Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 23 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 24 hours. The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Dokuchaievsk and observed damage to a civilian house in Dokuchaievsk as a result of shelling. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere, including at a checkpoint near Kreminets.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM revisited permanent storage sites and observed weapons missing, including for the first time. The SMM observed mines, and new unexploded ordnance (UXO) and improvised explosive devices, including near Donetsk Filtration Station. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to electricity lines near Maiorsk.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] including, however, fewer explosions (about 70), compared with the previous 24 hours (about 90 explosions).

On the evening of 22 April, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 84km south of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, 30 projectiles in flight from west to east, two undetermined explosions and eight projectiles in flight from east to west, followed by totals of about 30 undetermined explosions and 21 projectiles (eight from west to east and 13 from east to west), all 5-10km south.

On the evening and night of 22-23 April, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 30 undetermined explosions and about 70 bursts and 15 shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 5-10km south-west and west.

During the day on 23 April, positioned about 2km west of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard five undetermined explosions and about 30 shots of small-arms fire, all 2-5km south-west and west-south-west.

While monitoring adherence to the ceasefire at Donetsk Filtration Station in order to facilitate access for employees of the station, the SMM heard four shots of small-arms fire 1-2km north. Positioned in nearby Kruta Balka (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions, five bursts and two shots of small-arms fire, all 2-6km west and north-west. These violations occurred despite security guarantees having been provided by the sides to facilitate the operations at Donetsk Filtration Station.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including one explosion, compared with the previous 24 hours (no explosions).

The SMM followed up on civilian casualties and fresh damage[2] as a result of shelling. On 22 April, at a hospital in Dokuchaievsk (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw a 62-year-old man with bloody bandages on his throat and left cheek. He said that on the morning of that day, while outside his house on 1-2 Bliukhera Street in Dokuchaievsk, he had heard an explosion and was hit by shrapnel. On 23 April, at 1-2 Bliukhera Street, a relative of the man told the SMM that the man had been injured during shelling the morning of 22 April.

At 1-2 Bliukhera Street in Dokuchaievsk, on the outer layer of insulation of a north-west-facing wall of a single-storey house, the SMM could see an entry hole and an exit hole, each about 3cm in diameter, and a crater on at the base of the wall, about 8cm in diameter. The SMM assessed the damage as caused by a 30mm round likely fired by an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon from a north-north-westerly direction. Aerial imagery from 1 February revealed that the forward lines of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and armed formations on the western outskirts of the town were approximately 800m closer compared with their positions in imagery from 10 December 2017. At one point, according to the latest imagery, they are about 180m from each other.

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.*

While in Stanytsia Luhanska during the early morning, the SMM heard six shots of heavy-machine-gun fire 3km south-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

During the day, positioned near the Stanytsia Luhanska, 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 a non-government-controlled area, the SMM saw three towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) on trucks moving north-west near Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk).

In violation of withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas, on 22 April an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted two self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Druzhba (76km west of Luhansk). On 23 April, the SMM saw two tanks (T-72) east of Myrna Dolyna (67km north-west of Luhansk), four multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near Poltavka (54km north-west of Donetsk) and four towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) near Oleksandropil (43km north of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites, the SMM saw 32 tanks (T-72) at a train station in Rubizhne (government-controlled, 84km 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 of Donetsk region, the SMM visited nine such sites and saw 16 towed howitzers (12 2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm and four D-30) and one surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) and noted the following weapons were again missing: 36 towed howitzers (32 2A65 and four D-30), 20 self-propelled howitzers (2S1), 12 MLRS (BM-21), 24 anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm), four towed mortars (2B9 Vasilek, 82mm) and one surface-to-air missile system (9K33).

The SMM revisited two permanent storage sites whose locations were beyond the respective withdrawal lines in a government-controlled area of Donetsk region and noted one site continued to be abandoned and the following weapons were missing: 73 tanks (20 T-72 and 53 T-64) and eight mortars (five 2B9 Vasilek, 82mm, two M120-15 Molot, 120mm, and one PM38, 120mm, which was missing for the first time).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles, an anti-aircraft gun[3], and new trenches in the security zone. In government-controlled-areas, the SMM saw one IFV (BMP-2) in Hirske (63km west of Luhansk) and a reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM) in Zolote-3/Stakhanovets. On 23 April, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted six IFVs (BMP-2) and an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) in Novhorodske (35km north of Donetsk) and an SMM mid-range UAV spotted 300m of newly extended trenches east of Vodiane (94km south of Donetsk) (not visible in imagery as of 28 October 2017).

In non-government-controlled areas, on 23 April the SMM saw an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) on the back of a truck traveling north-west near Kadiivka, and an SMM mid-range UAV saw three IFVs (two BMP-1 and one BMP-2) in a residential area of Panteleimonivka (26km north-east of Donetsk). On 21 April, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted five APCs (four BTR-80 and one BTR-70) and two IFVs (one BMP-1 and one BMP-2) in a residential area of Uzhivka (formerly Leninske, 96km south of Donetsk) and 60m of new trenches about 3km west of Uzhivka. (On 13 April, a warning shot had been fired near an SMM patrol in the same area (see SMM Daily Report 14 April 2018).)  

The SMM continued to observe mines and new unexploded ordnance (UXO) and improvised explosive devices. On 23 April, while facilitating the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to the Donetsk Filtration Station, the SMM saw a round of anti-tank rocket launcher ammunition (PG-7L) on the eastern lane of road H-20, about 400m south of the Donetsk Filtration Station. The round was partially crushed and the cavity was filled with debris. On the western lane of road H-20, the SMM saw about 20 grenades (some VOG-25 and some VOG-25P, 40mm), three empty ammunition canisters for rocket-propelled grenade launcher (RPG-22), and thousands of cartridges (7.62mm and 5.45mm) scattered on the ground. About 300m south of the Donetsk Filtration Station, the SMM saw what it assessed as three improvised explosive devices comprising three to five cans taped together with 12.7mm cartridges stuck into a grey substance at the base of the cans and electrical wires inserted into the base of the devices. Near Kamianka (government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk), the SMM observed Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel conduct a controlled detonation of an 82mm mortar round embedded in the tarmac of road H-20. The SMM had reported the presence of the UXO on 22 April to Ukrainian Armed Forces officers at the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). The SMM saw a mine hazard sign near a checkpoint on the northern edge of Dokuchaievsk (square with “Mines” written in black in Russian) and another mine hazard sign near a checkpoint on the southern edge of Dokuchaievsk (square with “Mines” written in black in Russian).  

On 21 April, in the vicinity of trenches east of Vodiane (see above), an SMM mid-range UAV spotted 47 anti-tank mines in two rows and another 18 anti-tank mines in two rows, south-east of Vodiane, respectively.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to electricity lines near Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk).  

The SMM monitored two border areas outside government control. While at a border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) for 30 minutes, the SMM saw 13 cars (five with Ukrainian and six with Russian Federation licence plates, and two with “DPR” plates) and two covered cargo trucks (with Ukrainian licence plates) exiting Ukraine, and three cars (one with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates, and one with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

While at a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (102m south-east of Donetsk) for about 30 minutes, the SMM saw ten cars (four with Ukrainian and four with Russian Federation licence plates, and two with “DPR” plates) exiting Ukraine and six cars (three with Russian Federation, one with black licence plates and one with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

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, 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 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 (for example see SMM Daily Report 23 April 2018). 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:

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.[4]
• 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]
• 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-style clothing stopped the SMM and allowed it to proceed only after he inspected the trailer.

[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 in Marinka was not operational during the reporting period.

[2] Addendum: At a house on 18 Oktiabrska Street in Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM assessed the damage as caused by a recoilless gun (SPG-9, 73mm) round fired from a north-westerly direction (see SMM Daily Report 23 April 2018).   

[3] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[4] 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.