Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 24 July 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period and one ceasefire violation in Luhansk region. The Mission followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Dokuchaievsk and observed fresh damage in one of its residential areas. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. The Mission recorded a ceasefire violation near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and again observed military-type presence in the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas, as well as in Yasne and again near Zaichenko. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to critical civilian infrastructure near Zalizne, Bolotene, Stanytsia Luhanska and Novotoshkivske, as well as in Popasna.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including, however, fewer explosions (about 50), compared with the previous reporting period (about 70 explosions).

On the evening of 23 July, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded a projectile in flight from east to west 2-4km south-south-west, followed by 11 projectiles from north-north-west to south-south-east 100-200m west. About one hour later, the camera recorded, in sequence, a projectile from north-west to south-east and four projectiles from east-north-east to west-south-west, followed by totals of four projectiles (two from north-north-west to south-south-east, one from east to west and one from east-north-east to west-south-west) and four bursts, all 0.7-7km south.

The following day, positioned 1km north-west of the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard five undetermined explosions and 60 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-3km at directions ranging from south-west to north-west.

On the evening and night of 23-24 July, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, six projectiles in flight from south-west to north-east and a projectile from north-east to south-west, followed by an undetermined explosion and 12 projectiles (mostly from south-west to north-east), all 2-4km south-east.

On the evening and night of 23-24 July, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, four projectiles in flight from south-east to north-west, a projectile from south to north and two projectiles from south-west to north-east, followed by an undetermined explosion, an illumination flare in vertical flight and 21 projectiles (11 from south-west to north-east and ten from south-east to north-west), all 2-3km north.

On the evening and night of 23-24 July, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, four projectiles in flight from east to west, five airbursts, two illumination flares in vertical flight, three projectiles from east to west, and four projectiles from west to east, followed by totals of two explosions (one assessed as outgoing and the other undetermined), an illumination flare in vertical flight and 55 projectiles in flight (38 from east to west and 17 from west to east), all 5-7km south.

During the day on 24 July, positioned about 1km north-north-west of the entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk, the SMM heard 14 explosions (one assessed as an airburst and the remainder undetermined) and about 30 shots and bursts of small-arms fire, all at undetermined distances north-east. The SMM also heard an explosion assessed as an impact of a mortar round 3-4km south-east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded one ceasefire violation (explosion); it had recorded five ceasefire violations in the previous reporting period (one explosion).

The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty. At a hospital in Dokuchaievsk (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk), medical staff told the SMM that on the evening of 23 July a woman (aged 31) had been admitted with light shrapnel injuries to her right leg. They said that she had been injured earlier that day while at home on Komunalnyi Lane in the town. The woman told the SMM by telephone that between 19:00 and 19:30 on 23 July, while she had been near her house on Komunalnyi Lane, she had heard “something exploding in the air” nearby and had been injured by shrapnel. The SMM was unable to visit the house due to security concerns.

The SMM observed fresh damage caused by shelling in a residential area of Dokuchaievsk. At 6 Zhovtneva Street, the SMM saw a fresh hole (15cm in diameter) in a west-south-west-facing window of a first-floor apartment in a residential building, assessed as caused by a round (possibly 30mm) of an undetermined weapon fired from a west-south-westerly direction. A female resident (in her seventies) of the apartment told the SMM that a “large metal object” had penetrated the window at around 19:30 on 20 July when she had been at home with her husband and that she had heard “gunfire.”

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske (41km south of Donetsk)[2], 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 17 July, an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted a member of the armed formations digging a trench in the Zolote disengagement area, about 900m north of the disengagement area’s southern edge and about 1.4km west of its eastern edge, which the Mission had previously observed (see SMM Daily Report 6 June 2018).

Near the Zolote disengagement area, on 23 July, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted a recently dug trench in a residential area of Katerynivka (government-controlled, 64km west of Luhansk), about 1.3km west of the disengagement area’s western edge.

On the morning of 24 July, positioned near the forward position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, about 300m north of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 1-3km east-south-east (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area).

During the day on 24 July, positioned near the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM did not observe ceasefire violations.

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, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted, on 23 July, a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) under camouflage netting in a residential area of Zolote-3/Stakhanovets (61km west of Luhansk).

In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled-areas, on 22 July, aerial imagery revealed the presence of three multiple launch rocket systems (type undetermined) near Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk). On 23 July, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted three self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and six tanks (T-64) near Novoselivka (37km north-east of Donetsk). On 24 July, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted a probable tank (type undetermined) in a south-eastern residential area of Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 92km south of Donetsk) (see SMM Daily Report 11 July 2018).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled-areas, on 24 July, the SMM saw a convoy consisting of three towed howitzers (D-20, 152mm) towed by trucks travelling east near Zachativka (74km south-west of Donetsk), 19 stationary tanks (T-64), eight of which were loaded on flatbed trains, at the railway station in Zachativka and an anti-tank gun (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) towed by a truck moving west in Kalynove (formerly Kalinine, 65km south-west of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled-areas, on 21 July, aerial imagery revealed the presence of 25 probable towed howitzers (type undetermined), four probable self-propelled howitzers (type undetermined) and 22 tanks (type undetermined) near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk). On 22 July, aerial imagery revealed the presence of 21 towed howitzers (type undetermined) and 17 tanks (type undetermined) near Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk) and eight probable self-propelled howitzers (type undetermined) and six tanks (type undetermined) near Shymshynivka (27km south-west of Luhansk). On 23 July, aerial imagery revealed the presence of seven tanks (type undetermined) near Manuilivka (65km east of Donetsk). On 24 July, the SMM saw seven tanks (T-72) in firing positions, as well as at least 100 armed persons in military-style clothing, some of them assessed as engaged in training, at a training area near Ternove (57km east of Donetsk).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACV), anti-aircraft weapons[3] and other indications of military-type presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, an SMM long-range UAV spotted, on 23 July, an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) near Bila Hora (54km north of Donetsk) and three IFVs (one BMP-2 and two BMP variants) and an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB variant) near Troitske (69km west of Luhansk). On 24 July, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted a recent 250m-long extension of a trench about 1.5km north of Vodiane (94km south of Donetsk) (not visible in imagery from 1 June 2018). The same day, the SMM saw an APC (MRAP Varta) near Vrubivka (72km west of Luhansk), an IFV (BMP variant) in the southern area of Zolote-4/Rodina (59km west of Luhansk) and two anti-aircraft guns (ZU-23, 23mm) and an armoured recovery vehicle (BREM-Ch) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk).

In non-government-controlled-areas, on 22 July, aerial imagery revealed the presence of an ACV (type undetermined) near the Petrovskyi district of Donetsk city (15km south-west of city centre). On 23 July, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted an IFV (BMP-1), an ACV (BMP variant) and an APC (MT-LB) near Novoselivka. On 24 July, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted five probable IFVs (BMP-1) and a probable APC (BTR variant) near Pikuzy. About 800m north-east of the abovementioned trench near Vodiane, the same UAV also spotted a recent 200m-long extension of a trench about 150m east of the nearest house in Pikuzy (not visible in imagery from 1 June 2018).

The SMM observed unexploded ordnance (UXO) and demining activities. The SMM saw for the first time the fresh tailfin of an 82mm mortar round about 1.5km south-west of Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km west of Luhansk), assessed as fired from a northern direction. The tailfin was protruding from an asphalt road 300m west of a checkpoint of the armed formations.

About 500m north of Nikishyne (60km north-east of Donetsk), from a safe distance, the SMM observed six sappers from non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region marking areas in a field about 50m from a road with red-and-white tape.

The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS, 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 the table below).

The SMM also continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance works at the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne (government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk), water intake station boreholes in Bolotene (government-controlled, 22km north-east of Luhansk) and the railway station in Popasna, as well as of a fibre optic cable near Stanytsia Luhanska and water pipelines near Novotoshkivske (government-controlled, 53km west of Luhansk).

The SMM visited a border area outside of government control. While at the pedestrian border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) for about half an hour, the SMM saw 22 cars (four with Ukrainian and 12 with Russian Federation licence plates, and six with “DPR” plates) and a covered cargo truck (with “DPR” plates) exiting Ukraine and ten cars (four with Ukrainian and five with Russian Federation licence plates, and one with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

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

*Restrictions of the 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 19 July 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:

• On 24 July, when the SMM arrived in Yasne (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk) to follow up on reports of damage caused by shelling in the village, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area, citing security reasons. Shortly thereafter, two cars (Lada) arrived and four men in military-style clothing (one armed) exited the cars. They told the SMM that it was not allowed to visit the location where the damage had occurred due to the proximity of “military positions”. The SMM was then escorted out of the village by one of the cars.
• At a checkpoint north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), two members of the armed formations (both armed) again stopped the SMM and denied it passage westward to Pikuzy and southward to Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol), saying that it was “for the security of the SMM”. The SMM was unable to follow up on reports of damage caused by shelling in residential areas of Pikuzy due to the restriction.

Regular restrictions 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 by telephone 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 telephone 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. A member of the armed formations 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. 

Conditional access:

• On two occasions, at a checkpoint on road H15 east of Kreminets (non-government-controlled, 16km south-west of Donetsk), the armed formations allowed the SMM to proceed only after checking its trailer. Other impediments: 
• At the forward position of the armed formations near the wooden ramps of the broken section of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, a member of the armed formations did not allow the SMM to photograph vegetation on the sides of the road between the forward position and the bridge.
• Medical staff at a hospital in Luhansk city (non-government-controlled) refused to provide the SMM information regarding civilian casualties by telephone, citing the need for permission from the armed formations.

[1] Please see 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 presence of mines, including those on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remained limited; therefore, the review of the camera footage may take place days later.

[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.