Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 22 April 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

Between the evenings of 20 and 21 April, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 21 and 22 April, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM observed fresh damage caused by gunfire or shelling in Pikuzy and Sakhanka, and impact sites in Popasna. Operations at the Donetsk Filtration Station resumed following facilitation by the SMM of access of Voda Donbassa employees to the station, however, the SMM heard ceasefire violations in the area despite security guarantees having been provided. The SMM also continued to facilitate and monitor repairs of a high-voltage powerline near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and it recorded ceasefire violations assessed as inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere, including in areas outside government control near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. Civilians expressed frustration due to the long waiting time at entry-exit checkpoints near Marinka, Kreminets and Olenivka.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including about 170 explosions, between the evenings of 20 and 21 April, compared with the previous reporting period (about 30 explosions). Between the evenings of 21 and 22 April, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 90 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours.

On the evening of 20 April, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 15 undetermined explosions and about 120 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-9km east and south-east. At the same location the following day, the SMM heard four undetermined explosions 3-7km south-east.

On the evening of 20 April, the SMM camera 1km south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded 16 projectiles in flight from west to east 1-4km north.

During the day on 21 April, positioned at the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk) for about four hours, the SMM heard about 95 bursts and shots of small-arms fire and an undetermined explosion, all 1-6km at directions ranging from west to north. Positioned 2km west of Yasynuvata for about an hour on the same day, the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions 3-5km south-west and about 115 bursts and shots of small-arms fire 2-5km north-west.

On 21 April, positioned in Dokuchaievsk (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard, within 30 minutes, 33 explosions assessed as outgoing rounds 1-2km west-south-west. On the same day, positioned 1km north-west of the entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard six explosions assessed as outgoing mortar (120mm) rounds at an undetermined distance north-north-east.

On 21 April, positioned in Bohdanivka (government-controlled, 41km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard 21 undetermined explosions 3-5km south. On the same day, positioned in Trudivske (government-controlled, 47km south of Donetsk), the SMM heard 27 undetermined explosions at an undetermined distance north-east.

During the day on 22 April, positioned at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard four undetermined explosions and 16 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-4km at directions ranging from north-north-east to south-south-west (see below).

On 22 April, positioned 2km west of Yasynuvata for about seven hours, the SMM heard 42 undetermined explosions and five bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 3-7km south-west. On the same day, positioned on the northern edge of Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard and saw 13 explosions assessed as impacts and 55 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-5km west.

In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 20 and 21 April, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including three explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about ten explosions). Between the evenings of 21 and 22 April, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations and no explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours.

The SMM followed up on reports of damage caused by shelling in Pikuzy (non-government-controlled, formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol). On 21 April, the SMM saw a fresh crater in the asphalt, 3m north of an abandoned office building on Akhmatova Street in Pikuzy. The SMM also saw fresh shrapnel damage to the north-facing wall of the office building. Four residents told the SMM that they had heard shooting and shelling during the night and morning. On 22 April, the SMM saw a fresh crater in a garden between two houses on Pobeda Street, but did not observe damage to the houses.

On 21 April, the SMM observed ten fresh craters lined up east to west in a grass field in the north-eastern outskirts of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk). Three of the craters were 60m, 120m and 150m, respectively, located east of Yuzhna Street in Popasna - about 400m west of a military compound and about 400m south-west of the nearest residential houses (and 2km south of the SMM’s forward patrol base in Popasna from which the SMM has temporary relocated (see SMM Spot Report 24 February 2018)). The SMM assessed the craters as caused by rounds of undetermined weapons fired from a north-easterly direction. The SMM could not assess the type of weapon that had caused the other seven craters or the direction of fire due to their distance from the asphalted road. According to two Ukrainian Armed Forces officers, shelling had occurred in the early morning of 20 April.

On 22 April in Sakhanka, the SMM saw a hole (70cm in diameter) and fresh shrapnel damage to the west-facing wall of a house on 18 Oktiabrska Street, as well as a fresh direct impact (a hole 50cm x 20cm) in the frame of a west-facing window (which was completely shattered). The SMM also saw that another west-facing window pane was broken. The SMM assessed the damage as caused by a recoilless gun (SPG-9, 73mm) round fired from a south-westerly direction. The owner said that his house had been hit by a projectile in the late afternoon on 20 April and that both he and his son had suffered injuries. The SMM saw scratches on the man’s face.

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.*

The SMM camera in Petrivske recorded four explosions assessed as impacts and a projectile in flight from south-east to north-west, all 0.3-1.5km at directions ranging from south to west (all assessed as inside the disengagement area) on 17 April.

During the day on 21 April, positioned in Petrivske, the SMM heard 11 undetermined explosions and two bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 4-7km south-west and 18 shots of small-arms fire 1-2km east, all assessed as outside the disengagement area. On 22 April, it heard three shots of small-arms fire 1km south-south-west, assessed as inside the disengagement area.

On 21 April, while in Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 3-5km west-north-west and five bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 3km west, all assessed as outside the disengagement area. On 22 April, while in Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard seven shots of heavy-machine-gun fire 3km south-west, assessed as outside the disengagement area. The SMM saw two rocket-propelled grenade launcher (RPG-7) grenades on the wall on the side of the road north of the northernmost checkpoint of the armed formations at the bridge.

During the day on 21 and 22 April, positioned near the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM observed a calm situation.

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 areas outside government control, the SMM saw on 21 April two towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) in Yelyzaveto-Mykolaivka (45km south-east of Donetsk).

In violation of withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw on 21 April four multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) on flatbed trucks at a train station in Rubizhne (84km north-west of Luhansk). On 22 April, the SMM saw five MLRS (BM-21) in Topolyne (19km north-west of Mariupol) and two anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) loaded on two trucks on the western edge of Novoaidar (49km north-west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw on 21 April four surface-to-air missiles (9K33 Osa) near Novoukrainka (51km north-west of Donetsk), six tanks (T-72) and other military-type hardware at a train station in Rubizhne, three tanks (T-72) near Lysychansk (75km north-west of Luhansk) and nine tanks (T-72) near Bila Hora (67km north-west of Luhansk). On 22 April, the SMM saw 16 self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) (11 stationary and five moving) near Kremenivka (27km north-west of Mariupol), seven tanks (T-72) on flatbed trucks near Lysychansk, 12 tanks (type unknown) near Rubizhne and two towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) near Sievierodonetsk (74km north-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, the SMM saw ten self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and three towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm), and noted that 11 towed howitzers (five 2A36 and six D-20, 152mm) and 11 self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) were again missing. In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM noted that six anti-tank guns (MT-12) and 11 MLRS (BM-21) were again missing.

The SMM revisited a weapons permanent storage site in an area outside government control in Donetsk region on 21 April and noted that ten tanks (three T-64 and seven T-72) were again missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft gun[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw on 20 April four infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-2) and an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) near Zolote-1/Soniachnyi, two IFVs (BMP-2) near Zolote, five IFVs (BMP-2) near Zolote-3/Stahanovets, an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRM-1K) near Zolote 2 (60km west of Luhansk) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23-2) near Orikhove (60km west of Luhansk). On 21 April, the SMM saw two IFVs (BMP-1 and BMP-2) near Bohdanivka, three armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2) and two IFVs (BMP-1) on flatbed trucks near Zolote and an IFV (BMP-1) near Popasna. On 22 April, the SMM saw two IFVs (BMP-2) near Zolote, two IFVs (BMP-1) and an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) near Popasna, 11 IFVs (BMP-1) near Vyskryva (76km west of Luhansk) and four IFVs (BMP-1) near Pylypchatyne (76km north-west of Donetsk).

On 21 April, 2km west of Yasynuvata the SMM saw new trenches and an abandoned excavator in the area - about 200m from inhabited houses - where on 13 April three armed men fired four rounds from a mortar or artillery system (see SMM Daily Report 14 April 2018).

On 22 April, at the Chervona Mohyla railway station in Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed about 40 fuel tanks and at least 25 freight cars (contents not visible) on three tracks with no attached locomotives.*

On 22 April, the SMM facilitated the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to and from the Donetsk Filtration Station to restart work at the station and keep it operational. (On 17 April Voda Donbassa employees had come under gun fire and some were wounded by it (see SMM Daily Report 18 April 2018). On 18 April, the station had suspended its operations (see SMM Daily Report 19 April 2018).) Despite security guarantees having been provided, while at the station, the SMM heard ceasefire violations, including explosions, in the area (see above section on ceasefire violations). At about 16:00 on 22 April, the supervisor of the employees told the SMM that the station had resumed operations. In Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk), the SMM observed on 20 and 21 April that there was lack of running water. On 22 April, the SMM saw that water supply had been restored.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to a high-voltage powerline near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka (non-government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) on 21 and 22 April.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints. On 21 April, at a checkpoint in Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), a group of about 20 people (mixed gender and age) who were waiting for a bus to travel towards non-government-controlled areas blocked the SMM’s path and expressed frustration that no bus had yet arrived from non-government-controlled areas to pick them up. Some of the pedestrians told the SMM that they had been waiting for two hours for a bus to arrive, adding that it was not the first time. The SMM saw private taxis offering transportation to people for 200 Rubles (public bus fare is reportedly 70 Rubles).

At 09:45 on 21 April, at a checkpoint on road H15 east of Kreminets (non-government-controlled, 16km south-west of Donetsk), a group of people (mix gender, aged 40-70) complained to the SMM about long waiting hours and that only five-ten cars were allowed to go through every hour. Some added that they had already been waiting since 05:30 that morning. An armed man at the checkpoint told the SMM that the delays were due to the lack of people supervising the checkpoint. At the time, the SMM saw 220 cars, two minibuses, nine buses and 100 pedestrians in a queue to travel towards government-controlled areas, and 80 cars, six minibuses and three buses queuing in the opposite direction.

At a checkpoint near Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), five people (mixed gender, aged in their fifties and sixties) blocked the SMM’s passage and said that they had been waiting for three days without being able to travel towards government-controlled areas. Several other people who were waiting along a queue of cars also said that they had been waiting for long hours to pass.

The SMM visited three border areas outside government control. While at a border crossing point near Verkhnoharasymivka (57km south-east of Luhansk) for 45 minutes, the SMM saw ten civilians (mixed gender, aged 50-60) exiting and two civilians (a man and a woman, aged 25-35) entering Ukraine.

While at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk) for ten minutes, the SMM saw two cars (one with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates), a bus with Ukrainian licence plates and four pedestrians (men aged 35-45) entering Ukraine.* At a border crossing point near Voznesenivka, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave.*

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:

• On 22 April, upon arrival at the border crossing point near Izvaryne, a member of the armed formations told the SMM that it could monitor in the area. About three minutes later, he returned and told the SMM to leave, citing orders from superiors.
• On 22 April, at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.
• On 22 April, at the Chervona Mohyla railway station in Voznesenivka, two members of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• On both 21 and 22 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.[3]
• On both 21 and 22 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.4
• On both 21 and 22 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.
• On 22 April, the SMM did not travel across the bridge in Shchastia due to the presence of mines. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM by phone that mines on the road south of the bridge were still present. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as a map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report. The SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint near Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) was not operational during the reporting period. The SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint near Marinka was not operational between the evenings of 21 and 22 April.

* 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.