Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 9 April 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 between the evenings of 6 and 7 April, compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 7 and 8 April, it recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both regions compared with the previous 24 hours. Between the evenings of 8 and 9 April, it recorded more ceasefire violations in both regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Dokuchaievsk and observed damage to civilian properties caused by shelling in Sakhanka. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it observed ceasefire violations inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas, as well as, again, near Izvaryne, Dovzhanske and Voznesenivka (near the border with the Russian Federation), at a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area, and in Staromykhailivka and Debaltseve.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission observed over 600 anti-tank mines in total for the first time near Zaitseve, Marinka and Avdiivka. In Zakarpattia, the Mission monitored the security situation around locations associated with the Hungarian parliamentary elections. In Zaporizhzhia region, it saw the fishing ship Nord moored at port. The Mission observed Easter celebrations at churches in various cities throughout Ukraine.

In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 6 and 7 April, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1] including, however, more explosions (230), compared with the previous reporting period (about 160 explosions). Between the evenings of 7 and 8 April, it recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 40 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours. Between the evenings of 8 and 9 April, it recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 300 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours.

Between the evenings of 6 and 8 April, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 190 explosions and about 900 bursts and shots of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm), heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-10km at directions ranging from east to south-west.

On the evening of 6 April, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, two undetermined explosions, a projectile in flight from west to east, two undetermined explosions and eight projectiles from west to east, followed by totals of about 20 undetermined explosions and about 40 projectiles in flight (all from west to east). On the evening of 7 April, the same camera recorded eight projectiles in flight from west to east. On the evening of 8 April, the camera recorded nine undetermined explosions, 60 projectiles (17 from west to east, 40 from east to west and three from north-west to south-east) and an illumination flare in flight from west to east. All camera observations were 1-3km south.

On the evening of 6 April, the SMM camera 1km south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, eight projectiles in flight from east to west, an undetermined explosion, nine projectiles from west to east and two projectiles from east to west, followed by totals of two undetermined explosions and 139 projectiles in flight (17 from east to west, 31 from west to east, 91 from south-east to north-west). The following evening, the same camera recorded eight undetermined explosions and 55 projectiles in flight (18 from east to west, 25 from west to east, eight from south-east to north-west, and four from south-west to north-east). On the evening of 8 April, the camera recorded seven undetermined explosions, 253 projectiles in flight (77 from east to west, 128 from west to east, 16 from north to south, 32 from north-east to south-west), a burst and 27 tracer rounds in flight from west to east. All observations by this camera were 1-4km north.

In the evening on 8 April, while in Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard nine explosions assessed as mortar rounds5-6km north-west.

In the morning on 9 April, positioned south-east of Lomakyne (government-controlled, 15km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard an explosion assessed as an outgoing mortar round (type undetermined) 2-4km east-south-east.

During the day on 9 April, positioned on the southern edge of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard 16 undetermined explosions 3-5km south-west.

In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 6 and 7 April, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including five explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (three explosions). Between the evenings of 7 and 8 April, it recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, more explosions (seven), compared with the previous 24 hours. Between the evenings of 8 and 9 April, it recorded more ceasefire violations including, however, fewer explosions (four) compared with the previous 24 hours.

The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty. On 7 April at the hospital in Dokuchaievsk (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM spoke with a woman (mid-fifties) with a bandaged upper left arm. She told the SMM that on 7 April at around 08:00, while she had been waiting for a bus at a checkpoint in Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) she heard shooting and was struck in the arm by a bullet. She told the SMM that she went to the first aid station at the checkpoint from where she was brought to the hospital in Dokuchaievsk. Medical staff at the hospital told the SMM that they had treated her for a penetrating wound to her upper left arm. The SMM spoke with armed formation members at the checkpoint who also stated that a woman had been shot there between 07:45 and 08:00 on 7 April.

On 9 April, members of the armed formations insisted on the SMM going to the Kalinina morgue in Donetsk, where the SMM observed the body of a man (in his fifties) with a single bullet entry wound to the head, as well as indications that an autopsy had been performed on him. According to morgue staff, the body had arrived at 10:00 on 6 April dressed in military-style attire and that he had been dead no more than 24 hours.

On 7 April, the SMM observed damage caused by shelling at three residential properties, two of which were inhabited at the time, on Myru Street in Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol). Two metres east of the eastern wall of a single-family house at 35 Myru Street, the SMM observed a fresh crater. The wall itself was scarred by innumerable 1-2cm-wide pockmarks. In a field 5m north of a summer kitchen at 37 Myru Street, the SMM observed a second fresh crater. The north-facing wall of the summer kitchen was also scarred by 1-2cm wide pockmarks. In the fields adjacent to the single-family house at 38 Myru Street, the SMM observed five fresh craters five, ten and 30m south of the house and 50 and 60m south-east of the house. The SMM observed that two south-facing windows of the house itself had been boarded up, while the house’s south-facing wall as well as two water tanks and a tractor standing south of the house were all scarred similarly to the walls of the previous two sites. The SMM assessed all the craters to have been caused by the explosions of 82mm mortar shells fired from a south-western direction. Four local residents – including three who said had been in the houses at 27 and 38 Myru street when the explosions occurred – separately told the SMM that the explosions had occurred around 21:20 on 5 April, one added that for more than an hour before the explosions, there had been an exchange of small-arms fire nearby that had devolved into shelling.

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.*

On 5 April, the SMM camera in Petrivske recorded an explosion 2-3km south-south-west and an explosion 2-3km north-west assessed as an impact, both assessed as outside the disengagement area and 15 tracer rounds in flight from east to west 1.5-2km south, assessed as inside the disengagement area.

On the early morning of 7 April, while on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 4km south-west; it could not assess whether it was in- or outside the disengagement area. On the evening of the same day, while in the same location, the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions 4km west, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On the evening of 8 April, the SMM camera in Stanytsia Luhanska recorded an undetermined explosion and 11 shots of small-arms fire 300m south, assessed as inside the disengagement area.

On 7 and 8 April, positioned near the disengagement areas near Petrivske and Zolote, the SMM observed calm situations.

On 9 April, positioned near all three disengagement areas, the SMM observed calm situations.

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, an SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted two surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10): one near Vodiane (94km south of Donetsk) on 5 April and one east of Mariupol (102km south of Donetsk) on 6 April.

In non-government-controlled areas, on 4 April, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted an anti-tank gun (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) near Stavky (30km north of Donetsk). On 6 April the SMM saw eight self-propelled howitzer (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Manuilivka (65km east of Donetsk) and an SMM mid-range UAV spotted three tanks (two T-64 and one T-72) in the yards of houses in Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, 85km south of Donetsk) and two tanks (T-64) in Sosnivske (78km south of Donetsk). On 7 April, an SMM mini-UAV spotted six tanks (T-64) and three propelled howitzers (2S1) near Sofiivka (formerly Karlo‑Marksove, 40km north-east of Donetsk); the SMM saw seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1), seven tanks (T-72), seven multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm), seven surface-to-air missile systems (9K35), and ten towed howitzers (five 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm, and five D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) at an airfield on the south-eastern outskirts of Luhansk city (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 6 April 2018). On 9 April at the same location, the SMM again saw seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1), seven tanks (T‑72), seven multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21), seven surface-to-air missile systems (9K35) and ten towed howitzers (five 2A65 and five D-30).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites near Kostiantynivka (government-controlled, 60km north of Donetsk), on 8 April the SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K37).

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 of Donetsk region on 7 April, the SMM noted the following weapons were missing: 41 towed howitzers (D-20, 152mm) (including nine missing for the first time), 18 self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm), 56 towed howitzers (44 2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm, and 12 2A65), and six anti-tank guns (D-48, 85mm). The following day, the SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K35) and eight MLRS (BM-21) and noted that the following weapons were again missing: a surface-to-air missile system (9K35), a self-propelled howitzer (2S1) and 15 MLRS (BM-21). On 9 April, the SMM noted that 24 anti-tank guns (MT-12) and four towed mortars (2B9 Vasilek, 82mm) remained missing.

The same day in non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw six self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and noted that five mortars (four PM-38, 120mm, and a 2B11) remained missing.

The SMM revisited a permanent storage site whose location was beyond the respective withdrawal lines in a government-controlled area of Donetsk region on 7 April and noted 14 mortars (2B11 Sani, 120mm) remained missing. On 9 April, the SMM visited two such sites in areas of Donetsk outside government control and noted 14 tanks (eight T-64 and six T-72), nine mortars (2B14 Podnos, 82mm), and 15 anti-tank guns (MT-12) remained missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2], anti-aircraft weapons, and trenches in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 4 April, near Novhorodske (35km north of Donetsk), an SMM mid-range UAV spotted an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) and newly dug trenches. On 5 April, near Avdiivka, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-80). On 6 April, the SMM saw two IFVs (BMP-2): one near Mykolaivka (40km south of Donetsk) and one near Novohnativka (40km south of Donetsk); an SMM mini-UAV spotted five self-propelled anti-aircraft systems (ZSU-23-4 Shilka, 23mm) east of Mariupol. On 7 April, the SMM saw an APC (MT-LB) near Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk).

In non-government-controlled areas, on 6 April, an SMM mid-range spotted two APCs (BTR-70) and an IFV (BMP variant) near Verkhnoshyrokivske and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted on an APC (MT-LB) near Sosnivske. On 7 April an SMM mini-UAV spotted nine IFVs (BMP-1), an APC (MT-LB) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) near Lobacheve (13km east of Luhansk) as well as three IFV (BMP variants) near Sofiivka; the SMM saw seven IFVs (BMP-2), seven APCs (BTR-80) and an armoured recovery vehicle (BREM-1) at an airfield on the south-eastern outskirts of Luhansk city. On 9 April, the SMM saw seven IFVs (BMP-2), seven APCs (BTR-80) and an armoured recovery vehicle (BREM-1) at the same location as well as freshly dug trenches near Zhovte (17km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to observe mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). On 30 March, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted about 170 anti-tank mines laid out in four rows in a field north-east of road H15 south-east of Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk) for the first time. On 5 April, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted about 160 surface-laid mines laid in two minefields near Avdiivka for the first time, one minefield south-west of the Avdiivka (at least 93 anti-tank mines) and one minefield south of Avdiivka (at least 71 anti-tank mines). The same day, about 750m north-west of the contact line near Zaitseve (50km north-east of Donetsk), an SMM mid-range UAV spotted over 300 surface-laid anti-tank mines (TM-62). On 8 April, approximately 1km south-west of Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed the tailfin of a recoilless-gun (SPG-9, 73mm) round embedded in a road; it assessed this tailfin to have been there for some time.

The SMM visited nine border areas not under government control. On 6 April, while at a border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) for an hour, the SMM saw 11 cars (four with Ukrainian and six with Russian Federation licence plates, and one with “DPR” plates) and a pedestrian exiting Ukraine as well as 13 cars (three with Ukrainian and eight with Russian licence plates, and two with “DPR” plates), two covered cargo trucks (one with Ukrainian licence plates, one with “DPR” plates) and two pedestrians entering Ukraine.

On 7 April, while at a border crossing point near Novoborovytsi (79km south of Luhansk) for 45 minutes, the SMM observed a woman and a young girl enter Ukraine. The same day while at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) for 45 minutes, the SMM observed 25 cars (five with Ukrainian, nine with Russian Federation, one with Lithuanian and one with Georgian licence plates, and nine with “DPR” plates), seven covered cargo trucks (three with Ukrainian and four with Russian Federation licence plates), and two busses (one with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates) exiting Ukraine as well as 21 cars (eight with Ukrainian, nine with Russian Federation and one with Lithuanian licence plates, and three with “DPR” plates), five covered cargo trucks (two with Russian Federation and one with Belarussian licence plates, and two with “DPR” plates) and two buses (both with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine. Also on 7 April, while at a border crossing point near Ulianivske (61km south-east of Donetsk) for 30 minutes, the SMM saw three pedestrians exiting Ukraine and two pedestrians entering Ukraine.

On 8 April, while at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk) for about 20 minutes, the SM observed seven pedestrians entering Ukraine.* The same day while at a border crossing point near Verkhnoharasymivka (57km south-east of Luhansk) for about 25 minutes, the SMM observed about thirty pedestrians (mixed gender, aged 20-40) entering Ukraine.

On 9 April, while at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk) for about two minutes, the SMM observed no traffic.* The same day while at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk) for about one minute, the SMM observed no traffic.* At a border crossing point near Ulianivske for 15 minutes, the SMM observed no traffic entering or exiting Ukraine. While at a border crossing point near Uspenka for an hour, the SMM observed 15 cars (six with Ukrainian, four with Russian Federation and one with Georgian licence plates, and four with “DPR” plates), one bus (with Ukrainian licence plates) and 15 pedestrians entering Ukraine as well as 30 cars (six with Ukrainian, 14 with Russian Federation and one with Georgian licence plates, and nine with “DPR” plates), nine covered cargo trucks (seven with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation plates; one with “DPR” plates) and a bus (plates not visible) and 16 pedestrians exiting Ukraine. While at a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (101km south-east of Donetsk) for about an hour, the SMM observed seven cars (three with Ukrainian licence plates, two with Russian Federation licence plates, and two with “DPR” plates) and seven covered cargo trucks (six with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates) exiting Ukraine as well as five cars (three with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates, and one with “DPR” plates), and six pedestrians entering Ukraine.

The SMM observed the fishing ship Nord moored at the merchant port in Berdiansk (Zaporizhzhia region, 230km south-east of Dnipro) on 9 April. (See SMM Daily Report 7 April 2018.) On 6 April, at the Prymorskyi District Court in Mariupol, the SMM observed eight members of the Nord’s crew, who had been charged with violating the order of entry and exit for the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, were fined UAH 3750 and released.

In light of the Easter holiday, the SMM visited churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate throughout Ukraine where, by and large, clergymen and parishioners told it that there were no tensions between the religious communities and that they were all praying for peace.

The SMM monitored the security situation at several locations in Zakarpattia associated with the Hungarian parliamentary elections on 8 April. At the Hungarian consulates in Uzhhorod and Berehove, the SMM observed 10-15 police officers securing a 150m perimeter around the consulate buildings and observed people waiting in short queues to be allowed in.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Kharkiv, 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, 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:

On 7 April in Staromykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 15km west of Donetsk), a member of an armed formation told the SMM that it was not allowed to enter the village.

• On 8 April in Debaltseve (non-government-controlled, 58km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM was stopped at a checkpoint by two armed members of an armed formation and, after several minutes, told by a third armed formation member that it was not allowed to pass due to “security reasons.”
• On 8 April at a border crossing point near Izvaryne, a member of an armed formation demanded that the SMM leave the area. He told the SMM that its presence was still “restricted” in the area.
• On 9 April at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske, a member of an armed formation demanded that the SMM leave the area.
• On 9 April at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka, a member of an armed formation demanded that the SMM leave the area. She told the SMM that its presence was still “restricted” in the area.
• On 9 April, at a heavy weapons holding area, a member of an armed formation denied the SMM access, citing orders from a “superior.”

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• On 7, 8 and 9 April, 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 on all three occasions.[3]
• On 7, 8 and 9 April, 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 on all three occasions.4
• On 7, 8 and 9 April, 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.

Delay:

• On 8 April near Verkhnoshyrokivske, a member of an armed formation held the SMM at a checkpoint for over an hour before allowing it to pass.

Conditional access:

• On 8 April at a checkpoint west of Yasynuvata, the SMM was allowed to proceed only after a member of an armed formation inspected its trailer.

Other impediments:

• On 7 April in Dovhe (non-government-controlled 22km north-west of Luhansk), an armed member of an armed formation prevented the SMM from flying its mini-UAV flight stating that he could not provide security guarantees and that the UAV may be shot down by them.
• On 8 April, the SMM lost communication links with its long-range UAV for four minutes while it was flying near Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk) assessed as due to jamming.[4]
• On 9 April, the SMM lost communication with its long-range UAV repeatedly while it flew south along the contact line from Stepanivka (government-controlled, 54km north of Donetsk) and back assessed as due to jamming.5

[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] 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.

[4] The interference could have originated from anywhere in a radius of several kilometres of the UAV’s position.