Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 5 April 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. An SMM patrol was threatened by armed men near a checkpoint east of Kreminets. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and at a border area near Sievernyi (near the border with the Russian Federation).* An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle experienced jamming. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in Luhansk city. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema and a water pipeline in Obozne. In Kyiv, the Mission monitored a gathering outside the Pecherskyi District Court and continued to monitor the situation outside a television station building. In Kherson, the SMM monitored a court hearing for the captain of a fishing ship. In Luhansk city, the SMM monitored a gathering in front of the SMM office. 

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded moreceasefire violations[1],including about 220 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period(about 46explosions). 

On the evening and night of 4-5 April, the SMM camera 1km south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, eight projectiles in flight from west to east and one projectile from east to west, followed by totals of five undetermined explosions, 343 projectiles in flight (188 from west to east, 155 from east to west) and four illumination flares in vertical flight, all 1-4km north. 

On the evening of 4 April, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions and 130 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-6km south-east and south. 

The same evening, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard an undetermined explosion, four bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and 11 shots of small-arms fire, all 8-10km north. 

During the day on 5 April, positioned at the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk) for about three hours, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion and 17 bursts and shots of small-arms fire, all 2-4km south-west, west and west-north-west. Positioned on the western edge of Yasynuvata for about three hours, the SMM heard an explosion 2-4km north-east and two shots of small-arms fire 2-4km south-west.

Positioned on the southern edge of Sofiivka (formerly Karlo-Marksove, non-government controlled, 40km north-east of Donetsk) for about two hours, the SMM heard and saw two explosions assessed as impacts of rounds from undetermined weapon, 12 undetermined explosions and about 150 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-3km west-north-west.

Positioned 3km north-west of Lebedynske (government-controlled, 16km east of Mariupol) for about two hours, the SMM heard an explosion assessed as an outgoing mortar round, about 130 undetermined explosions and two shots of small-arms fire, all at undetermined distances north-east and east.

Positioned 1km north-west of Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) for about an hour, the SMM heard about 40 undetermined explosions and about 30 shots of small-arms fire at undetermined distances north-east. 

Positioned 1km south of Novohryhorivka (government-controlled, 55km south of Donetsk) for about 30 minutes, the SMM heard 17 undetermined explosions at undetermined distances south. 

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including 35 explosions,compared with the previous reporting period(15explosions). 

Positioned in Alchevsk (non-government-controlled, 40km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 30 undetermined explosions 15-18km south-east, which it assessed as live-fire training outside the security zone near Uspenka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Luhansk).

Positioned about 2km north-east of Kruhlyk (non-government-controlled, 31km south-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard three explosions assessed as outgoing tank rounds and their three subsequent impacts about 300m west (assessed as live-fire training outside the security zone).

Positioned in Myrne (non-government-controlled, 28km south-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 12 shots of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) fire 1km north-west (assessed as live-fire training outside the security zone).

Armed men near Kreminets (non-government-controlled, 16km south-west of Donetsk) charged a weapon near the SMM and threatened it.While preparing for a flight of its mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on road H15 near a checkpoint east of Kreminets, two cars (one blue Lada with “police” markings in Russian and subsequently one white car) approached the SMM. Three men, each carrying an assault rifle (AK-variant), emerged from the blue Lada, and two men emerged from the white car, one of them carrying an assault weapon (AK-variant). The two men from the white car spoke to Mission members in an aggressive manner. The SMM then heard one of them say “Get ready” (in Russian) to the other, who then charged his weapon, keeping his finger on the trigger and pointing the barrel of the gun at the ground. The SMM collected its UAV and safely returned to its base (see SMM Spot Report 5 April 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 hardwareof 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted, but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.* 

In the early morning hours of 5 April, while on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 2-3km south-west and west, both assessed as outside the disengagement area.

During the day on 5 April, positioned in Petrivske for about two hours, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 3-5km west, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

Positioned near the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM observed a calm situation. 

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weaponsin implementation of the Package of Measures and its Addendum as well as the Memorandum. 

In violation of withdrawal lines, in a non-government-controlled area an SMM mini-UAV spotted on 4 April seven tanks (T-72), seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), ten towed howitzers (five 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm, five D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm), seven multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) and seven surface-to-air missile systems (9K35, Strela-10), all stationary at an airfield on the south-eastern outskirts of Luhansk city (see SMM Daily Report 3 April 2018).

In violation of withdrawal lines in a government-controlled area near Kurakhove (40km west of Donetsk), the SMM saw a tank (type undetermined) on a flatbed truck heading south-west.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in a non-government-controlled area, the SMM saw ten tanks (T-64) near Kruhlyk(see the Ceasefire Violation section).

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 a government-controlled area, the SMM saw six towed howitzers (2A65Msta-B,152mm).

The SMM revisited permanent storage sites in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region whose locations were beyond the respective withdrawal lines. The SMM noted that one of the sites appeared to be abandoned and that, in total, 20 tanks(nine T-64 and 11 T-72) were again missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and anti-aircraft guns[2]in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted on 30 March an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (possibly BRDM or BTR variant) near Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk). On 5 April the SMM saw a self-propelled anti-aircraft system (ZU-23-4 Shilka, 23mm) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) and two IFVs (BMP-2): one near Mykolaivka Druha (55km north of Donetsk) and the other near Maiorsk (45km north-east of Donetsk).

In a non-government-controlled area, an SMM mini-UAV spotted on 4 April seven APCs (BTR-80) and seven IFVs (BMP-2) at an airfield on the south-eastern outskirts of Luhansk city.

The SMM continued to observemines. On 5 April, the SMM saw for the first time an anti-tank mine (TM-62), laid in a field 5m west of the road at the southern edge of Lomakyne (government-controlled, 15km north-east of Mariupol).

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk) and a water pipeline in Obozne (non-government-controlled, 18km north of Luhansk) (see SMM Daily Report of 26 March 2018).

The SMM visitedtwo border areas not under government control. While at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk) for 60 minutes, the SMM observed a bus (Ukrainian licence plates, approximately 60 passengers) and 75 pedestrians (men and women, mixed ages) exiting Ukraine. The SMM also saw three buses (all Ukrainian licence plates) and 60 pedestrians (men and women, aged 40-60) entering Ukraine. At a border crossing point near Sievernyi (50km south-east of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.* 

In Kyiv, the SMM continued to monitor the situation outside a television station building (see SMM Daily Report 31 March 2018). The SMM saw that the people and barbed wire strung between wooden tripods blocking the entrance to the building were not present anymore. The SMM observed a group of six men (aged about 25) sitting inside of a black minibus parked opposite the entrance. Two of the men from the minibus told the SMM that they were affiliated with Natsionalni Druzhyny. The Mission saw no law enforcement officers at the site. During its presence, the SMM observed a calm situation. 

The SMM monitored a gathering of people outside the Pecherskyi District Court (42A Khreshchatyk Street) where a hearing was taking place. The Missionsaw about 30 people (mostly men, mixed aged), some of them wearing military-style clothing, outside the court building.It also saw about 40 law enforcement officers, including about 20 police officers in riot gear, outside the building. During its presence, the SMM did not observe any incidents.

In Kherson, the SMM monitored two court hearings for the captain of the Nordfishing ship accused of a “violation of the order of entry into and exit from the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine” (under Article 332-1(2) of the Criminal Code). The Mission noted that the hearing was delayed for about two hours and the accused was absent from the hearing. The court ordered that the hearing be reconvened on 6 April and requested that a prosecutor ensure the presence of the accused. Lawyers representing the captain told the SMM that the ship had been seized on 25 March by Ukrainian Border Guards in the Sea of Azov and brought to the port of Berdiansk (Zaporizhzhia region). (The SMM monitored the hearing on 6 April at which the court ordered pre-trial detention for the captain under Article 332-1(2) of the Criminal Code.)

In Luhansk city, on 5 April the SMM monitored a gatheringof approximately 50 people (men and women, aged 20-25) in front of the SMM’s office. Some of them were holding placards with messages critical of the OSCE in the context of the detention of the Nordfishing ship captain (see the above paragraph). The SMM invited some participants of the gathering for dialogue in its office but the invitation was declined. The gathering proceeded and ended peacefully. 

The SMM continued monitoring in Odessa, 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 (see below). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted followingthe fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• While preparing to launch a mid-range UAV flight on road H15 near a checkpoint east of Kreminets, five armed men approached the SMM and two of them spoke to Mission members in an aggressive manner. One of the men said “Get ready” (in Russian) to another, who then charged his weapon (AK-variant), keeping his finger on the trigger and pointing the barrel of the gun at the ground. After 49 minutes, SMM collected its UAV and departed the area. (See SMM Spot Report 5 April2018.)
• While present at a border crossing point near Sievernyi, a member of the armed formations demanded that the SMM leave the area. He told the SMM that its presence was still “restricted” in 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.[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.

Other impediments:

-       At two schools in non-government-controlled areas in Luhansk region, the directors refused to provide information to the SMM without permission from “LPR” members.

-       The SMM lost communication with its long-range UAV assessed as due to jamming, which started near Klishchiivka (government-controlled, 60km north of Donetsk) and continued until the UAV returned to base.

[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.