Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 25 May 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports about an explosion in a bus in Debaltseve in which a boy died and three other teenagers were injured. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. It recorded explosions of mortar rounds inside the Zolote disengagement area as well as ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. It continued to monitor and facilitate the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to the Donetsk Filtration Station to facilitate repair works and demining activity in order to keep the station operational; it heard ceasefire violations in the area, despite security guarantees. The SMM also continued to monitor and facilitate repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema and high-voltage power lines near Almazna, Yuzhna-Lomuvatka and Veselohorivka.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including more explosions (about 660), compared with the previous reporting period (about 295 explosions).

On the evening of 24 May, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 50 undetermined explosions, seven explosions assessed as impacts of artillery rounds and about 20 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-7km south-west, west and north-west. While at the same location, on the morning of 25 May, the SMM heard about 85 explosions assessed as outgoing artillery rounds 2-8km north-east and north-west, as well as about 100 explosions assessed as impacts of artillery rounds and about 110 undetermined explosions, all 5-9km at directions ranging from north to north-west. During the day on 25 May, positioned on the north-eastern edge of Horlivka for about three and a half hours, the SMM heard about 35 undetermined explosions, 2-8km north-east, south-east, north-west and north.

On the evening of 24 May, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 25 undetermined explosions and 80 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-6km south-east and south-west. The following day, while at the same location, the SMM heard about 60 undetermined explosions and about ten bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-6km south-east and south-west.

In the early hours of 25 May, while in Donetsk city (non-government-controlled), the SMM heard 55 undetermined explosions 5-8km south.

During the day on 25 May, positioned on the north-eastern edge of Debaltseve (non-government-controlled, 58km north-east of Donetsk) for about an hour, the SMM heard 27 undetermined explosions 10-12km north.

Positioned on the south-western edge of Novoluhanske (government-controlled, 53km north-east of Donetsk) for about 30 minutes, the SMM heard 17 undetermined explosions, 5-12km south-east and north-west.

Positioned in Holmivskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km north-east of Donetsk) for about an hour, the SMM heard 11 explosions assessed as outgoing artillery rounds and six undetermined explosions, 2-8km north, north-east and east.

Positioned about 1km north-west of the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 25 undetermined explosions and uncountable shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-6km at directions ranging from south-south-west to north. Positioned on the south-eastern edge of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 15 undetermined explosions and four bursts of small-arms fire, all 2-7km at directions ranging from north-east to south-south-west.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions (about 60), compared with the previous reporting period (15 explosions).

On 25 May, positioned in Kalynove-Borshchuvate (non-government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 20 undetermined explosions 3-4km north-west.

The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Debaltseve: a boy who died and two boys and a girl who were wounded in an explosion that occurred in a bus on the afternoon of 22 May. At a house on Menzhynskoho Street, where the deceased boy (14 years old) had lived, the SMM saw a coffin with the boy’s body. On Kurchatova Street, the SMM spoke with the grandmother (in her fifties) of one of the injured boys. She told the SMM that her grandson (15 years old) had a serious wound in his elbow and additional wounds in his thigh and had been admitted to a hospital in Yenakiieve (non-government-controlled, 41km north-east of Donetsk). She added that her grandson had told her that someone on the bus was handling an object when the explosion occurred. On Piatydesiaty rokiv Zhovtnia Avenue, the SMM spoke to a man (in his sixties) who was in the bus. He told the SMM he had been sitting next to the bus driver while the boys and the girl had been sitting at the back. He said that the bus had been on its route along Kurchatova Street to the “Druhyi maidanchyk” quarter in the north-eastern part of Debaltseve when he had heard an explosion at the back and seen a lot of smoke, after which the driver had opened the door and had told everyone to get out. On Babushkina Street, the SMM spoke to the grandmother of the second injured boy. She told the SMM that her grandson was in a hospital in Yenakiieve and that his condition was stable.

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 night of 24-25 May, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded two projectiles in flight from east to west, seven projectiles from north-west to south-east and two bursts, all 3-8km east, south and south-south-west (all assessed as outside the disengagement area).

During the day on 25 May, positioned 1.5km west of Zolote-4 (government-controlled, 60km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard and saw 20 explosions assessed as mortar rounds, and heard four explosions assessed as mortar rounds, three undetermined explosions and four bursts of small-arms fire, all 1-2km south-south-west (all assessed as inside the disengagement area).

On the same day, in Katerynivka (government-controlled 64km west of Luhansk), inside the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM heard six undetermined explosions 5-6km south-south-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area), an undetermined explosions 1-2km south (assessed as inside the disengagement area), two explosions assessed as outgoing mortar rounds 1-2km south-south-west (assessed as inside the disengagement area) and four shots of small-arms fire 1-2km east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On 21 May, the SMM camera in Petrivske recorded about 85 tracer rounds in flight from north to south, 0.5-1km south-west (assessed as inside the disengagement area).[2] On 25 May, positioned in Petrivske, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 8-10km north (assessed as outside the disengagement area) and about 20 shots of small-arms fire, 2-3km west (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area).

On 24 May, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted again an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2), as well as recently built positions and trenches inside the Petrivske disengagement area (see SMM Daily Report of 21 May 2018).

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 Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

In violation of withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas, on 23 May, an SMM long-range UAV spotted a towed howitzer (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) near Petrivka (43km north of Donetsk). On 24 May, the SMM saw two self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) near Romanivka (41km north of Donetsk).

In non-government-controlled areas, on 23 May, an SMM long-range UAV spotted a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) in Panteleimonivka (26km north-east of Donetsk) and, on 24 May, a towed howitzer (probable D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) on the eastern outskirts of Dokuchaievsk (30km south-west of Donetsk). On 25 May, the SMM saw two tanks (possible T-72) near Novosvitlivka (16km south-east of Luhansk).

In a non-government-controlled area, in a zone within which deployment of heavy armaments and military equipment is further proscribed according to Point 5 of the Memorandum of 19 September 2014, on 24 May, an SMM long-range UAV spotted three tanks (T-64) near Svobodne (73km south of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, in a government-controlled area, the SMM saw four self-propelled howitzers (2A36) near Azovske (121km south of Donetsk).

The SMM revisited a permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area in Donetsk region, whose location was beyond the respective withdrawal lines, and noted that 16 tanks (six T-64s and ten T-72s) were again missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACV) and an anti-aircraft gun[3] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 24 May, the SMM saw an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) near Romanivka. On 25 May, the SMM saw three armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2) near Karlivka (25km north-west of Donetsk), an APC (BTR-70) near Novobakhmutivka (28km north of Donetsk), an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm), two IFVs (BTR-4) and one armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) near Rozivka (32km north of Donetsk), and an APC (BTR-70) near Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk). On 23 May, an SMM long-range UAV spotted six infantry IFVs on the southern edge of Toretsk (formerly Dzerzhynsk, 43km north of Donetsk), an APC (BTR-80) near Troitske (30km north of Donetsk), two APCs (BTR-70) near Verkhnotoretske (23km north-east of Donetsk) and three APCs (two BTR-70 and an MTLB-S) in a residential area of Verkhnotoretske, as well as an APC (BTR-70) in a residential area of Novhorodske (35km north of Donetsk). On 24 May, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an ACV near Slavne (26km south-west of Donetsk), an ACV near Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk) and seven armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2) (six of which were in a residential area) near Vodiane (15km north-west of Donetsk).

In non-government-controlled areas, on 24 May, an SMM long-range UAV spotted five IFVs (three BMP-2 and two BMP-1) and an APC (BTR-80) in Khreshchatytske (formerly Krasnoarmiiske, 86km south of Donetsk) as well as an excavator (EOV-4421) and a trench digger (PZM-2) near Vedenske (90km south of Donetsk).

The SMM observed the presence of mines. On 23 May, a mid-range UAV spotted again 15 anti-tank mines (TM-62) about 2km south-east of the entry-exit checkpoint in Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk).

The SMM continued to monitor and facilitate the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS). It also facilitated repair works to the DFS and demining around the station. Positioned in areas near the DFS, the SMM heard undetermined explosions as well as small-arms fire (see ceasefire violation section above), despite explicit security guarantees. It saw that the demining team of the Ukrainian Armed Forces collected an 82mm mortar shell and that the demining team from non-government-controlled areas collected a 12.7mm bullet. When positioned at the junction of road H20 and the road leading to the main entrance to the DFS, the SMM saw two men in military-style clothing crossing road H20 from east to west outside the DFS territory and behind the DFS’s northern edge. The SMM lost sight of the men after they crossed the road.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk) and high-voltage power lines near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka (non-government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk), Almazna (non-government-controlled, 55km west of Luhansk) and Veselohorivka (non-government-controlled, 64km west of Luhansk).

The SMM visited a border area not under government control. While at a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (102km south-east of Donetsk) for about 20 minutes, the SMM saw a truck with a trailer and a car exit 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, 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. 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.[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 no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.5
• 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 (government-controlled, 20km west of Luhansk) due to the presence of mines. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC said there were mines on the road south of the bridge. The SMM informed the JCCC.5

Other impediments:

• The SMM temporarily lost communication with its mini-UAV near Kozatske (non-government controlled, 36km north-east of Mariupol), assessed as due to jamming. The SMM was able to recall the UAV and land it safely.

[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.

[2] Due to the presence of mines, including those on a road between Bohdanivka (government-controlled, 41km south-west of Donetsk) and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remained limited (see, for example, SMM Daily Report 25 May 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.