Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 11 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. The SMM followed up on civilian casualties caused by shelling in Staromykhailivka, near Donetsk city. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it observed ceasefire violations assessed as inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as, again, near Dovzhanske (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 water pipelines in Obozne and Zolote-5.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] including about 190 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 70 explosions).

On the evening of 10 April, while in Horlivka (non-government controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 25 undetermined explosions and 130 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 4-5km south-west and west.

On the evening of 10 April, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 46 undetermined explosions, 70 shots of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) fire, 95 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and about 100 shots and bursts of small-arms fire, all 3-5km south-south-east as well as two undetermined explosions 4-6km south-south-west.   

On the evening and night of 10-11 April, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, two projectiles in flight from west to east, six projectiles from east to west, an undetermined explosion and a projectile from east to west, followed by totals of 28 undetermined explosions, 118 projectiles (71 from west to east and 47 from east to west) and an illumination flare in vertical flight, all 1-3km south.

During the day on 11 April, positioned at the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 23 undetermined explosions and 27 shots and bursts of small-arms fire, all 1-3km west.  

During the day on 11 April, positioned on the south-western edge of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard 37 undetermined explosions, 2-5km south-east to south.  

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations (including 19 explosions), compared with the previous reporting period (one explosion).

On the evening of 10 April, while in Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, non-government-controlled, 50km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions and three bursts, all 15-17km west.  

The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties as a result of shelling in a residential area. At hospital number 4 in Donetsk, the SMM spoke with a woman (37 years old) with fresh, uncovered wounds on her chest (over 100 small cuts), as well as bandaging on the lower part of her right arm. The woman told the SMM that between 05:00 and 05:10 on 11 April she heard three explosions while in her ground floor apartment at 48 Lenina Street in Staromykhailivka (15km west of Donetsk city centre). She said that she was together with her husband (30 years old) and their four children (two-year-old boy, four-year-old girl, seven-year-old boy, 13-year-old boy). She said they all were together in the bedroom of the apartment for the final explosion when the woman heard a whistling sound and an impact very close to the apartment, after which everything went dark and the apartment filled with smoke. She said that at the time of the impact, her husband had been standing by the window. The husband said he heard a loud sound. The woman said they all were brought by private car to a nearby checkpoint where an ambulance picked them up and took the woman and her husband to hospital number 24 in Donetsk city where they were both admitted. According to medical staff at the hospital, the woman had suffered wounds to her chest, stomach, arms (particularly right arm) and legs from shrapnel and glass shards. Medical staff told the SMM that the husband was immediately transferred to Central Trauma Hospital Donetsk due to the severity of his injuries. The SMM observed a bandage on the husband’s throat, swollen eyes and numerous small wounds on his body. The woman said that her children had not been injured.

At Central city clinical hospital number 1 in Donetsk city, medical staff told the SMM that the husband of the woman injured at 48 Lenina Street had been admitted there at 19:45 on 11 April (he was redirected from Central Trauma Hospital Donetsk) with shrapnel injuries to his back, chest, arms, neck, face and nose as well as injuries to both eyes. Medical staff also told the SMM that another man (44 years old) from Lenkoranska Street in Kuibyshevskyi district, Donetsk city, had been admitted at 06:50 that morning with a penetration wound to his neck and jaw, but had been discharged at 10:30 after being treated. The SMM was accompanied by a member of an armed formation at all times while it was in the hospitals.

In Pishchane (government-controlled, 22km north of Luhansk) the SMM facilitated the recovery of four victims of an alleged anti-tank mine explosion incident on 7 April in Pishchane. Police told the SMM that four bodies, reportedly from the same family, were recovered and identified as the people previously reported as missing.  

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 the evening of 8 April, the SMM camera in Petrivske recorded an undetermined explosion and two shots in flight from west to east, all 1-2 km south-south-west (assessed as inside the disengagement area).   

On 11 April, while on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard five undetermined explosions 4km west (assessed as outside the disengagement area). The same day, positioned 250m south-east of the bridge near Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 5-8km north-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area). 

During the day on 11 April, positioned near the Zolote and Petrivske 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, on 11 April the SMM observed five towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) near Vodiane (41km south-west of Donetsk)  and nine self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Bohoiavlenka (46km west of Donetsk) . 

In violation of withdrawal lines, in non-government-controlled areas, on 4 April aerial imagery revealed the presence of eight multiple launch rocket systems (type undetermined) near Miusynsk (62km south-west of Luhansk). On 6 April, an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted six multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near Khrustalnyi (56km south-west of Luhansk).

In non-government-controlled areas, in a zone within which deployment of heavy armaments and military equipment is proscribed according to Point 5 of the Memorandum of 19 September 2014, aerial imagery revealed on 4 April the presence of two tanks (type undetermined) near Oleksandrivske (formerly Rozy Liuksemburh, 90km south-east of Donetsk) and, on 5 April the presence of eight tanks (type undetermined), three pieces of self-propelled artillery (type undetermined), and four pieces of towed artillery (type undetermined) near Svobodne (73km south of Donetsk). On 11 April, the SMM saw one tank (type undetermined) near Svobodne.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas, on 4 April aerial imagery revealed the presence of nine tanks (type undetermined), and ten pieces of towed artillery (type undetermined) near Miusynsk. On 5 April, aerial imagery revealed the presence of 39 tanks (type undetermined) near Manuilivka (65km east of Donetsk). On 6 April, an SMM mini-UAV spotted 18 towed howitzers (ten 2A65 and eight 2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) near Khrustalnyi. On 11 April, the SMM saw six towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk).

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, the SMM noted as missing: nine anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm), seven towed howitzers (one 2A65 and six D-30), three self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and 28 mortars (12 M-120 Molot, 120mm, 15 2B11 Sani, 120mm, one BM-37, 82mm).

The SMM revisited a permanent storage site whose location was beyond the respective withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region, where it noted the following weapons missing: seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and eight towed howitzers (D-30).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled-areas, on 10 April an SMM mini-UAV spotted three IFVs (one BMP-2 and two BMP variants) near Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk). On 11 April, the SMM saw two IFVs (BMP-2) and one armoured personnel carrier (MT-LB) in Zolote-3 (Stakhanovets, 62km west of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to observe the presence of mines. On 10 April, an SMM mini-UAV again spotted about 80 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid out across road H-21 north of Vesela Hora (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Luhansk). (See SMM Daily Report 19 March 2018.)

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), a water pipeline near Zolote-5 (Mykhailivka, non-government-controlled, 61km north-west of Luhansk), and at a water pipeline in Obozne (non-government-controlled, 18km north of Luhansk), where the SMM heard a large explosion assessed as 2-3km north-north-east. A representative of the Luhansk water company told the SMM that work was halted and workers left due to ceasefire violations in the area.

The SMM visited three border areas not under government control. At a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk) over about 15 minutes the SMM saw a covered cargo truck with Ukrainian licence plates entering Ukraine.* At the border crossing point near Novoazovsk (102km south-east of Donetsk) over about 20 minutes, the SMM saw six cars (two with Ukrainian, one with Russian Federation licence plates, and three with “DPR” plates) exiting Ukraine, as well as five cars (two with Ukrainian, one with Russian Federation licence plates, and two with “DPR” plates) and three pedestrians entering Ukraine. At a border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) over about an hour, the SMM saw 27 cars (12 with Ukrainian and ten with Russian Federation licence plates and five with “DPR” plates), six vans (five with Ukrainian licence plates and one “DPR” plates) and three covered cargo trucks (two with Ukrainian and one with Belarussian licence plates) in a queue to exit Ukraine.

Staff at the Yunkom mine in Bunhe (former Yunokomunarivsk, non-government-controlled, 43km north-east of Donetsk) told the SMM that some of the mine’s pumps would be shut off around 14 April, and thus the mine would be gradually flooded. (In 1979, a nuclear device was reportedly detonated in a capsule inside the mine. Staff from the mine also told SMM that it is not clear how possible leakages or increased pressure from the flooding of the mineshaft could threaten the integrity of the capsule).

However, the deputy chief engineer and three other persons (man and two women) said the current status of the capsule is not known, and it is not clear how possible leakages or increased pressure from the flooding of the mineshaft would affect the capsule’s integrity.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, 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, 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 Dovzhanske, a man in military-type clothing told the SMM to 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 on all three occasions.[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 on all three occasions.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:

• In Sorokyne (formerly Krasnodon, non-government-controlled, 33km south-east of Luhansk), staff at an orphanage told the SMM it could not provide the Mission information without “authorization” from members of the armed formations.

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. The SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk was not operational during the reporting period.

* 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.