Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 19 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, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Zholobok. The Mission observed damage caused by shelling in a residential area of Orikhove. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it continued to observe mines inside the Petrivske disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and was also restricted near Holmivskyi and Markyne as well as at a heavy weapons holding area in an area of Donetsk region outside of government control. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station. It monitored and facilitated repairs to the Zolote-Popasna water pipeline, the water distribution network in Stanytsia Luhanska, the Voda Donbassa network in Holmivskyi and a fibre optic line south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored public gatherings.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including 185 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 105 explosions).

On the evening and night of 18-19 June, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, two undetermined explosions, 18 projectiles in flight from west to east and two projectiles from north-west to south-east,  followed by totals of 17 undetermined explosions, two illumination flares in vertical flight, seven muzzle flashes, 46 projectiles (24 from east to west, seven from north-west to south-east, seven from south to north, six from north to south and two from west to east), all 1-3km south.

On the evening and night of 18-19 June, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, a projectile in flight from south to north, an undetermined explosion and six projectiles from south to north, followed by totals of 14 undetermined explosions, two illumination flares in vertical flight, five muzzle flashes, eight bursts (five from south-east to north-west, two from north-west to south-east and one from north to south) and 280 projectiles (89 from south-west to north-east, 83 from north-west to south-east, 59 from south-east to north-west, 25 from south to north, 15 from north to south and nine from west to east), all 3-5km east-north-east.

On the evening and night of 18-19 June, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, three muzzle flashes, two projectiles in flight from east to west and seven projectiles from west to east, followed by totals of eight undetermined explosions, two illumination flares in vertical flight, six bursts (three from east to west and three from north-west to south-east) and 235 projectiles (98 from east to west, 80 from west to east, 45 from north-east to south-west, 11 from north to south and one from north-west to south-east), all 3-7km south.

On the evening and night of 18-19 June, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 58 undetermined explosions and about 180 bursts and shots of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 4-5km south-east. During the day on 19 June, the SMM heard five undetermined explosions 4-5km south-east.

Positioned in Fedorivka (government-controlled, 32km north-east of Mariupol) during the day on 19 June for about 20 minutes, the SMM heard 19 undetermined explosions at unknown distances east-north-east.

Positioned 1.1km north-west of the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard nine undetermined explosions and about 30 shots and bursts of small-arms fire 1-3km at directions ranging from south to north-north-west.

Positioned 1.6km south-south-east of Kamianka (government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk) the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions and nine bursts and shots of small-arms fire 1-7km at directions ranging from east to south.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including the same number of explosions (ten), compared with the previous reporting period.

Positioned in Myrne (non-government-controlled, 28km south-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions 3-5km west, assessed as live-fire training outside the security zone.

The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty.[2] At a hospital in Holubivka (formerly Kirovsk, non-government-controlled, 51km west of Luhansk), a woman (63 years old), who had bruises on her forearms, told the SMM that while in her home at 36A Sevastopolska Street in Zholobok (non-government-controlled, 47km west of Luhansk) on 17 June around 21:00 she had heard an explosion and the roof of the house had collapsed on her. She added that her house and nearby hutch had burned entirely. Medical staff at the hospital told the SMM that the woman had been admitted to the hospital around midnight on the night 17-18 June and was being treated for a concussion, shock and other complications resulting from high blood pressure due to stress. The SMM could not access the site of the alleged incident due to security considerations.

The SMM observed damage caused by shelling in a residential area of Orikhove (government-controlled, 57km north-west of Luhansk). At 9 Kolkhozna Street, the SMM saw two holes (around 30cm in diameter each) in the south-west-facing side of the roof of a one-storey house and observed that about one-third of the roof tiles had been blown off on the north-east-facing side of the roof. The SMM assessed the damage as caused by an undetermined weapon round fired from a south-westerly direction. The resident (woman, 50-60 years old) told the SMM that the damage had occurred during the night of 31 May-1 June while no one was present in the house.

On 18 June, on the western side of road T-1317 near Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, non-government-controlled, 44km west of Luhansk), the SMM observed a fresh oval-shaped crater with shrapnel inside the crater and in the surrounding area, assessed as caused by an undetermined weapon round fired from a northerly direction.

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 18 June, an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted at least six craters (not visible in imagery from 1 June 2018) near a position of the armed formations on the south-eastern edge of the Petrivske disengagement area. The SMM assessed the craters as caused by mortar (82mm) rounds fired from a westerly direction. The UAV again spotted 86 anti-tank mines (TM-62) inside the Petrivske disengagement area (on its south-eastern edge) (see SMM Daily Report 28 March 2018).

On 18 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted on a truck on the southern edge of the Zolote disengagement area.

On 19 June, 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 18 June, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted four self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) in Donske (57km south of Donetsk). On 19 June, the SMM observed a towed howitzer (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) near Oknyne (53km north-west of Luhansk).

In violation of withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area, on 17 June aerial imagery revealed the presence of 18 howitzers (type undetermined) near Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas, on 17 June aerial imagery revealed the presence of 14 tanks (type undetermined) near Shymshynivka (27km south-west of Luhansk) and 18 tanks (type undetermined) near Buhaivka.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage in government-controlled areas, on 18 June, the SMM saw eight anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) towed by armoured personnel carriers (APC) (MT-LB) in Khlibodarivka (65km south-west of Donetsk), three self-propelled howitzers (2S3) near Zachativka (74km south-west of Donetsk) and a tank (T-64) near Mariupol.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[3] and other indications of military presence in the security zone. In non-government-controlled areas, on 18 June, aerial imagery revealed the presence of an armoured combat vehicle (type undetermined) near Novoselivka (37km north-east of Donetsk). On 18 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an APC (MT-LB) near Nadarivka (64km west of Luhansk). On the same day, the SMM observed three infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (a BTR-variant and two BMP-variants) parked near residential buildings in Novolaspa (50km south of Donetsk). On 19 June, the SMM saw five stationary APCs (MT-LB) in Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk).

In government-controlled areas, on 18 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an IFV (BMP-2) near Myronivskyi (62km north-east of Donetsk), four IFVs (BMP-1) near Novotoshkivske (53km west of Luhansk), an IFV (BMP-1) near Krymske (42km north-west of Luhansk) and two APCs (BTR-variant) near Trokhizbenka (32km north-west of Luhansk).

Aerial imagery revealed the presence on 18 June of recent 15m-long, 50m-long and 110m-long extensions of trenches on the south-eastern edge of Travneve (government-controlled, 51km north-east of Donetsk) as well as another recent 15m-long extension of a trench on the southern side of a road between Travneve and Hladosove (government-controlled, 51km north-east of Donetsk) (all not visible in imagery from 27 May 2018).

The SMM observed the presence of mine hazard signs. In the Proletarskyi district of Donetsk city, at a large walled compound to the east of Lypetska Street, the SMM saw for the first time red-and-white mine hazard signs with “Danger Mine” written in Russian on them.

On 17 June, the SMM saw that an armed formations checkpoint in the north-western outskirts of Horlivka (non-government controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk) had been moved 900m north-west along road T-0513, approximately 500m south-east of the armed formations’ forward position on this road. The SMM observed no traffic through the checkpoint. On 19 June, about 15 civilians (mixed genders, 30-60 years old) told the SMM that buses were not being allowed beyond the previous location of the checkpoint thus making civilians walk a longer distance to its new location as well as having to wait for long periods of time in the sun.

The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire. Positioned in areas near the DFS, the SMM heard ceasefire violations, despite explicit security guarantees (see above and table below for ceasefire violations).

The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to the Zolote-Popasna water pipeline, the water distribution network in Stanytsia Luhanska, a fibre optic line south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge and the Voda Donbassa network in Holmivskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km north-east of Donetsk) which were completed.

In Kyiv, the SMM monitored public gatherings in front of the Parliament building. At 5 Hrushevskoho Street, the SMM saw 600-800 people (mostly men, aged 50-70) gathered in three groups. The Mission saw participants in three groups holding flags with messages related to Soviet-Afghan war veterans, the Chernobyl disaster and coal-miners, respectively. The SMM observed some of the participants remove fences and scuffle with about 200 National Guard and police officers on the steps outside the Parliament building, including by throwing plastic bottles at them, releasing tear gas as well as removing helmets and batons from them and hitting them. The number of law enforcement officers subsequently increased to about 500. The Mission saw bruises on the face of some of the eight law enforcement officers who were being treated for tear gas irritation. The SMM heard a police officer onsite announcing that a young individual, who was not a participant in the gatherings, had been detained for provoking the scuffles (the Mission saw his detention). Shortly thereafter, two members of Parliament appeared on the steps to address the crowd which then started chanting “Shame, shame”. The SMM noted that the situation calmed down over the next hour and did not observe further incidents during its presence.

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

*Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate[4]

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 SMM Daily Report 19 June 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:

• At a checkpoint near Holmivskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km north-east of Donetsk), two armed members of the armed formations requested that an SMM patrol move at least 500m from its position, citing security reasons.
• At a non-government-controlled checkpoint about 1km west of Markyne (non-government-controlled, 94km south of Donetsk), an armed member of the armed formations requested that the SMM turn around and leave the area.
• Two armed members of the armed formations prevented the SMM from entering a heavy weapons holding area in an area of Donetsk region outside of government control.

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• 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 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. [5]

[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: In reference to SMM Daily Report published on 14 June 2018, the relevant part should read “medical staff told the SMM that two patients were still being treated for injuries sustained while on a bus due to an explosion near the same bus on 7 June”, not “medical staff told the SMM that two patients were still being treated for injuries sustained during an explosion in a bus on 7 June”.

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

[4] Addendum: In reference to SMM Daily Report published on 15 June 2018, the relevant part should read “On 14 June, a woman in Holubivka stated she could not provide the SMM with additional information regarding the alleged shelling of a school in Donetskyi without permission from an “LPR” member”, not “On 14 June, a woman in Holubivka stated she could not provide the SMM with additional information regarding the alleged shelling of a school in Donetskyi without permission from a “DPR” member”.

[5] 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.