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

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 17 and 18 August, compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 18 and 19 August, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more ceasefire violations in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM followed up on reports of recent damage caused by shelling and gunfire in a residential area of Yasynuvata. The Mission observed a ceasefire violation and recently dug trenches inside the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Kostiantynivka and Krasnohorivka, as well as in Mariupol. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs of residential houses in Avdiivka and firefighting activity south of the Zolote disengagement area. In Odessa, the SMM observed an “Odessa Pride March”.                  

In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 17 and 18 August, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including, however, a similar number of explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (115 explosions). Between the evenings of 18 and 19 August, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 80 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours.

On the evening and night of 17-18 August, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded eight undetermined explosions, 80 projectiles in flight, a muzzle flash and two illumination flares in flight, all 0.5-5km at directions ranging from south-east to south-west. The camera also recorded three projectiles from east to west 100-300m south. On the evening and night of 18-19 August, the camera recorded about 25 projectiles in flight, four undetermined explosions, two airbursts and two illumination flares, all 0.5-4km at directions ranging from south-south-east to south-south-west. The camera also recorded an undetermined explosion 200-500m south-south-west and a projectile from west-north-west to east-south-east 300-500m south.

On the evening and night of 17-18 August, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded about 215 projectiles in flight, seven undetermined explosions, four muzzle flashes, ten illumination flares in flight and about 25 bursts, all 0.2-4km at directions ranging from north-east to south-east. On the evening and night of 18-19 August, the camera recorded 145 projectiles in flight, 11 undetermined explosions, five muzzle flashes, four illumination flares and three bursts, all 1-4km at directions ranging from north-east to east-south-east.

On the evening and night of 17-18 August, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) recorded about 135 projectiles in flight, an undetermined explosion and three muzzle flashes, all 1-4km south-east, south-south-east and south. On the evening and night of 18-19 August, the same camera recorded about 80 projectiles in flight, an undetermined explosion and a muzzle flash, all 1-4km south-east, south-south-east and south. The same evening and night, the SMM camera about 1km south-west of Pyshchevyk recorded 100 projectiles in flight, eight undetermined explosions and four muzzle flashes, all 2-4km east-north-east, east and east-south-east.

On the evening and night of 17-18 August, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 60 undetermined explosions and about 85 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-4km south-east and south. On the evening and night of 18-19 August, while at the same location, the SMM heard about 40 undetermined explosions and about 70 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-6km south-east, south and south-west.

On the evening and night of 18-19 August, the SMM camera in Krasnohorivka (government-controlled, 21km west of Donetsk) recorded about 130 projectiles in flight, two undetermined explosions and about 20 bursts, all 1-4km at directions ranging from east to south.

In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 17 and 18 August, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including ten explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (no ceasefire violations). Between the evenings of 18 and 19 August, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations (two explosions), compared with the previous 24 hours.

During the day on 18 August, positioned on the southern edge of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions 3-8km north-north-east and east-north-east. Shortly thereafter, positioned on the south-eastern edge of Popasna, the SMM heard two explosions assessed as mortar rounds 2-5km south-south-east.

On 18 August, the SMM followed up on reports of recent damage caused by shelling and gunfire in a residential area of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk). Seven metres from a house at 14/2 Hoholia Street, the SMM saw a pile of scorched wood and noted a fresh burning smell. A female resident of the house told the SMM that at around 21:00 on 17 August, she and her husband, while at home, had heard explosions and gunfire and then seen their wooden shed burning. Their neighbours living in the adjacent house at 16 Hoholia Street told the SMM that at around 21:00 on 17 August, they had seen tracer rounds and the aforementioned shed on fire. The SMM was unable to assess the type of weapon used or the direction of fire.

The SMM continued to monitor 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 August, inside the Zolote disengagement area, an SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted a recently dug 30m-long trench, about 200m south of the northern edge of the disengagement area and 500m west of its eastern edge (not visible in imagery from late July 2018), as well as an approximately 10m-long recent extension (not visible in imagery from 2 August 2018) of a previously observed trench, about 150m south of the northern edge of the Zolote disengagement area and about 1km west of its eastern edge (see SMM Daily Report 9 June 2018). Also inside the disengagement area, the UAV spotted a recently dug 10m-long trench and a firing position among vegetation (not visible in imagery from 2 August 2018) near a previously observed 20m-long trench (assessed as a firing position) on the southern side of the railway line, 1.3km south of the northern edge of the disengagement area and 1.2km east of its western edge (see SMM Daily Report 14 July 2018). The SMM assessed all abovementioned positions as belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The same UAV spotted wooden logs deposited on the ground in which fresh footpaths leading north and south were observed, about 800m north of the Zolote disengagement area’s southern edge and 1.7km east of its western edge (not visible in imagery from 2 August 2018). The SMM was unable to assess whether these belong to the Ukrainian Armed Forces or the armed formations.

During the day on 18 August, positioned on the northern edge of the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM heard four bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 3-4km south-east (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area) and saw columns of black smoke 4-5km south-east. Positioned on the western edge of Pervomaisk (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard four bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 3km north (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area). The following day, positioned on its southern edge, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 1-1.5km north-west, assessed as inside the disengagement area. Positioned on the north-eastern edge of Katerynivka (government-controlled, 64km west of Luhansk), the SMM saw two persons in military-style clothing armed with automatic rifles, as well as a military truck with military licence plates and five persons in military-style clothing on board entering the disengagement area.

On the evening of 18 August, the SMM camera near the Prince Ihor Monument south-east of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk) recorded an undetermined explosion 3-5km west-south-west, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

During the day on 19 August, inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM noted that a previously observed tailfin of a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG-7) in a field, about 2.5m east of a road approximately 100m south of a Ukrainian Armed Forces forward position north of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge was no longer present (see SMM Daily Report 20 July 2018).

During the day on 18 August, positioned near the Stanytsia Luhanska and Petrivske disengagement areas, the SMM observed calm situations. The following day, 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 government-controlled areas, on 17 August, an SMM mini-UAV spotted two self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) at the railway station in Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk). The same day, an SMM mini-UAV spotted a probable mortar (2B11 Sani, 120mm) near Krasnohorivka. On 18 August, the SMM saw four towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) loaded on flatbed trains travelling east about 1km west of the central railway station in Mariupol (102km south of Donetsk), six stationary self-propelled howitzers (2S1) – three of which were loaded on flatbed trains – at the railway station in Kostiantynivka and nine self-propelled howitzers (2S1) being transported on trailers travelling south-east in Kostiantynivka. On 19 August, the SMM saw six stationary self-propelled howitzers (2S1) at the railway station in Kostiantynivka.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, on 17 August, an SMM long-range UAV spotted five tanks (T-72) in a training area near Dmytrivka (43km north of Luhansk). On 19 August, the SMM saw a surface-to-air-missile system (9K33 Osa) travelling east of Svobodne (55km south of Donetsk) and six stationary tanks (T-64) at the railway station in Kostiantynivka.

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, the SMM observed six multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) and six self-propelled howitzers (2S1), and noted that five mortars (four PM-38, 120mm and one 2B11 Sani, 120mm) were again missing.

The SMM revisited permanent storage sites whose locations were beyond withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region and noted that 18 tanks (ten T-72 and eight T-64), 15 anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) and nine mortars (2B14 Podnos, 82mm) were again missing. At such sites in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region, the SMM noted that four tanks (three T-64 and one T-72) were again missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACVs), anti-aircraft guns[3] and other indications of military-type presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 17 August, an SMM mini-UAV spotted four infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP variants) on the premises of a house on the western edge of Marinka, and an SMM mid-range UAV spotted a firing position (not visible in imagery before 26 July 2018) about 100m from the nearest house in Zolote-4/Rodina (59km west of Luhansk). The same day, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-variant) near Stanytsia Luhanska and an APC (BTR-variant) north-west of Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), and an SMM mid-range UAV spotted a probable IFV (BMP-variant), as well as damaged and destroyed residential houses, some of which were assessed as occupied by military personnel – with military trucks parked alongside the houses – in the Zhovanka neighbourhood of Zaitseve (50km north-east of Donetsk). On 18 August, the SMM saw two IFVs (BMP-1) and an armoured recovery vehicle (BREM-Ch) near Popasna and two anti-aircraft guns (ZU-23), one of which was mounted atop an APC (MT-LB), near Stanytsia Luhanska.

In non-government-controlled areas, on 17 August, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted a 10m-long trench (not visible in imagery before 26 July 2018) – 1.2km east-north-east of the north-eastern edge of the Zolote disengagement area – about 100m from the nearest house in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (58km west of Luhansk), and an SMM long-range UAV spotted two IFVs (BMP-2) near Vesela Hora (16km north of Luhansk). The same day, an SMM long-range UAV spotted at least 16 houses engulfed in fire in an eastern part of Zholobok (47km west of Luhansk) and a house engulfed in fire in a southern part of Dolomitne (53km north-east of Donetsk).

The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS, including through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire. On 18 and 19 August, positioned in areas near the station, the SMM recorded ceasefire violations, despite explicit security guarantees (see the table below).

The SMM also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to residential houses in Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) on 17 and 18 August and firefighting activity near the southern edge of the Zolote disengagement area on 19 August.

On 19 August the SMM monitored a pre-announced “Odessa Pride March” organized by the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT) community in Odessa. The SMM saw about 80-90 people (mostly women, aged 18-50) marching from Vorontsovskyi Lane to the city hall at 1 Dumska Square. Some participants held signs with messages such as “Life is diverse” and “Family is where love is”. Along the marching route, the SMM saw another gathering of 10-15 people (mixed gender, aged 30-60) at the Duke statue, with some participants holding Ukrainian flags and signs that read: “All together for the family”. The smaller gathering directed comments and chants on a loudspeaker at the marchers. At city hall, the SMM also saw 10-15 Right Sector members (mostly men, aged 18-23) chanting against the march participants. About 250-300 law enforcement officers were present along the marching route, and the SMM observed no incidents.

On 17 August, the SMM followed up on reports of the Mekhanik Pogodin tanker moored in a port in the south-western outskirts of Kherson city. At the entrance gate of an oil terminal on Marii Fortus Street, a man, who introduced himself as a member of the Security Service of Ukraine, told the SMM that it needed to obtain prior permission from the port authorities to access the facility. The SMM will follow up on this matter.

The SMM continued monitoring in 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, 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 Coordination (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 15 August 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:

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• On 18 and 19 August, 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 both times.[4]
• On 18 and 19 August, 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 both times.5
• On 19 August, 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.

 

[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 presence of mines, including those on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remains limited; thus, 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.