Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 23 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. Small arms were fired near an SMM patrol in Pikuzy. The Mission observed damage to civilian properties caused by shelling in Sakhanka. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and observed an explosion near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere, including, again, in border areas near Izvaryne, Sievernyi and Voznesenivka (near the border with the Russian Federation), and at a checkpoint near Donetsk city.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Poltavka. The Mission continued to facilitate access for workers to and from the Donetsk Filtration Station. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a court hearing. In Kharkiv, the Mission followed up on the situation of internally displaced persons.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including more explosions (about 220), compared with the previous reporting period (about 105 explosions).

On the night of 22-23 March, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, four projectiles in flight from west to east, 14 undetermined explosions, four projectiles from west to east, nine muzzle flashes and two undetermined explosions, ten projectiles from east to west, a projectile in vertical flight, 17 projectiles from east to west and two muzzle flashes, all 0.5-2km south.

During the day on 23 March, positioned about 1km north-west of the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk) for an hour, the SMM heard 26 undetermined explosions 10-15km north and two shots of small-arms fire 3-5km west. Positioned on the south-western edge of Yasynuvata for an hour and a half, the SMM heard 36 undetermined explosions and two bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 4-7km west and north-west.

On the evening and night of 22-23 March, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about ten shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 3-5km south-east and south-south-east, and 17 undetermined explosions and about 50 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-14km at directions ranging from south to west-south-west. The following day, while at the same location, the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions and about 40 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-10km east-south-east and south-east, as well as 37 undetermined explosions and about ten bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-10km at directions ranging from south to west-south-west.

On the evening and night of 22-23 March, the SMM camera 1km south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, three projectiles in flight from east to west, three undetermined explosions, two projectiles from east to west, two undetermined explosions and four projectiles from west to east, followed by totals of an undetermined explosion and 33 projectiles (32 from west to east and one from east to west), all 1-4km north.

During the day on 23 March, positioned 2.5km south-east of Lomakyne (government-controlled, 15km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard 12 explosions assessed as outgoing rounds of undetermined weapons and 12 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 1km east-north-east, as well as 12 undetermined explosions at undetermined distances south-east.

Positioned 2km south-east of Lebedynske (government-controlled, 16km east of Mariupol), the SMM heard about 19 undetermined explosions and about 170 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all at undetermined distances north-east.

Positioned 1km north-north-west of Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard three explosions assessed as impacts 2-4km south, seven explosions assessed as outgoing rounds 2-4km south-south-west and about 20 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 2-3km south-south-east.

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

Small arms were fired near an SMM patrol (for previous incidents involving small-arms fire near the SMM, see SMM Daily Report 22 February 2018). Positioned in Pikuzy (non-government controlled, formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard six minutes of uncountable overlapping shots of small-arms fire 300-500m south-west and west, assessed as an exchange of fire involving at least ten assault rifles (type undetermined). During the same period of time, the Mission heard impacts assessed as the ricochets of two bullets, 5-10m north of its position. The SMM immediately left the area.

On 22 March, the SMM observed fresh damage to civilian properties caused by shelling in Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol). At 1 Lenina Street, the SMM saw a fresh hole in the west-south-west-facing wall of a house, under which it saw a metal object on the ground assessed as a fuse of a 120mm mortar shell. Inside the house, the SMM saw bricks and plaster scattered on the floor next to the hole. The SMM assessed the damage as caused by a 120mm mortar shell fired from a west-south-westerly direction. Six residents separately told the SMM that shelling had occurred between 07:00 and 08:00 on the morning of 22 March. (The SMM has recently observed damage caused by shelling near civilian properties on the same street. See SMM Daily Report 21 March 2018.)

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.*

During the day on 23 March, positioned just south of the wooden ramps of the broken section of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 1.5-2km east-south-east, assessed as outside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area.

The same day, positioned in Petrivske, the SMM heard eight bursts of small-arms fire 2-3km south (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area).

Positioned near the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM observed 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 a government-controlled area, the SMM saw four multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near Poltavka (54km north-west 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, the SMM observed ten self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) for the first time and noted eight MLRS (BM-21), six towed howitzers (D-20, 152mm) and 11 self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) as missing.

In a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region, the SMM observed 13 towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) and noted 15 towed mortars (PM-38, 120mm) and 15 towed howitzers (D-30) as 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 53 tanks (T-64) and seven mortars (four 2B9M Vasilek, 82mm, and three PM-38) 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 an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-80) near Pervomaiske (17km north-west of Donetsk), two APCs (MT-LB) and two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-1) near Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk), five armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2) near Novotoshkivske (53km west of Luhansk), and four IFVs (BMP-2) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) near Zolote.

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 23 March 2018.)

The SMM visited four 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 47 cars (33 with Ukrainian, eight with Russian Federation, one with Georgian, one with Belarussian and one with Lithuanian licence plates, and three with “LPR” plates), a bus (with Ukrainian licence plates) and about 120 pedestrians in a queue to exit Ukraine, and a bus (with Ukrainian licence plates) and 15 pedestrians entering Ukraine. Again, the SMM was told to leave the area by a member of the armed formations.* (See SMM Daily Report 22 March 2018.)

While at a border crossing point near Sievernyi (50km south-east of Luhansk) for about ten minutes, the SMM saw eight pedestrians entering Ukraine. Again, the SMM was told to leave the area by a member of the armed formations.* (See SMM Daily Report 16 March 2018.)

While at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk) for 15 minutes, the SMM saw four cars (three with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates) and seven pedestrians entering Ukraine, and three cars (two with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates) exiting Ukraine. Again, the SMM was told to leave the area by a member of the armed formations.* (See SMM Daily Report 13 March 2018.)

While at the Chervona Mohyla railway station near Voznesenivka for about ten minutes, the SMM saw about 30 stationary cargo railway wagons (contents not visible). Again, the SMM was told to leave the area by a member of the armed formations.* (See SMM Daily Report 13 March 2018.)

In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a court hearing on a measure of restraint for a Member of Parliament (MP) whose immunity was lifted by Parliament on 22 March. (See SMM Daily Report 23 March 2018). The court ordered that the MP be held in pre-trial detention for 59 days without bail as per Articles 109 (actions aimed at forceful change or overthrow of the constitutional order or take-over of government) and 112 (trespass against life of a statesman or a public figure).

In Kharkiv, the SMM followed up on the situation of internally displaced persons (IDP). At an IDP modular camp in the outskirts of the city on 22 March, the administrator told the SMM that 357 IDPs (88 households) currently lived in the camp. An IDP couple (aged 40-45) told the SMM that they, together with their children, left Debaltseve (non-government-controlled 58km north-east of Donetsk) in November 2017 after their neighbours’ house had been damaged by shelling (for observations of ceasefire violations during this period, see, for example, SMM Daily Report 2 November 2017). The mother expressed concern about whether her children would be able to integrate well into the local community in Kharkiv.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Lviv, Odessa, 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 SMM Daily Report 22 March 2018). 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:

• While present at a border crossing point in Izvaryne, an armed member of the armed formations demanded that the SMM leave the area.
• At a border crossing point near Sievernyi, a member of the armed formations demanded that the SMM leave the area.
• At a border crossing point near Voznesenivka, a member of the armed formations demanded that the SMM leave the area.
• At the Chervona Mohyla railway station in Voznesenivka, a member of the armed formations demanded that the SMM leave the area.
• At a checkpoint in Volvo Centre (non-government-controlled, 9km north-west of Donetsk city centre), three armed persons denied the SMM passage through the checkpoint.

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 demining in the area during 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.

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as a map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report.

[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.