Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 6 April 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; it recorded ceasefire violations in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and near Voznesenivka (near the border with the Russian Federation).* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. 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 followed up on reports of a fire at a church. In Luhansk city, the SMM again monitored a gathering in front of the SMM office.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1]including, however, fewer explosions (about 160), compared with the previous reporting period (about 220 explosions). 

On the night of 5-6 April, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, three projectiles in flight from east to west, 18 projectiles from west to east, two undetermined explosions, nine projectiles from west to east, an undetermined explosion, 42 projectiles from west to east, an undetermined explosion and a projectile from west to east, all 1-3km south.

On the night of 5-6 April, the SMM camera1km south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, two undetermined explosions, a projectile in flight from east to west, an undetermined explosion, three projectiles from east to west, an undetermined explosion, six projectiles from west to east and eight projectiles from east to west, all 1-4km north. 

On the evening of 5 April, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 26 undetermined explosions and about 80 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-4km east and south-east. The following day, from the same location, the SMM heard four explosions and about 130 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, as well as 12 minutes of uncountable overlapping bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-5km south-east and east. 

During the day on 6 April, positioned south-east of Lebedynske (government-controlled, 16km east of Mariupol), the SMM heard 11 undetermined explosions at undetermined distances north-east. 

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

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.* 

In the early morning hours of 6 April, while on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 3-5km south-west, south and west-north-west; one was assessed as inside the disengagement area, one outside, and one could not be determined.

Positioned near the Petrivske and Zolote disengagement areas, the SMM observed calm situations. 

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, near Sofiivka (formerly Karlo‑Marksove, non-government-controlled,40km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw two tanks (T-64) on 6 April. Also on 6 April, near Midna Ruda (government-controlled, 69km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K35Strela-10). 

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in Kalmiuskyi district of Mariupol (government‑controlled, 102km south of Donetsk), an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted a tank (T-64).

The SMM revisited a permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region whose location was beyond the respective withdrawal lines. The SMM noted that 11 tanks (six T-64 and five T-72) were again missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2]in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) near Kostiantynivka (33km south-west of Donetsk). In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw an APC (BTR-80) near Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, 85km south of Donetsk).

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).

The SMM visitedtwo border areas not under government control. At a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed six cars (one with Ukrainian licence plates, the rest not visible) exiting Ukraine. Ten minutes after its arrival, a member of an armed formation demanded the SMM leave the area.* 

At a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (102km south-east of Donetsk) for 25 minutes, the SMM observed three cars (one with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates, one with “DPR” plates) and one truck with Ukrainian licence plates exiting Ukraine and no traffic entering Ukraine.

In Kyiv, the SMM followed up on media reports of a fire at a Ukrainian Orthodox Church. On 6 April, the SMM saw scorch marks on the wooden rear exterior wall of a church on 88 Zhylianska Street. A priest who was present at the site told the SMM that at around 00:30 on 6 April, some passers-by noticed a fire at the back of the church and called the fire brigade who extinguished the fire.

In Luhansk city, on 6 April the SMM monitored a gatheringof approximately 250 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 detention of the Nordfishing ship captain (see SMM Daily Report 6 April 2018), and some were chanting messages critical of the OSCE. The SMM invited some participants of the gathering for dialogue in its office but the invitation was declined. One of the participants gave the SMM a handwritten letter demanding, among other things, the release of the crew of the Nord. The gathering proceeded and ended peacefully. 

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, 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 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 near Voznesenivka, a member of the armed formations demanded that the SMM leave the area. She 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]
• TheSMM 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.5
• 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.

Conditional access:

• At a checkpoint on road H-15 east of Kreminets (non-government-controlled, 16km south-west of Donetsk) a man in military-type clothing stopped the SMM and demanded to check an SMM trailer. The SMM was allowed to proceed only after he inspected the trailer. 
• At a checkpoint on the south-western edge of Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), a man in military-type clothing stopped the SMM and demanded to check an SMM trailer. The SMM was allowed to proceed only after he inspected the trailer. 

The Mission’s next Daily Report will be issued on 10 April 2018.

[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.