holding wooden sticks; some of them were wearing insignias of Donbas Battalion. At around 11:30, the Mission saw some members of the latter group throw vehicle tyres towards the main entrance to the Parliament building. It also saw the gate near Lypska Street barricaded with tyres filled with soaked newspapers, as well as glass bottles with pieces of cloth hanging out of them. At around 13:30, the SMM saw paramedics near a man dressed in camouflage lying on the ground in the tent area and another three in similar clothing being taken to an ambulance. There were about 500 police and National Guard officers in riot gear in front of the Parliament building, and a fire engine with seven firefighters nearby. The Mission did not see further incidents. Later that day, local police announced on its website that some people had thrown stones and incendiary devices at police officers who had attempted to prevent them from setting fire to tyres.

The SMM also monitored the situation outside a courthouse in Kyiv. (For previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 16 February 2018.) At the Solomianskyi District Court at 10B Vozdvizhenka Descent in Kyiv, where a court hearing for the mayor of Odessa was taking place, the SMM saw about 60 people (mostly men, aged 20-30), some with their faces covered, carrying banners with messages critical of corruption and certain officials. The Mission saw minor scuffles between the participants of the gathering and the law enforcement officers when some participants attempted to approach the courthouse. During its presence, the SMM did not see further incidents.

In Odessa, the SMM followed up on media reports that during the day on 26 February paint had been thrown at the fence of a building where the Russian Federation Consulate-General is located.  On 27 February, the SMM visited the building at 14 Haharinske Plateau and saw remnants of red paint on the concrete base of a metal fence, as well as on the sidewalk and street adjacent to the building.

In Uzhhorod (182km west of Ivano-Frankivsk) in Zakarpattia region, the SMM followed up on media reports of an explosion at the building where the office of the Zakarpattia Hungarian Union is located. On 27 February, the Zakarpattia regional police told the SMM by telephone that the explosion had occurred at round 03:00 that day and there had been no reports of casualties. The police also said that it had launched an investigation under article 194.2 of the Criminal Code (intentional damage to property). The SMM will continue to follow up on the incident. On 5 February, the Mission saw damage to the same building. (See SMM Daily Report 6 February 2018.)

The SMM continued to monitor the administrative boundary line between Kherson region and Crimea. On 27 February, the SMM visited a crossing point near Chonhar (162km south-east of Kherson) and noted an two-fold increase in the number of personnel (from about 20 to about 40) at the Ukrainian Armed Forces position, compared with the previous week. About 5m east of the position, the Mission observed for the first time that a dugout was occupied by a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer. During its presence, the SMM noted a calm situation.

In Henichesk, Kherson region, the SMM monitored a public gathering of about 160 (men and women of various ages). There was a performance in the Tatar language and speeches were held protesting events in Crimea in 2014.

In Kharkiv, the SMM monitored two gatherings. The Mission saw at least 200 people (mostly men, aged 35-65) march on Sumska  Street, from Konstytutsii Square to Square in the city centre, while carrying banners and signs with messages demanding re-calculation of pensions for former employees of law enforcement agencies. It observed about 50 police officers escort the march on Sumska Street. At Svobody Square, the Mission saw another gathering of about 25 people (men and women, aged 30-50) carrying banners and signs with similar messages. Both gatherings ended peacefully.

The SMM continued monitoring in Lviv, 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 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:

• At the north-western entrance to Siedove (non-government-controlled, 106km south of Donetsk), two armed “DPR” members, saying that their superior “does not allow the OSCE to be present in Siedove”, again denied the SMM access to the town. (See SMM Daily Report 26 February 2018.)

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. 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.4
• 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 did not travel across the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk) due to the presence of mines. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC said that he had no information regarding any de-mining in the area in the last 24 hours. The SMM informed the JCCC.

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

* 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.