Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 27 March 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM observed damage caused by shelling to civilian properties in residential areas of Sakhanka. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and spotted military hardware, as well as previously seen mines inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere, including at border crossing points near Dovzhanske, Izvaryne, Sievernyi, and to Siedove (all close to the border with the Russian Federation), as well as to a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Lozuvatske, Pidlisne and Sievierodonetsk. The Mission continued to facilitate access for workers to and from the Donetsk Filtration Station; it facilitated maintenance works to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema. In Kharkiv, the SMM saw flowers and candles laid outside the Consulate of the Russian Federation to commemorate the victims of the shopping mall fire in Kemerovo in the Russian Federation.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1], including 300 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 330 explosions).

On the evening and night of 26-27 March, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, three projectiles in flight from west to east, an undetermined explosion and a projectile from west to east, followed by totals of about 60 undetermined explosions, 237 projectiles (140 from east to west and 97 from west to east), about 20 muzzle flashes and two illumination flares, all 0.5-2km south.

On the evening of 26 March, the SMM camera in Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) recorded four undetermined explosions 2-4km east-south-east. During the day on 27 March, positioned in Avdiivka for about six hours, the SMM heard about 20 undetermined explosions and about 70 bursts and shots of small-arms and infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) fire, all 1-6km south-east and south. 

On the evening of 26 March, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded three undetermined explosions 1-4km north.

On the evening of 26 March, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard and saw five airbursts of anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) fire 5-8km north. It heard about 40 explosions (16 assessed as impacts of artillery rounds and the remainder undetermined), as well as five minutes of continuous uncountable explosions assessed as impacts of rounds from undetermined weapons 8-9km south-south-west. It also heard about ten minutes of uncountable and overlapping bursts of heavy-machine-gun or small-arms fire and about 40 shots and bursts of small-arms fire, all 5-9km south-west and north.

On the evening and night of 26-27 March, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 60 undetermined explosions and 230 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-12km at directions ranging from south-east and west-south-west. During the day on 27 March, while in the same location, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion and 260 shots of small-arms fire, all 3-8km south-east and west-south-west.

During the day on 27 March, positioned at the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 50 undetermined explosions and about 100 shots of small-arms fire, all 1-5km west and north-north-west.

During the day on 27 March, positioned in Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol) for about 30 minutes, the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions and about 40 shots and bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 0.5-3km at directions ranging from south-south-east to west.

During the day on 27 March, positioned in Kamianka (government-controlled, 24km south of Donetsk) for about four hours, the SMM heard about 30 undetermined explosions and about 20 shots and bursts of IFV (BMP-2) cannon fire and small-arms fire, all 2-4km south-east and south-west. 

During the day on 27 March, positioned in Dokuchaievsk (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk) for about an hour, the SMM heard and saw two undetermined explosions 1km west-south-west. It also heard three undetermined explosions and about 30 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1km west-south-west.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 30 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (no explosions).

During the day on 27 March, positioned in Myrne (non-government-controlled, 28km south-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 30 undetermined explosions and 15 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 3km south-south-east (assessed as a live-fire exercise (training)).

The SMM observed damage caused by shelling to civilian properties in residential areas of Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol). On 26 March, the SMM saw a fresh crater in a yard about 5m east of a one-storey house at 12 Lenina Street. The SMM saw fresh shrapnel damage to a metal fence 2m east of the crater and to the east-facing outer wall of the house. It assessed the crater as caused by a mortar (82mm or 120mm) round fired from a south-south-westerly direction. The SMM saw another crater in a field about 10-15m south-south-west of the first crater. It also saw that an outdoor sanitary facility, located about 2m east of the second crater, had sustained shrapnel damage. The SMM assessed the crater as caused by a mortar (82mm or 120mm) fired from a south-south-westerly direction. The SMM saw a third crater in a field about 30m south-west of the first crater, but it was not able to make further assessments due to security considerations. The owner of the house at 12 Lenina Street, a woman aged 50-60, told the SMM that at around 22:00 on 24 March, while she had been in her house, shelling occurred in the area. 

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.*

While on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska during the evening of 26 March, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion and about 80 bursts and shots of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire and IFV (BMP-2) cannon fire, all 4-5km west-south-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

An SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted on 25 March an IFV (BMP-1) on the south-eastern edge of the Petrivske disengagement area and, again, about 85 anti-tank mines inside the disengagement area (on its north-eastern edge) (see SMM Daily Report 14 March 2018).

During the day on 27 March, 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 government-controlled areas, the SMM saw 13 stationary self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Lozuvatske (35km north-west of Donetsk) and two stationary anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) near Sievierodonetsk (74km north-west of Luhansk). An SMM mini-UAV spotted on 26 March 11 tanks (T-72) near Pidlisne (70km north-west of Luhansk).   

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) near Novoaidar (49km north-west of Luhansk) heading north-west, two stationary tanks (T-64) near Berkhivka (73km north of Donetsk) and 16 tanks (T-72) and 12 anti-tank guns (MT-12) stationary at the railway station in Rubizhne (84km north-west of Luhansk). An SMM mini-UAV spotted on 26 March seven tanks (T-72) near Loskutivka (72km west of Luhansk). In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw six stationary tanks (type undetermined) about 5km south-west of Chystiakove (formerly Torez, 62km east of Donetsk) and three stationary tanks (T-64) near Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk). An SMM mid-range UAV spotted on 26 March five tanks (T-72) near Oleksandrivske (formerly Rozy Liuksemburh, 90km south-east 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 31 tanks (T-64) and six self-propelled howitzers (2S1). It noted that 55 tanks (T-64), 35 mortars (18 2B11 Sani, 120mm; nine PM-38, 120mm; two 2B9 Vasilek, 82mm; six PM-120, 120mm), 18 towed howitzers (D-20, 152mm), 32 self-propelled howitzers (18 2S1 and 14 2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) and six anti-tank guns (MT-12) continued to be missing. It noted that two self-propelled mortars (2S9 Nona-S, 120mm) and 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S1) were missing for the first time. In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM noted that 13 mortars (12 PM-38 and one 2B11) continued to be missing. A member of the armed formations denied the SMM access to a heavy weapons holding area in Donetsk region.*

The SMM revisited a permanent storage site in a government-controlled area whose location was beyond the respective withdrawal lines, and noted that 13 anti-tank guns (MT-12) continued to be missing. The SMM revisited a permanent storage site in an area outside government control in Donetsk region, whose location was beyond the respective withdrawal lines, and noted that 18 tanks (eight T-64 and ten T-72), nine mortars (2B14 Podnos, 82mm) and 15 anti-tank guns (MT-12) continued to be missing.

The SMM observed an armoured combat vehicle and an anti-aircraft gun[2] in the security zone. In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-80) near Pikuzy and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) close to a residential house in Pikuzy. In a zone within which deployment of heavy armaments and military equipment is further proscribed according to Point 5 of the Memorandum of 19 September 2014, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted two APCs (BTR-80) and four IFVs (two BMP-1 and two BMP-2) in Khreshchatytske (formerly Krasnoarmiiske, 33km 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 (see SMM Daily Report 27 March 2018). The SMM also facilitated and monitored maintenance works to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk).

The SMM visited four border areas not under government control. While at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk) for about half an hour, the SMM saw a bus with Ukrainian licence plates and approximately 40 people on board, as well as five pedestrians (three men and two women aged 40-50) entering Ukraine and no traffic or people exiting Ukraine. Again, the SMM was told to leave the area by a member of the armed formations.* (See SMM Daily Report 15 March 2018.)

While at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk) for about two minutes, the SMM saw 73 cars (55 with Ukrainian, 11 with Russian Federation, three with Lithuanian and one with Georgian licence plates, and three with “LPR” plates), three covered cargo trucks (one with Ukrainian and two with Belarusian licence plates) and about 120 pedestrians (men and women aged 40-60) in a queue to exit Ukraine. Again, the SMM was told to leave the area by a member of the armed formations.* (See SMM Daily Report 27 March 2018.)

While at a border crossing point near Sievernyi (50km south-east of Luhansk) for about ten minutes, the SMM saw 11 pedestrians (five men and six women aged 30-60) exiting Ukraine and no traffic or people 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 Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) for about 40 minutes, the SMM saw 15 cars (seven with Russian Federation and three with Ukrainian licence plates, and five with “DPR” plates) and three trucks with Ukrainian licence plates exiting Ukraine and three cars (two with Russian Federation licence plates and one with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

In front of the Russian Federation Consulate at 22 Olminskoho Street in Kharkiv, the SMM saw that flowers, candles, toys and notes had been laid down to commemorate the victims of the shopping mall fire in Kemerovo in the Russian Federation. The SMM also observed three men (aged 35-60) bringing flowers and lighting candles.

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

• While present at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske, a member of the armed formations demanded that the SMM leave the area.
• While present at a border crossing point near Izvaryne, a member of the armed formations demanded that the SMM leave the area.
• While present at a border crossing point near Sievernyi, a member of the armed formations demanded that the SMM leave the area.
• At a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region, an unarmed member of the armed formations denied the SMM access.
• At the north-western entrance to Siedove (non-government-controlled, 106km south of Donetsk), six armed members of the armed formations denied the SMM access to Siedove.

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.