Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 21 March 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere, including near Nova Marivka, Donetsk city and Izvaryne (near the border with the Russian Federation).* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Lobacheve and Borivske. The Mission continued to facilitate access for workers to and from the Donetsk Filtration Station.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including, however, fewer explosions (about 40), compared with the previous reporting period (about 80 explosions).

On the evening and night of 20-21 March, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM recorded an undetermined explosion and over 400 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 3-5km south-east and east.

On the evening and night of 20-21 March, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, an undetermined explosion, ten projectiles in flight from east to west, two undetermined explosions and six projectiles from east to west, followed by totals of 31 undetermined explosions, 58 projectiles from east to west, five projectiles from west to east and an illumination flare, all 0.5-1.5km south.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations (no explosions) compared with the previous reporting period (about 60 explosions).

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.

Positioned near the Petrivske disengagement area, the SMM heard a loud whistling sound approximately 300-500m west of its position and immediately took cover. The SMM then moved to its armoured vehicles and withdrew to a safe distance. According to a member of the armed formations positioned nearby, the noise was from a tripwire-triggered signal rocket.

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, an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) again spotted three tanks (T-64) near Lobacheve (13km east of Luhansk) on 20 March. (See SMM Daily Report 13 March 2018.) In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw three towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) near Borivske (65km north-west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, an SMM mini-UAV spotted four surface-to-air missile systems (S-300PT) near Nikolske (formerly Volodarske, 97km south of Donetsk) on 21 March. The same day, the SMM saw three towed howitzers (D-30) near Sievierodonetsk (74km north-west of Luhansk) and two self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Kalynove (formerly Kalinine, 65km south-west of Donetsk). In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw eight tanks (one T-64, the remainder undetermined) near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk) on 21 March.

On 21 March, the SMM revisited a heavy weapons permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region whose location corresponded with the withdrawal lines and noted that seven towed howitzers (D-30) remain missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft gun[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 21 March, the SMM saw three infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-2) – two of them in the yards of private houses – near Zolote and another IFV (BMP variant) near Orikhove-Donetske (44km north-west of Luhansk).

In non-government-controlled areas, on 20 March, an SMM mini-UAV spotted six IFVs (BMP-1), an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) and five armoured combat vehicles near Lobacheve. On 21 March, the SMM saw six APCs (five MT-LB and a BTR-70) and an IFV (BMP-2) in Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk), two APCs (MT-LB) – one with an anti-aircraft-gun (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted atop – near Molodizhne (63km north-west of Luhansk), an APC (BTR-80) near Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk), an APC (BTR-80) near Brianka (46km south-west of Luhansk) and an IFV (BTR-80) near Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol).

The SMM continued to facilitate access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to and from the Donetsk Filtration Station to keep the station operational and monitored the security situation about 1km south-east from the station, where it observed a calm situation. (See SMM Daily Report 21 March 2018.)

The SMM visited three border areas not under government control. While at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk) for about 20 minutes, the SMM saw four men and six women (aged 35-45) exit and one man enter Ukraine. Again, the SMM was told it was not permitted to be near the border crossing point by a member of the armed formations.* While at a border crossing point near Sievernyi (52km south-east of Luhansk) for about 15 minutes, the SMM saw four men and two women (aged 35-45) enter Ukraine. While at a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (102km south-east of Donetsk), for ten minutes, the SMM saw 12 covered cargo trucks (one with Ukrainian licence plates and the remainder with “DPR” plates) exit Ukraine and a car with Ukrainian licence plates enter Ukraine.

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, 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:

• An armed member of the armed formations prevented the SMM from entering Nova Marivka (non-government-controlled, 64km south of Donetsk), citing orders from his “superiors.”
• While present at a border crossing point in Izvaryne, a member of the armed formations demanded that the SMM leave the area.
• In western Donetsk city, a member of the armed formations told the SMM it was not allowed to look inside a warehouse where it previously saw heavy weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. (See SMM Daily Report 16 February 2017.)

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 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 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.

[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.