Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 6 March 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 24 hours. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations but fewer explosions compared with the previous 24 hours.  The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and observed damage in the aftermath of an explosion near Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in Dovzhanske near the border with the Russian Federation and in Verkhnoshyrokivske.* The Mission observed a surface-to-air missile system in violation of withdrawal lines near Vershyna and a helicopter inside the security zone in Marinka, both in government-controlled areas. The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to essential infrastructure in Horlivka, Naberezhne, Artema and Krasnyi Lyman. The SMM observed two gatherings in Lviv region.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded about the same number of ceasefire violations[1], including, however, more explosions (42), compared with the previous 24 hours (about 25 explosions).

On the evening of 5 March, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard one explosion assessed as an impact of a mortar (120mm) round 3-4km south-east. The following day, while in the same location, the SMM heard 11 undetermined explosions, three bursts of anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) fire, and 16 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-6km east, south-east and south.

On 6 March, positioned on the south-western edge of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard 15 undetermined explosions 8-10km south-west.

Positioned 1km north-north-west of Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard 11 undetermined explosions 4-5km south-east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including, however, fewer explosions (37), compared with the previous 24 hours (57 explosions).

While in Sievierodonetsk (government-controlled, 74km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions and about 200 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire about 3km south, which the SMM assessed as live-fire training (outside of the security zone).

Positioned on the south-eastern edge of Perevalsk (non-government-controlled, 38km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two shots of infantry fighting vehicle (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) fire and about 20-30 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 1km south, which the SMM assessed as live-fire training (outside of the security zone).

On the afternoon of 5 March, positioned in Novotoshkivske (government-controlled, 53km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 16 undetermined explosions 3-7km at directions ranging from north to north-west.

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 5 March, the SMM observed fresh damage as a result of an explosion near Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. About 1m north-west of the wooden ramps at the broken section of the bridge and 2m east of a shelter for porters, the SMM saw a cluster of about 30 fresh, small holes (each around 2-5cm in diameter) in the asphalt road. The SMM saw a fresh hole (about 2cm in diameter) on the lower part of an east-facing door of the shelter. The SMM assessed that the holes were caused by impacts as the result of an explosion of an under-barrel grenade launcher round fired from an undetermined direction. The shelter is located about 100m north of the forward position of the armed formations and 200m south of the forward position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Four porters (men, 25-40 years old) showed the SMM a crater that was located 20m west of the shelter in a field in the snow, covered with black-coloured marks. The SMM could not assess the crater due to security concerns. They said that the explosion had occurred on the evening of 3 March.

(On the evening of 3 March, while in Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard five undetermined explosions 3-4km south. The same evening, the SMM camera at Stanytsia Luhanska recorded one undetermined explosion, (assessed as probably inside the disengagement area), 1km south-east of the camera. The SMM camera at Prince Ihor monument south-east of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge recorded two undetermined explosions 1-1.5km north and north-north-west (assessed as inside the disengagement area). (See SMM Daily Report 5 March 2018.))

During the day on 6 March, positioned near the Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement areas, 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.

In violation of withdrawal lines, in government-controlled areas, the SMM observed one surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) about 300m east of road M03 near Vershyna (63km north-east of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on 2 March spotted two surface-to-air missile systems (9K33 Osa) near Pidhorodne (73km north of Donetsk). On 4 March in a residential area of Tymofiievka (39km north-west of Donetsk), an SMM mid-range UAV spotted six self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm). On 6 March, the SMM saw four Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel and a 120mm mortar (type unknown) on the side of the road near Mykhailivka (37km north-west of Donetsk). The SMM observed a surface-to-air missile system (9K33) traveling south on road H21 on the southern edge of Novoaidar (49km north-west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas the SMM saw three tanks (type unknown) in a training area in Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk).

The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage did not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification from the SMM to the signatories of the Package of Measures on effective monitoring and verification of the withdrawal of heavy weapons.

In government-controlled areas, the SMM observed four multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm), and four surface-to-air missile systems (9K33). The SMM noted that six such sites continued to be abandoned and that 24 anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm), ten mortars (four 2B9 Vasilek, 82mm and six 2B11 Sani, 120mm) and one MLRS (BM-21) were again missing.

In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM observed two towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm). The SMM noted that two such sites were abandoned and that six anti-tank guns (MT-12) and 11 MLRS (BM-21) were again missing.

The SMM revisited a permanent storage site whose location was beyond the respective withdrawal lines in a government-controlled area of Donetsk region and noted that eight mortars (PM-38, 120mm) were again missing.

The SMM revisited a permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region and noted that it continued to be abandoned with ten tanks (five T-64 and five T-72), 15 anti-tank guns (MT-12), and nine mortars (2B14 Podnos, 82mm) again missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] and a helicopter in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM observed one armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) about 2.5km north of Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk), and a Mi-8 helicopter flying north to south over the entry-exit checkpoint in Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk).

In areas outside of government control, the SMM saw one armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) about 1.5km south-west of Molodizhne (63km north-west of Luhansk) and an APC (MT-LB) traveling north-west on road T0504 near Irmino (54km west of Luhansk). 

The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to a water pipeline near Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk). In Naberezhne (non-government-controlled, 33km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM facilitated repairs of electricity lines. A local resident (woman about 50 years old) told the SMM that she had been without electricity for seven days and that the electricity was restored after the repairs. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repair works to the Petrivske pumping station in Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk) and to a water pipeline near Krasnyi Lyman (30km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM visited a border area not under government control. While at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk) for 18 minutes, the SMM saw 18 cars (12 with Ukrainian and six with Russian Federation licence plates) and eight cargo trucks (Ukrainian licence plates) exiting Ukraine. A member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

The SMM monitored two gatherings in Lviv region commemorating the “Day of Heroes”. On 4 March in Lviv, approximately 700 people (90 per cent male, teenagers) participated in a march through the city centre from Rynok Square to the Stepan Bandera monument at 34 Bandera Street. Participants included people carrying flags of organizations such as Svoboda, National Corps, Right Sector, and Natsionalni Druzhyny, as well as national flags of Ukraine and holding a banner reading “Lviv city is not for Poles” written in Ukrainian. The SMM noted the presence of 40 police officers and a few police cars. On 5 March, in Bilohorshcha village, Lviv region, the SMM monitored a flower-laying ceremony at the monument of the chief commander of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, Roman Shukhevych, which was attended by 300 participants (mostly men, mixed ages), some in military-style clothing. Eight police officers were present, as well as one patrol police car and one ambulance. The SMM did not observe any incidents while present at both events.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, 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 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:

• On two separate occasions, at a checkpoint 700m west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), three armed “DPR” members prevented the SMM from traveling east, citing the presence of a “subversive group” operating in the area.
• At a border crossing point near Dovzhanske, an “LPR” member told the SMM to leave the area, stating that “instructions prohibiting the SMM’s presence” were still in place. The SMM departed the area.

Related to disengagement areas 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.
• 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 by phone 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.4
• 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 there were mines on the road south of the bridge. The SMM informed the JCCC.4

Other impediments:

• On two separate occasions in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, employees of enterprises told the SMM that they could not speak freely to the SMM without permission from members of the armed formations.

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

[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.