Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 9 March 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and observed calm situations in the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including again at the Chervona Mohyla railway station near Voznesenivka, at two border crossing points in Luhansk region near the border with the Russian Federation and near Oleksandrivske.* The Mission saw mine hazard signs for the first time near Dokuchaievsk and Staryi Krym. The SMM visited three border areas not under government control. The Mission monitored a court hearing in Kyiv and gatherings in Kyiv, Odessa and Kharkiv.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including 27 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (three explosions).

On the evening and night of 8-9 March, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, two projectiles in flight from west to east, four undetermined explosions, a projectile from west to east and three projectiles from east to west, followed by totals of 17 undetermined explosions and 57 projectiles (37 from west to east and 20 from east to west), all 0.5-3km south.

On the evening of 8 March, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded an undetermined explosion 1-1.5km west-south-west.

On the evening of 8 March, the SMM camera 1km south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded a projectile in flight from west to east 1-4km north.

During the day on 9 March, positioned 2km south-east of Lomakyne (government-controlled, 15km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard 23 shots of small-arms fire 1km west-north-west, assessed as live-fire training within the security zone, in breach of the 3 March 2016 Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group on the full cessation of live-fire exercises. 

Positioned about 1km north-north-west of the entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard and saw an explosion assessed as an impact of a mortar (120mm) round 2km east.

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

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.* Positioned near the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote 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.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in areas outside government control, on 6 March aerial imagery revealed the presence of six tanks (type undetermined), three probable self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and three probable towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) just south-east of Pokrovka (36km east of Donetsk).

On 2 March, aerial imagery revealed the presence of 16 tanks (type undetermined), 18 towed howitzers (type undetermined), 12 self-propelled howitzers (type undetermined) and 83 military-type armoured vehicles in Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk) (for previous observations in this area, see SMM Daily Report 21 February 2018) and eight tanks (type undetermined), ten mortars (type undetermined) and 58 military-type armoured vehicles about 6km south-east of Miusynsk (62km south-west of Luhansk) (for previous observations in this area, see SMM Daily Report 24 February 2018).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles, anti-aircraft guns[2] and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted on a truck near Orikhove (57km north-west of Luhansk), two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-2) on the northern edge of the Zolote disengagement area and four IFVs (two BMP-1, a BMP-2 and a BMP-variant) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk).

In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw five armoured personnel carriers (APC) (four MT-LB and a BTR-variant) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) mounted on a truck near Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk), an APC (MT-LB) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) mounted on an IFV (type undetermined) near Molodizhne (63km north-west of Luhansk), an IFV (BMP-1) near Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk) and an APC (MT-LB) at a compound in Donetsk city.

Positioned about 1km north-west of the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw an unidentified mini-UAV flying at an altitude of about 100m from north-east to south-west, and then from south-west to north-east.

The SMM continued to observe mine hazard signs. On road T0509 the SMM saw, for the first time, four mine hazard signs located at intersections with minor dirt roads between 4-6km east of Dokuchaievsk (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk). Two of the signs had skull-and-crossbones and read “STOP MINES-DANGER MINES” in Russian and English language and the other two signs read “Stop Mines” in Russian language. At an abandoned checkpoint about 3.5km north-north-west of Staryi Krym (government-controlled, 8km north-west of Mariupol), the SMM saw, for the first time, an A4-size piece of paper with black printed letters reading “Mined” in Russian language in the window of the checkpoint cabin.

The SMM visited three border areas not under government control.* While at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw 14 cars (seven with Ukrainian and six with Russian Federation licence plates, and one with “LPR” plates) exiting Ukraine and 12 pedestrians (seven women and five men, aged 40-60) entering Ukraine. After two minutes, an “LPR” member, citing orders from his “superiors”, told the SMM to leave the area.*

While at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw four cars (two with Ukrainian and two with Russian Federation licence plates) in a queue to exit Ukraine and no traffic in the opposite direction. After two minutes, an “LPR” member told the SMM to leave the area.

While at a border crossing point near Verkhnoharasymivka (57km south-east of Luhansk) for about 30 minutes, the SMM saw six pedestrians (women, aged 30-60) exiting Ukraine and one pedestrian (a man, aged 50) entering Ukraine.

In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a court hearing at Shevchenkivsky District Court (31А Dehtiarivska Street) for Mr. Volodymyr Ruban who has been charged with preparation of an act of terrorism (Ukrainian Criminal Code Articles 14 and 258) and illegal possession and transportation of weapons, ammunition or explosives (Ukrainian Criminal Code Article 263). The court ruled that the suspect should remain in pre-trial detention for 60 days.

The SMM monitored gatherings on the occasion of the anniversary of the birth of the Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odessa. In Kyiv, the SMM saw about 200 people (mostly men, aged 20-30) in Shevchenko Park, some of whom were wearing Movement of New Forces badges and military-type attire, carrying red-and-black flags and banners with messages critical of the Government. The SMM saw up to 600 police and National Guard officers securing the area. No incidents were observed while the SMM was present. In Kharkiv and Odessa, the SMM monitored peaceful gatherings of between 100 and 200 people.

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

• About 3km south-east of Oleksandrivske (formerly Rozy Liuksemburh, non-government-controlled, 90km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM was stopped by two “DPR” members who had blocked the road with their car. One of the members was armed and introduced himself as the “commander” of a nearby training area; the other was wearing a balaclava. They told the SMM that it could not proceed due to training activities in the area.
• At a border crossing point near Voznesenivka, an “LPR” member told the SMM to leave the area; she added that any questions should be addressed to her “superiors”.
• At the Chervona Mohyla railway station in Voznesenivka, an “LPR” member told the SMM to leave the area.
• At a border crossing point near Izvaryne, an “LPR” member, citing orders from his “superiors”, told the SMM to leave 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 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 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

[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.