Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 29 March 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and observed ceasefire violations assessed as outside the disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and in Luhansk city, Verkhnoshyrokivske, Staropetrivske and at a border crossing point in Izvaryne, close to the border with the Russian Federation in Luhansk region.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Svitlodarsk, Mykolaivka, Khrustalnyi, and Luhansk city and over 60 anti-tank mines on road M-03 between Svitlodarsk and Nyzhnie Lozove. The Mission continued to facilitate access for workers to and from the Donetsk Filtration Station. Its unmanned aerial vehicle was fired upon while flying near the station.* The SMM also facilitated repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema and to a water pipeline near Krasnyi Lyman. The SMM observed a convoy marked as “Humanitarian Aid from the Russian Federation” in Luhansk city.* The Mission monitored the situation for civilians living along the contact line in Travneve. In Kyiv, the SMM observed activists blocking the entrance to a television station and monitored an appeals court hearing for a Member of Parliament. In Odessa, the SMM followed up on reports of damage to a church of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The SMM observed a gathering in front of the Mykolaiv Regional Council.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including, however, fewer explosions (about 245), compared with the previous reporting period (about 275 explosions).

On the evening and night of 28-29 March, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, four projectiles in flight from east to west, a projectile from west to east, two undetermined explosions, and three projectiles from east to west, followed by totals of nine undetermined explosions and 38 projectiles from west to east, four projectiles from east to west, and a projectile from north to south, all 0.5-2km south.

On the evening and night of 28-29 March, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard four undetermined explosions 5-14km west-south-west and six undetermined explosions as well as 20 bursts and about 115 shots of small-arms fire, all 3-8km south-east.

On the evening and night of 28-29 March, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 44 undetermined explosions, four explosions of outgoing fire of an undetermined weapon type, seven explosions assessed as impacts of fire from undetermined weapon type, about 20 shots of automatic-grenade-launcher fire, 76 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and 95 bursts of small-arms fire, in addition to about three minutes of overlapping, uncountable bursts and heard and saw about 11 airbursts of anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) fire, all 3-9km south-west. The following day from the same location, the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions 4-7km west.

During the day on 29 March, positioned on the south-western edge of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard about nine undetermined explosions and around 100 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-5km east and south-east.

On the night of 28-29 March, the SMM camera 1km south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, ten projectiles in flight from west to east, a projectile from east to west, 11 projectiles from west to east and a projectile from east to west, all 1-4km north.

Positioned in Lebedynske (government-controlled, 16km east of Mariupol) on 29 March, over about 45 minutes, the SMM heard 37 undetermined explosions at unknown distances north-north-east.

Positioned about 1km north-north-west of Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard 31 explosions over 45 minutes, assessed as impacts of artillery rounds 2-4km south-south-east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including 34 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about six explosions).

Positioned on the south-eastern edge of Pankivka (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Luhansk), the SMM heard 16 undetermined explosions 5-10km south-west.

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 evening of 28 March, while on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion and a burst of small-arms fire, both 3-5km south-south-east (both assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On March 29, positioned on the south-eastern edge of Zolote 4/Rodina (government-controlled, 60km north-west of Luhansk) for about 40 minutes, the SMM heard six undetermined explosions 5-8km south and an explosion assessed as outgoing about 2km south-east (all assessed as outside the disengagement area).

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,[2] on 28 March, an SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) saw an anti-tank gun (BS-3, 100mm) near Svitlodarsk and an SMM mini-UAV spotted a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) near Mykolaivka (57km north of Donetsk).

In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, on 29 March an SMM mini-UAV spotted  five tanks (T-72), three surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10), five howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) and five multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) in Luhansk city. The same day, the SMM saw six MLRS (BM-21) moving north on H-21 road near Khrustalnyi (non-government-controlled, 56km south-west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw four surface-to-air missile systems (S-300) near Nikolske (formerly Volodarske, 21km north-west of Mariupol), three tanks (T-72), two towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) near Manhush (25km south-west of Mariupol), and two towed howitzers (2A36) in Borovenky (77km north-west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw five towed howitzers (2A65) moving north on road H-21 near Khrustalnyi.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and anti-aircraft guns[3] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas on 28 March an SMM mid-range UAV spotted an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) in the rear end of a cargo truck and four infantry fight vehicles (IFV) (two BMP-1 and two BMP-2) near Svitlodarsk, and an SMM mini-UAV spotted a probable IFV (BMP-2) near Mykolaivka. On 29 March, the SMM saw two IFVs (BMP-1) in Zolote (outside of the disengagement area), an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2D) moving south-east in Vrubivka (72km west of Luhansk) and three armoured personnel carriers (APC) (MT-LB) in Pavlopil (26km north-east of Mariupol).

In non-government-controlled areas, an SMM mini-UAV spotted two IFVs (BMP-2) and four APCs (BTR-80) in Luhansk city on 29 March.

An SMM mini-UAV spotted anti-tank mines along M-03 road between Svitlodarsk and Nyzhnie Lozove (non-government-controlled, 59km north-east of Donetsk). Between the forward positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and armed formations, the mini-UAV spotted four rows (with 17, 14, 14, and 18 mines, respectively) of anti-tank (TM-62) mines laid across the road from north to south.

The SMM continued to facilitate access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to and from the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) to keep the station operational (see SMM Daily Report 28 March 2018). While present at DFS, the SMM flew a mini-UAV over the station and heard small-arms fire in the area where the UAV was flying.* The SMM also facilitated and monitored repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk) and to a water pipeline in Krasnyi Lyman (non-government-controlled (30km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM observed a ten-truck convoy marked with “Humanitarian Aid from Russia” written in Russian on banners on the trucks that travelled through Molodohvardiisk (non-government-controlled, 35km south-east of Luhansk) and Luhansk city. The convoy consisted of ten transportation trucks, three service trucks, two ambulances and two cars marked with “police”. At a compound in Luhansk city, the SMM observed the transportation trucks being unloaded and plastic-wrapped boxes being unloaded by ten men wearing uniforms bearing markings of the Ministry of Emergencies of the Russian Federation. The SMM was prevented from entering the compound by an armed man in military-type clothing.* Later in the morning, the SMM saw the same convoy travelling south-east on the south-eastern edge of Luhansk city.  

The SMM monitored the situation of civilians living along the contact line. In Travneve (government-controlled, 51km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM spoke with over 15 elderly residents (mixed gender) of the settlement who told the SMM that they were unable to access the local cemetery, as the road leading out of the settlement toward Holmivskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km north-east of Donetsk) had been closed following the recent rotation of Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel in January 2018. (The cemetery is located on the road between forward positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the armed formations.) Residents noted that there was no functioning shop, medical point, school, kindergarten and only limited public transportation to and from the village. Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel present told the SMM and the residents that the road had been closed for security reasons. Residents urged for access to the cemetery in view of the upcoming Easter holiday. The SMM noted that many houses had hand-painted circles or crosses on their gates, and a representative of the Civil-Military Administration told the SMM that the circle meant that the house is inhabited (see SMM Daily Report 16 December 2017). While present, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 3-5km west-south-west and small-arms fire about 1km south-west.

The SMM visited two border areas outside of government control. While at a border crossing point in Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk) for ten minutes, the SMM observed a bus (with a sign written in Russian in the window reading “Kyiv”) entering Ukraine. The SMM observed 58 civilians cars (30 with Ukrainian, 18 with Russian Federation, one with Lithuanian, one with Georgian licence plates, and two not visible, and six with “LPR” plates), 15 covered trucks (eight with Ukrainian and two with Russian Federation licence plates, and five with “LPR” plates), and about 150 pedestrians (mixed gender and age) all queuing to exit Ukraine. A man in military-type clothing told the SMM to leave the area.*

While at a border crossing point in Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) for just over an hour, the SMM saw 75 trucks (54 with Ukrainian, seven with Russian Federation and six with Belorussian licence plates and eight with “DPR” plates), a bus (Ukrainian licence plates, with a sign written in Russian reading “Donetsk-Rostov”) and 48 cars (18 with Ukrainian and 11 with Russian Federation licence plates and 19 with “DPR” plates) exiting Ukraine. The SMM also saw four trucks (three with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation license plates), a bus (with a Ukrainian licence plate and a sign written in Russian reading Moscow-Donetsk) and 43 civilian cars (14 with Ukrainian, 12 with Russian Federation, two with Georgian and two with Latvian license plates, and 13 with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

In Kyiv, the SMM followed up on media reports that a group of people were present outside a television station. At 1 Heroiv Nebesnoi Sotni Alley on 28 March, the SMM saw about 20 people (teenage boys and girls, and men and women in their twenties) in civilian clothing, as well as two tents and two Ukrainian national flags. The SMM saw barbed wire strung between wooden tripods blocking an entrance on the north side of the building. The following day, the SMM saw a similar number of people (similar gender and ages) standing around the same entrance to the station and burning wood in metal drums for heating. The barbed wire in front of the door was still in place. On both occasions, the Mission did not see any law enforcement officers nearby and noted a calm situation.

The SMM monitored an appeal hearing on the court order for pre-trial detention of a Member of Parliament (MP). (See SMM Daily Report 24 March 2018.) On 29 March, the SMM saw about 40 National Guard officers guarding the Kyiv City Court of Appeals and screening visitors. Inside a courtroom, the Mission observed 30-40 people, some of whom interrupted the hearing on several occasions to express support for the MP. Later, the court rejected several motions filed by the MP and ordered that she continue to be held in pre-trial detention without bail.

In Roksolany (39km south-west of Odessa) in Odessa region, the SMM followed up on media reports of damage to a church building of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on the night of 26-27 March. At 58 Tsentralna Street, the SMM saw a newly installed external metal grate of the north-west-facing-side of the church. A priest of the church told the Mission that unidentified individuals had broken into the church through the window and destroyed the abovementioned external metal grate that night. Local police told the SMM by telephone that the incident had taken place on the night of 26-27 March and that an investigation had been launched into it under Article 186 of the Criminal Code (robbery).

The SMM observed a gathering in front of the Mykolaiv Regional Council at 22 Admiralska Street, with 200 protestors displaying symbols of Natsionalny Druzhyny, National Corps, Right Sector and Svoboda and some identifying themselves as ATO veterans. The SMM saw a small scuffle between police and some of the protestors; 30 of the protestors entered the council chamber and addressed the council, calling for the removal of the head of the Regional State Administration. The council agreed to convene an extraordinary session to allow the head of the Regional State Administration to respond to the protestors’ allegations. The council attempted to proceed, but the protestors refused to leave the podium, and one continued demanding immediate action from the Council chair, who then adjourned the session. The SMM saw about 100 police officers inside the building as well as about 70 National Guard officers and 400 police officers surrounding the building. Once the session was adjourned, the SMM observed the protestors departing without further incidents.

The SMM continued monitoring in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, 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 27 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:

• At a border crossing point in Izvaryne, a man in military-type clothing told the SMM to leave the area. The SMM departed.
• In Luhansk city, an armed man in military-style clothing denied the SMM access to a storage facility where a convoy marked as humanitarian aid from the Russian Federation had entered. The SMM left the area.
• In Staropetrivske (non-government-controlled, 35km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM was stopped by two vehicles, with two armed men in each vehicle that blocked the road. One of the men armed with an assault rifle asked the SMM about the purpose of the SMM patrol and told the SMM that patrols should be “co-ordinated” with “DPR” members, and told the SMM to leave the area immediately. The SMM departed.
• At a checkpoint 500m east of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), three armed men in military-type clothing with green patches on their arms reading “BERKUT Mobile Special Task Force”  stopped the SMM from proceeding. One armed man told the SMM that his “unit” had received orders from “command” in Donetsk city to prevent the SMM from passing the checkpoint. The SMM departed 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.[4]
• 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.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.

Other impediments:

• While flying an SMM mini-UAV near the Donetsk Filtration Station, the SMM heard nine single shots of small-arms fire about 200-300m south-west. The SMM assessed that the shots were fired at the UAV and recalled the UAV and left the area.  

[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] Addendum to SMM Daily Report 29 March 2018: Vodiane (42km south-west of Donetsk) and Bohoiavlenka (46km south-west of Donetsk) are both in government-controlled areas of Donetsk region.

[3] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[4] 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.