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

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian injured by small-arms fire in Olenivka. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement areas. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. It continued to facilitate access to the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) for Voda Donbassa employees and continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to high-voltage power lines near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka.In Kharkiv and Kyiv, the SMM monitored public gatherings. In Kyiv, the SMM followed up on reports of alleged arson on 21 April in a camp set up and inhabited by Roma community members. 

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including about 90 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (40 explosions).

On the evening of 29 April, the SMM camera at the DFS (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, six projectiles in flight from north to south, three projectiles from south to north, followed by a total of 33 projectiles (23 from north to south and ten from south to north) and an undetermined explosion, all 0.3km-3km west. 

On the evening of 29 April, the SMM camera 1km south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, two undetermined explosions, one projectile in flight from west to east, one undetermined explosion and 11 projectiles from west to east, all 1-4km north.   

On the evening of 29 April, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw six undetermined explosions and six bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, and heard 17 undetermined explosions and 37 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-8km south-west and west-south-west. 

On the evening of 29 April, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard three undetermined explosions and 12 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 4-5km east.  

During the day on 30 April, positioned 2km west of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard four undetermined explosions and 59 bursts and shots of small-arms fire 1-3km south and south-west, and heard and saw one explosion assessed as an impact of a round from an undetermined weapon 1.5km west. Positioned in Kruta Balka (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Donetsk), 1.3km east of the DFS for about three hours, the SMM heard eight explosions assessed as impacts of rounds from undetermined weapons about 5km east, and 12 undetermined explosions and about 30 shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-5km at directions ranging from east to south to west. 

That same day, positioned 1km north-west of Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard 13 undetermined explosions at undetermined distances south-east to south-south-east. The same day, positioned about 2km south-east of Lebedynske (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard six undetermined explosions and about 80 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all at undetermined distances east-north-east to east. 

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about ten explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (about 30 explosions).

The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty from a shooting. In Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw a man (41 years old) with a freshly stitched wound approximately 3cm in length on the middle of his back, which according to the man and his wife (37 years old) was caused when a bullet grazed him. The man and his wife told the SMM that on the evening of 29 April they were walking with their daughter (12 years old) and another woman (in her thirties) and her child (ten years old) near a checkpoint of the armed formations on the western edge of Olenivka when they heard three shots. The injured man told the SMM that they had dropped to the ground, and then when no more shots occurred they started running back to their house. The man told the SMM that an uncountable number of shots of small-arms fire then impacted around them and he was grazed by a bullet on the middle of his back, in the vicinity of the Olenivka railway station and about 250m north-east of the checkpoint.

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.* 

Inside the Zolote disengagement area about 1km from the northern edge, on 28 April, an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) confirmed the presence of a Ukrainian Armed Forces military position under the road bridge (as previously reported, see SMM Daily Report 26 April 2018) with at least four soldiers present. It also spotted two separate Ukrainian Armed Forces positions including underground bunkers, trenches and above ground structures as well as one armoured, tracked vehicle parked in a camouflaged revetment in the south-east area of Katerynivka (government-controlled, 64km west of Luhansk).

On 28 April, an SMM mini-UAV also spotted for the first time 21 anti-tank mines in three rows running from east to west, outside the northern edge of the Zolote disengagement area near a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint.

On the evening and night of 29 April, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded one projectile in flight from west to east 0.3km-0.5km south (assessed as outside the disengagement area). 

During the night of 30 April, the SMM camera near the Prince Ihor monument, south-east of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, recorded two undetermined explosions, 1-2km north-west and 2-3km north-west, respectively, both assessed as inside the disengagement area.

During the night of 30 April, while in Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions, ten shots of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) fire, and five bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-5km in directions ranging from south-west to west (all assessed as outside the disengagement area). 

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 30 April, the SMM saw 12 towed howitzers (D-30, Lyagushka,122mm) attached to Ural trucks at a train station in Bakhmut (67km north of Donetsk), nine self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and three multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) at a railway station in Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk), and four multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near Khlibodarivka (65km south-west of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, the SMM on 30 April saw four surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10, 120mm) in Kostiantynivka, 12 towed howitzers (2A36, Giatsint-B, 152mm) near Khlibodarivka, two tanks (T-72) in Rubizhne (84km north-west of Luhansk), and nine self-propelled mortars (2S9 NONA, 120mm) waiting to be loaded onto train platforms in Pokrovsk (55km north-west of Donetsk).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft gun[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, an SMM mid-range UAV on 25 April spotted two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-1) near Novotoshkivske (53km west of Luhansk) and one IFV (type undetermined) covered by tarp near Prychepylivka (50km north-west of Luhansk). On 28 April an SMM mid-range UAV saw an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) and an IFV (BMP-2) near Spartak but still in government-controlled areas (9km north of Donetsk), and nine IFVs (BMP-2) and eight APCs (one MT-LB, seven undetermined type) in Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk). The same UAV spotted three armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2) and a mortar (2B11 Sani, 120mm) near Avdiivka and three APCs (BTR-80) near Kamianka (20km north of Donetsk). On 28 April, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted an APC (BTR-70) and three IFVs (BMP-2) near Pyshchevyk. On the same day an SMM mini-UAV spotted an IFV (BMP-1) and an APC (type undetermined) near Katerynivka. During the day on 30 April, the SMM saw a military truck with a covered heavy machine gun in Raihorodka (34km north-west of Luhansk). Also on 30 April, the SMM saw an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23-2) mounted on top of a military truck in Zolote. On the northern edge of the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM observed an IFV (BMP-1) and an APC.

In non-government-controlledareas, on 25 April, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted three APCs (type undetermined) near Zholobok (47km west of Luhansk). On 30 April the SMM observed a vehicle (type and plates undetermined due to distance) and three members of the armed formations in military-style clothing preparing to launch an UAV (type undetermined) on road M04 outside of Kruta Balka.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to high-voltage 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. 

The SMM visited a border area not under government control. For about 30 minutes, at a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (102km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM observed four civilian vehicles (one with Ukrainian and one with Polish licence plates, two with ”DPR” plates) leaving Ukraine, and eight civilian vehicles (one with Ukrainian, four with Russian Federation and three with Polish licence plates), as well as one covered cargo truck with Ukrainian licence plates entering Ukraine.  

On 28 and 29 April, the SMM followed up on reports of alleged violence and arson at a camp inhabited by members of the Roma community on 21 April. On the outskirts of the park in the vicinity of the Kyiv Meteorological Observatory, the SMM saw that the camp had been abandoned and observed piles of collected rubbish in black sacks as well as burnt spots on the ground. 

On 29 April, the SMM monitored protests in Kharkiv and Kyiv in favour of the release of Nadiya Savchenko. In Kharkiv, the SMM observed 23 people (seven women, 16 men, 20-45 years old) holding a banner in her support in front of the Taras Shevchenko monument. Around 10 police officers monitored the event. In Kyiv, on the same day, the SMM observed 30 people (both gender, mixed ages) gathered at Independence Square in front of the Stela monument holding banners also in support of Nadiya Savchenko. No police presence was observed. Both protests ended without incidents.

On 29 April, in Kharkiv and Kyiv the SMM observed gatherings celebrating the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the 1918 Ukrainian state. In Kharkiv, 80 people (ten women, 70 men, 20-35 years old), around half of them dressed in black military-style clothing, marched from Constitution Square to the Taras Shevchenko monument in the city centre. The SMM saw ten Freikorps black-and-white flags and ten flags of the political party Tradition and Order. Some 50-60 police officers were present, with about 30 in full protective gear. In Kyiv, the SMM saw 50 people (both genders, mostly elderly) gathered at Sofiiska Square including one participant holding a portrait of Pavlo Skoropadskyi. No police presence was observed. Both events ended peacefully.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Dnipro and Chernivtsi.                                                             

*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.

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 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 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 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.[3]

[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 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.