Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 15 March 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it heard ceasefire violations assessed as inside the Petrivske disengagement area. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere, including near Izvaryne and Sievernyi (border crossing points in Luhansk region near the border with the Russian Federation) and in Verkhnoshyrokivske.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Hnutove and Bakhmut. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske water pumping station in Artema and again facilitated access for workers to the Donetsk Filtration Station. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a march related to court proceedings regarding events at Maidan in early 2014. In Kharkiv, the Mission monitored a gathering on the fourth anniversary of 2014 events.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1] including, however, more explosions (about 140), compared with the previous reporting period (about 110).

On the evening of 14 March, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 42 undetermined explosions, three shots of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) fire and about 170 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-5km south-east and south.

On the evening of 14 March, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, a projectile in flight from east to west, two projectiles from west to east and a projectile from east to west, followed by totals of six undetermined explosions and 17 projectiles from west to east, all 0.5-3km south. The following day, the camera recorded two projectiles in flight from west to east, a projectile from east to west and an undetermined explosion, all 0.5-3km south.

During the day on 15 March, positioned at the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk) for over five hours, the SMM heard 24 undetermined explosions and ten bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-4km south and west. Positioned 1km south-east of Kamianka (government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk) for about six hours, the SMM heard 14 undetermined explosions and two shots of small-arms fire, all 1-7km at directions ranging from south-east to south-west.

Positioned about 2km south of Sofiivka (non-government-controlled, formerly Karlo-Marksove, 40km north-east of Donetsk) for about three hours, the SMM heard and saw 12 explosions assessed as outgoing rounds (and their subsequent impacts), as well three airbursts, all 1-2km west and north-west. The SMM also heard 12 undetermined explosions as well as ten bursts and 100 shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 1-2km west and north-west. All ceasefire violations were assessed as live-fire training in the security zone, in violation of the ceasefire and the decision of the Trilateral Contact Group of March 2016 that prohibits the conduct of live-fire training (exercises) in the security zone.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations compared with the previous reporting period.

Positioned 1.5km north of Buhaivka (non-government-controlled, 37km south-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard three explosions assessed as impacts and seven bursts and shots of IFV (BMP-2) cannon fire, as well as three shots, all 2-4km south-east and assessed as live-fire training outside the security zone.

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 in Petrivske, near the north-eastern edge of the disengagement area, the SMM heard two bursts of small-arms fire 0.5-1km south-south-west, assessed as inside the disengagement area. Positioned on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 3km south-east, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

The SMM saw a military-type vehicle with military licence plates go from Katerynivka (government-controlled, 64km west of Luhansk), inside the disengagement area near Zolote, towards Zolote-4/Rodina (government-controlled, 60km north-west of Luhansk).

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 saw a towed howitzer (D-20, 152mm) heading north about 2km north of Hnutove (20km north-east of Mariupol) and a self-propelled howitzer (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) stationary east of Bakhmut (formerly Artemivsk, 67km north of Donetsk).

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 beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) and eight multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) present and noted that a surface-to-air missile system (9K35), 15 MLRS (BM-21) and a self-propelled howitzer (2S1) were again missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft gun[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw two armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2): one near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) and another near Oleksandropillia (71km west of Luhansk), and an IFV (type undetermined) near Orikhove-Donetske (44km north-west of Luhansk).

In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw an IFV (BMP variant) near Vesela Hora (16km north of Luhansk). On 10 March, an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle spotted an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) in the south-western part of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area.

For the first time, the SMM observed unexploded ordnance (UXO) in a field 15-20m south of a road in Chernenko (government-controlled, 21km north-east of Mariupol).

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske water pumping station in Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk). The SMM again facilitated access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to and from the Donetsk Filtration Station and monitored the security situation from the station. While present near the station, the SMM heard ceasefire violations.

The SMM visited three border areas not under government control. On 14 March, while at a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (102km south-east of Donetsk) for 30 minutes, the SMM saw four trucks (with Russian Federation licence plates) with
“sunflower oil” written on them in a queue to exit Ukraine.

While at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk) for about ten minutes, the SMM observed vehicles queuing but no traffic crossing the border before being told to leave the area.* While at a border crossing point near Sievernyi (50km south-east of Luhansk) for five minutes, the SMM saw no traffic crossing the border before being told to leave the area and monitor from a distance of at least 200m.*

On 14 March, the SMM monitored a gathering in Kharkiv marking the fourth anniversary of the events that took place in the city in 2014 (clashes between supporters and opponents of Maidan events). The SMM observed 150 people (mostly men aged 20-40), many of whom were carrying flags of the National Corps. The participants were commemorating victims from the 2014 events at the Konstytutsii Square in Kharkiv. The event was peaceful.

In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a march. The SMM saw about 60 men (aged 20-30), 20 of whom were in military-type clothing with Natsionalni Druzhyny logos, marching from Darnytsia Railway Station to the Darnytskyi District Court at 7/3 Sevastopolska Street, where a hearing related to the events at Maidan in early 2014 was taking place. They were chanting and holding banners demanding, among other things, fair trials. The SMM saw a police patrol car following the marchers. Upon arrival to the court building, marchers lit up five flares and dispersed.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, 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, 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 a checkpoint of the armed formations near Verkhnoshyrokivske (non-government-controlled, formerly Oktiabr, 29km north-east of Mariupol) denied the SMM passage through the checkpoint, saying that it was not safe for the SMM to proceed.
• At a border crossing point near Izvaryne, an “LPR” member demanded the SMM leave the area.
• At a border crossing point near Sievernyi, an armed “LPR” member demanded that the SMM leave the area, adding that it should not get closer than 200m to the crossing point.

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 due to the presence of mines. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC said that no demining activity had taken place in the last 24 hours and that mines were still present 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. The SMM camera in Petrivske was not operational during the reporting period.

[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.