Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 10 June 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 between the evenings of 8 and 9 June, compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 9 and 10 June, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Vasylivka and Horlivka. The Mission continued to follow up on damage from shelling to civilian properties in Sakhanka. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote and Petrivske disengagement areas. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three areas and was also restricted at a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled part of Donetsk region, in Sakhanka and in Siedove near the border with the Russian Federation.The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, including a surface-to-air missile system spotted by an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle which recorded a missile contrail and the launching of a second missile in the direction of the UAV near Ukrainske. The Mission continued to monitor the security situation around the Donetsk Filtration Station and facilitated repairs to an electricity line, the access of Voda Donbassa employees to and from the station and the resumption of operations of the Donetsk Filtration Station. 

In Donetskregion, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1] between the evenings of 8 and 9 June, including 315 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 265 explosions). Between the evenings of 9 and 10 June, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 110 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours.

On the evening and night of 8-9 June, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, seven undetermined explosions, ten projectiles in flight from west to east and a projectile from east to west, followed by totals of an undetermined explosion and 16 projectiles (six from east to west and ten from west to east), all 0.5-1.5km south. On the evening and night of 9-10 June, the same camera recorded, in sequence, two projectiles from west to east, an undetermined explosion and 12 projectiles from west to east, followed by totals of 18 undetermined explosions and 49 projectiles from west to east, all 0.5-1.5km south. 

On the evening and night of 8-9 June, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, 22 projectiles in flight from south to north, two undetermined explosions, 27 projectiles from south to north and 16 projectiles from north to south, followed by totals of seven undetermined explosions, about 280 projectiles (190 from south to north and 90 from north to south) and two illumination flares in vertical flight, all 2-5km east. On the evening and night of 9-10 June, the same camera recorded, in sequence, six projectiles from south to north, an undetermined explosion and a projectile from south to north, followed by totals of 28 undetermined explosions, about 400 projectiles (260 from south to north and 140 from north to south) and 13 illumination flares (five in vertical flight, four from south to north and four from north to south), all 2-5km east.

On the evening and night of 8-9 June, while in Debaltseve (non-government-controlled, 58km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 35 undetermined explosions 4-6km north-west.

During the day on 9 June, positioned on the north-western edge of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 56 undetermined explosions and about 150 shots and bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 2-7km west-south-west and west, as well as small-arms fire 1.5-2km north-north-east. On the same day, positioned about 1km north-west of the railway station in Yasynuvata, the SMM heard about 50 undetermined explosions, 50 explosions assessed as outgoing automatic-grenade-launcher fire and about 135 shots and bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 1-3km at directions ranging from south-west to west.

During the day on 9 June, positioned on the south-eastern edge of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard 33 undetermined explosions and small-arms fire, all 1-5km at directions ranging from south-east to west-south-west. Positioned on the eastern edge of Kruta Balka (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard 34 undetermined explosions and about 80 shots and bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 2-4km south-west and south-south-west, and heard and saw an explosion assessed as an impact 1km east. 

In Luhanskregion, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations between the evenings of 8 and 9 June, including three explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 75 explosions). Between the evenings of 9 and 10 June, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including six explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours.

The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties. At a hospital in Yasynuvata, a woman (aged 25) residing in Makiivka (non-government-controlled, 12km north-east of Donetsk) told the SMM that she had been wounded by gunfire while visiting relatives in Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk) at about 19:00 on 9 June. She said that when she had left her relatives’ house, she had heard a shot and had suddenly felt pain in her belly. Medical staff at the abovementioned hospital told the SMM that the woman had been treated for a bullet wound to her abdomen and had undergone surgery.

Medical staff at a hospital in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk) told the SMM that a 15-year-old girl had been admitted on 14 May with bruises to her right shoulder and back and had been treated for shock before being released on 24 May. A woman (aged 30-40) told the SMM that she had been together with her two daughters (aged 15 and 9) in their second floor apartment at 138 Stozhka Street in Horlivka on 12 May when they had heard shelling in the early hours of the morning. She told the SMM that they had gone to the first floor of the building to take cover when they heard a loud explosion, after which her eldest daughter had fallen to the ground and had been hit by a piece of collapsed concrete wall. She said that although her daughter had not been seriously injured, she had been admitted to a hospital in Horlivka on 14 May as she had still been suffering from shock. Two neighbours from the same apartment building (a woman and a man) told the SMM that they had been with the woman and her daughters during the shelling and had seen the 15-year-old girl fall. 

The SMM continued to follow up on reports of fresh damage caused by shelling in a residential area ofSakhanka(non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol). (See SMM Daily Report 9 June 2018.) On 9 June, at 27 Myru Street, the SMM observed that a section of the south-west-facing roof of a one-storey house had missing roof tiles and was covered in plastic film, with debris from the roof on the ground outside. The SMM also saw at least 50 holes and shrapnel marks in the south-west-facing outer wall and fence of the house. Inside the house, the SMM observed at least 50 fresh holes in the ceiling, part of which had collapsed. The SMM assessed all damage to have been caused by a mortar round fired from a south-westerly direction. A resident of the house (man, aged 71) told the SMM that he had been inside with his wife when they had heard a loud explosion at about 17:00 on 8 June. He also told the SMM that his ear had been injured by shrapnel. The SMM saw a bandage on his left ear.

On 8 June, at 22 Konstytutsii Street, the SMM saw minor fresh scorch marks and abrasions on the brick plaster of the north-facing wall of a house. At 26 Konstytutsii Street, the SMM saw a fresh crater in the east-facing garden, severed tree branches and a hole in a gas pipe 20m north-west of the house. The SMM assessed all damage to have been caused by 82mm mortar rounds fired from a south-westerly direction.

On 10 June, at 24 Zhovtneva Street, the SMM saw 15 holes and abrasions to a north-east-facing wooden fence and concrete fence post of a house, as well as a crater assessed as two to three days old 1m north of the fence. The SMM assessed all damage to have been caused by an 82mm mortar round fired from a south-westerly direction. About 100m east of the house, the SMM noted a stationary military-type truck.

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 evening of 30 May, the SMM camera in Petrivske recorded a projectile in flight from south-east to north-west 1-1.5km west-south-west and 35 tracer rounds in flight from south-east to north-west 0.5-1km west-north-west (all assessed as inside the disengagement area), as well as 45 airbursts and eight projectiles from south-east to north-west, all 1-1.5km north-west and north-north-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area). Positioned in Petrivske on 9 June, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 6-10km west (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On the evening and night of 8-9 June, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded a projectile in flight from north to south 3-7km east-south-east (assessed as inside the disengagement area) and three undetermined explosions and five projectiles from south to north, all 4-14km east-south-east (all assessed as outside the disengagement area). On the evening of 9 June, the same camera recorded a projectile in flight from north to south 1-2km south-east (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area) as well as an undetermined explosion 1-2km south-east, an undetermined explosion 3-8km east-south-east, two undetermined explosions 4-8km south-south-east and south and six projectiles (four from south-east to north-west and two from north-west to south-east) 4-15km east and south-south-west (all assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On the night of 7-8 June, the SMM camera in Stanytsia Luhanska recorded two muzzle flashes at undetermined distances south-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area). On the evening of 9 June, the same camera recorded two undetermined explosions 4-6km south-south-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On 10 June, positioned near all three disengagement areas, the SMM observed calm situations.

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 non-government-controlled areas, on 8 June, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) in Holmivskyi (49km north-east of Donetsk), with its launching pad angled upwards and assessed as tracking the UAV. (See SMM Daily Report 8 June 2018.) On 8 June, the same UAV also spotted seven multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm)about 6km south-east of Miusynsk (62km south-west of Luhansk) (see SMM Daily Report 9 June 2018), eight MLRS (BM-21) south of Khrustalnyi (formerly Krasnyi Luch, 56km south-west of Luhansk), six self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) about 1km north-west of Shymshynivka (27km south-west of Luhansk) and 15 towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) and 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S1) about 2km south-east of Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk) (see SMM Daily Report 9 June 2018). On 9 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted a surface-to-air missile system (9K33) near Ukrainske.

On 9 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) in violation of withdrawal linesnear Ukrainske (non-government-controlled, 80km south of Donetsk) and recorded the contrail of one missile and the launching of a second missile. While the UAV was north-north-west of the surface-to-air-missile system, the first missile was fired in a north-north-westerly direction – the contrail appearing at approximately the same altitude of the UAV – and while the UAV was north-north-east of the surface-to-air-missile system, thesecond missile was fired in a north-north-easterly direction and flew at a significantly lower altitude, passing below the SMM’s UAV. The surface-to-air missile system was spotted in a zone within which deployment of heavy armaments and military-type equipment is further proscribed according to Point 5 of the Memorandum of 19 September 2014.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas, on 8 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted 34 tanks (24 T-72 and ten T-64) about 3.5km south-east of Ternove (57km east of Donetsk), 11 tanks (T-72) about 3km west of Manuilivka (65km east of Donetsk), 12 towed howitzers (D-30), eight self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and 12 tanks (T-64) about 6km south-east of Miusynsk, 22 tanks (13 T-64, seven T-72 and two undetermined) near Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk), six towed howitzers (D-30) and eight self-propelled howitzers (2S1) near Uspenka (23km south-west of Luhansk), 16 tanks (ten T-64 and six undetermined), five surface-to-air missile systems (9K35) and eight mortars (2B11 Sani, 120mm) south-east of Buhaivka, ten tanks (T-72) near Shymshynivka, and six anti-tank guns (type undetermined), 12 towed howitzers (D-30), nine self-propelled howitzers (2S1), 21 tanks (11 T-64 and ten T-72), 15 mortars (2B11) as well as about 55 infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (45 BMP-1 and ten BMP-2) near Myrne (28km south-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 non-government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines in Donetsk region, the SMM saw six self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and noted that 12 mortars (11 PM-38, 120mm, and one 2B11) continued to be missing.

The SMM revisited permanent storage sites in areas outside government control in Donetsk region, whose locations were beyond the respective withdrawal lines, and noted that 18 tanks (ten T-72 and eight T-64), nine mortars (2B14 Podnos, 82mm) and 15 anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) continued to be missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACV)[2]and other indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 8 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted three IFVs (BMP-2) and about 40m of newly extended trenches (not visible in imagery from 7 February 2018) near Novhorodske (35km north of Donetsk), an ACV near Pivdenne (40km north-east of Donetsk), two probable IFVs east of Pivnichne(formerly Kirove, 44km north-east of Donetsk) and three ACVs near Travneve (51km north-east of Donetsk). On 9 June, the SMM saw an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-60) near Pyshchevyk (25km north-east of Mariupol) and an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRM-1K) near Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk).

In non-government-controlled areas, on 8 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted about 80m of newly extended trenches near Shyroka Balka (34km north-east of Donetsk) (not seen in imagery from 7 February 2018). On 10 June, the SMM saw four IFVs (BMP variant) in Rodakove (22km west of Luhansk). 

On 9 June, the SMM monitored the security situation around the DFS and successfully facilitated and monitored the repair of a broken electricity cable and the restoration of operations of the DFS.  On 9 and 10 June, the SMM facilitated the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to and from the DFS, as well as demining activities around the station, and heard ceasefire violations in the area despite explicit security guarantees (see ceasefire table below). On 9 June, the SMM saw a fresh impact in field 50m west of road M04, about 1.5km east of the DFS, assessed to have been caused by a mortar round. Between Kamianka (government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk) and the DFS, the SMM again saw the tail of an 82mm mortar shell (see SMM Daily Report 8 June 2018). 

The SMM observedmines and mine hazard signs. On 8 June, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted at least 11 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid across the road about 200m north of the residential area of Dolomitne (53km north-east of Donetsk) (see SMM Daily Report 21 December 2017) as well as a checkpoint of the armed formations within the residential area at the intersection of the aforementioned road and the road leading to Travneve. The same UAV spotted for the first time at least 500 anti-tank mines (TM-62) in a field about 50m south of the latter road (not visible in imagery from 13 December 2017).                                                                                           

On 9 June, the SMM saw about 215 previously observed mine hazard signs between a checkpoint in Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) and an entry-exit checkpoint in Novotroitske (government-controlled, 36km south-west of Donetsk): about 200 of the signs were small and square with skull-and-crossbones and a warning reading “Stop! Mines!” in Russian and Ukrainian languages and 15 were large with skull-and-crossbones reading “Stop! Mines! In case of danger call 101” in Russian and English languages, all bearing the logo of an international organization. The SMM noted that overgrown vegetation obscured many of the signs. 

The SMM continued to monitor the situation at entry-exit checkpointsand noted that 1.5m of vegetation had been cleared from both sides of a 4km stretch of road H20 between Berezove (government-controlled, 31km west of Donetsk) and Novotroitske.

The SMM visited four border areas not under government control. On 9 June, while at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) for about half an hour, the SMM saw three cars (one with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates, and one with “DPR” plates), two buses (with Ukrainian licence plates) and three covered cargo trucks (two with Ukrainian licence plates, and one with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine and seven cars (two with Ukrainian and four with Russian Federation licence plates, and one with “DPR” plates) and 13 covered cargo trucks (eight with Ukrainian and three with Russian Federation licence plates, and two with “DPR” plates) exiting Ukraine. While at a border crossing point near Ulianivske (61km south-east of Donetsk) for about 15 minutes, the SMM saw no traffic or pedestrians entering or exiting Ukraine.

On 10 June, while at a border crossing point near Novoborovytsi (79km south of Luhansk) for about 20 minutes, the SMM observed nine pedestrians (five women, two men and two children) entering Ukraine.While at a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (102km south-east of Donetsk) for 20 minutes, the SMM saw 18 cars (ten with Ukrainian licence plates, and eight with “DPR” plates) exiting Ukraine as well as four cars (three with Ukrainian licence plates, and one with “DPR” plates) and two pedestrians 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, 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 9 June, in Sakhanka, seven armed members of the armed formations requested to see the SMM’s patrol plan. The SMM declined and the armed members told it to leave the area. Later in the day, the SMM was able to proceed to Sakhanka. On 10 June, a member of the armed formations told the SMM that they had received orders from their “superiors” to prevent it from entering the eastern part of the village.
• On 10 June, two members of the armed formations – one armed – prevented the SMM from entering a heavy weapons holding area in Donetsk region, citing that permission was needed from their “superiors”. 
• On 10 June, at a checkpoint about 1.2km north-west of Siedove (non-government-controlled, 33km north-east of Mariupol), near the border with the Russian Federation, three armed members of the armed formations denied the SMM access to the village, saying that a special operation was ongoing in the area.

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO: 

• On 9 and 10 June, 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 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 on both occasions.[3]
• On 9 and 10 June, 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 on both occasions.
• On 9 and 10 June, 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.

Other impediments:

• On 9 June, an SMM long-range UAVwas temporarily jammed while flying over areas near Krasnohorivka(government-controlled, 21km west of Donetsk).[4]
• On 9 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted a surface-to-air missile system (9K33) and recorded the contrail of a missile and the launching of a second missile in the direction of the UAV near Ukrainske. 

[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 Pyshchevyk 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.

[4]The interference could have originated from anywhere in a radius of several kilometres of the UAV’s position.