Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 27 April 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian injured by a mine blast near Yasne. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote and Petrivske disengagement areas; its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including to a weapons holding area not under government control.* Small arms were fired near an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near Novoluhanske, assessed as targeting the UAV.* Near Bohdanivka and Talakivka SMM UAVs were jammed.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. It continued to facilitate access to the Donetsk Filtration Station for Voda Donbassa employees and heard ceasefire violations in the area despite security guarantees. It also continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to power lines near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka and at a pumping station near Artema. The SMM facilitated damage assessments and repair works carried out by Vodafone employees in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, which resulted in restoration of the signal in these areas.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1],including about 260 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period(about 440 explosions).

On the evening and night of 26-27 April, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded 17 undetermined explosions and 64 projectiles in flight from north to south, all 1.5-3km north. The following day, positioned 1.3km south-east of Kamianka (government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk), about 3.5km north-north-west of the DFS, the SMM heard and saw an explosion assessed as an impact 500m south and heard five undetermined explosions 4-5km south and south-west.

During the day on 27 April, positioned in Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk), about 4km west of the DFS, for about six hours, despite security guarantees having been provided, the SMM heard and saw two explosions assessed as impacts 2-3km south-east, and heard 11 undetermined explosions and 23 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-5km north-east and south-east. The SMM camera in Avdiivka recorded an undetermined explosion 1.5-3km east. 

The same day, positioned 2km west of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), about 1km south of the DFS, for about five hours, despite security guarantees having been provided, the SMM heard and saw an explosion assessed as an impact of an 82mm mortar round 600-700m north-west (in an area where the SMM saw new trenches being dug (see below)), and another explosion assessed as an impact 2-3km south-west, as well as seven undetermined explosions and about 60 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-6km south-west, west-south-west and north-west. Positioned in Kruta Balka (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Donetsk), 1.3km north-east of the DFS, the SMM heard and saw an explosion assessed as an impact 1km south-west and heard 23 undetermined explosions and about 60 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, almost all 1-5km south-west.

Positioned in Dokuchaievsk (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk) for about two hours, the SMM heard 11 undetermined explosions 5-8km south. Positioned 2km east of Novohnativka (government-controlled, 40km south of Donetsk), the SMM heard 18 undetermined explosions at an undetermined distance south-south-east. Positioned in Kulykove (non-government-controlled, 30km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard 31 undetermined explosions and 12 bursts of small-arms fire, all at an undetermined distance south-south-west and south-west.

Positioned 3km north of Vesele (non-government-controlled, 28km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard six explosions assessed as outgoing mortar rounds (120mm) 2-3km west and 16 undetermined explosions (11 at an undetermined distance south-west and five 3km west).

While conducting a mini-UAV flight on the western edge of Novoluhanske (government-controlled, 53km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard seven bursts of small-arms fire 500m south-west and assessed it as targeting the UAV which was flying about 1km south-west of the SMM’s position. The SMM landed the UAV safely.*

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 40 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period(about 80 explosions).

On the evening and night of 26-27 April, while in Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, non-government-controlled, 50km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 24 explosions assessed as outgoing rounds 8-10km north-north-west. During the night of 26-27 April, while in Sievierodonetsk (government-controlled, 74km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions 10-15km east-south-east.

The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian injured by a mine blast. At a hospital in Yasne (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk), medical staff told the SMM that a man (aged 41) had been admitted on 25 April with light shrapnel wounds and had been released the same day. According to the medical staff, hehad been injured by an explosion of a mine that he drove over with his tractor on a field about 4km north-east of Yasne. The SMM saw the tractor from a distance and observed red coloured marks on its roof and sides, as well as a black mark on one of the sides, assessed as burnt marks. The tractor seemed possibly deformed.

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 hardwareof 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted, but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.* 

On the evening and night of 26-27 April, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded six projectiles 4-6km south and south-south-west and three undetermined explosions 5-10km south-east, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On 27 April, positioned 2km north-east of Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk) (on the north-western edge of the disengagement area near Petrivske), the SMM heard 60 undetermined explosions at an undetermined distance south-south-east and two shots of small-arms fire 1-2km south-east, all assessed as outside of the disengagement area.

During the day on 27April, positioned near the Stanytsia Luhanska 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 government-controlled areas, the SMM saw four self-propelled howitzers (2S1, Gvozdika,122mm) heading west near Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk). On 25 April an SMM mid-range UAV spotted three anti-tank guns (MT-12, Rapira,100mm) near Bila Hora (54km north of Donetsk) and a surface-to-air missile system (9K35, Strela-10) near Pershe Travnia (57km north-west of Donetsk).

In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw 13 towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) near Novooleksandrivka (75km south-east of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw two self-propelled mortars (one 2S23 Nona-SVK, 120mm and one 2S9 Nona, 120mm), in convoys with other military-type vehicles, near Kurakhove (40km west of Donetsk).

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 non-government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM saw six self-propelled howitzers (2S1) present and noted that 28 mortars (27 PM-38, 120mm; and one 2B11 Sani, 120mm) were again missing.

The SMM revisited three permanent storage sites whose location were beyond the respective withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas: one in Luhansk region where the SMM noted that a tank (T-64) was again missing and two in Donetsk region where the SMM noted that 18 tanks (eight T-64 and ten T-72), nine mortars (2B14 Podnos, 82mm) and 15 anti-tank guns (MT-12) were again missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehiclesand an anti-aircraft gun[2]in the security zone. In government-controlled-areas, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted two armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-1), three armoured personnel carriers (APC) (MT-LB) and an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) near Bila Hora on 25 April, an APC (probable BRT-70) near Pyshchevyk (84km south of Donetsk) on 26 April, as well as three IFVs (BMP variant) near Bohdanivka and an IFV (BMP-1) near Talakivka (90km south of Donetsk) on 27 April. The SMM saw an IFV (BTR-4) near Ocheretyne (31km north-west of Donetsk).

In non-government-controlled areas on 26 April an SMM mini-UAV spotted an IFV (BMP-2) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted on an APC (MT-LB), as well as newly dug trenches, near Dovhe (22km north-west of Luhansk). The SMM saw seven IFVs (BMP variants) stationary between residential houses in Nova Marinka (64km south of Donetsk) on 26 April. The SMM saw a bulldozer and five unarmed men in military-type clothing digging trenches about 2km west of Yasynuvata – about 500m from houses on 27 April (see above).

On 26 April, the SMM observed multiple fresh tracks assessed as those of a tank (T-72) chassis east of Mineralne (non-government-controlled, 10km north-east of Donetsk) leading towards the Butovska coal mine where the SMM saw a sign reading “attention, dangerous area” in Russian language and an armed man in military-style clothing.  

The SMM continued to observe mines. On 26 April, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted for the first time at least 350 anti-tank mines laid in three rows about 400m long about 1km west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (non-government-controlled, formerly Oktiabr, 85km south of Donetsk).

The SMM continued to facilitate damage assessments and repair works carried out by Vodafone employees in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, including in Khartsyzk, Shakhtarsk and Snizhne (26km, 50km and 72km east of Donetsk respectively) and in Chystiakove (formerly Torez, 62km east of Donetsk), (seeSMM Daily Report 27 April 2018). The SMM noted that Vodafone mobile telecommunication service was restored in several non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region. (The service had been disrupted since early January 2018.) 

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk) and to power lines near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka (non-government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk). The SMM also continued to facilitate the access of Voda Donbassa employees to the DFS in order to keep the station operational. During the day on 27 April, positioned at the DFS, in Avdiivka, Kamianka and Kruta Balka,and 2km west of Yasynuvata, the SMM recordedceasefire violations (see above) despite the provision of security guarantees, which led to the interruption of the demining work that was being conducted by demining teams from the Ukrainian Armed Forces and from non-government-controlled areas to enable employees to access the DFS. The demining work was resumed later and completed. 

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 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 (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:

• The armed formations denied the SMM access to a heavy weapons holding area in Donetsk region.

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 no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.[3]
• The SMMwas 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 that no demining had taken place 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.
• 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 there had been no demining in the area in the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.

Other impediments:

• While conducting a mini UAV flight on the western edge of Novoluhanske, the SMM heard seven bursts of small-arms fire 500m south-west, in the area where the UAV was flying. The SMM assessed the fire as targeting the UAV which was landed without any damage.
• The SMM temporarily lost communication with a mini-UAV that was flying over an area near Talakivka as well with a mid-range and a mini UAV that were flying over areas near Bohdanivka, all assessed as due to jamming. The SMM managed to land the UAVs undamaged.

[1]For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. The SMM cameras at the entry-exit checkpoints in Marinka and Maiorsk were not operational during the reporting period.

[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.