Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 21 August 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on a civilian casualty as a result of unexploded ordnance in Khartsyzk. The Mission observed fresh mortar round impacts in the Zolote disengagement area and an explosion near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as in Verkhnoshyrokivske and Sosnivske.* 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. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to water infrastructure in Pervomaisk and Stanytsia Luhanska; however, repairs to residential houses in Avdiivka and water infrastructure in Novotoshkivske were cancelled due to ceasefire violations in the area. In Kyiv and Lviv, the SMM monitored public gatherings in support of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including about 200 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (60 explosions).

On the evening and night of 20-21 August, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 95 undetermined explosions and about 540 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-6km south-east and south-south-east.

The SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded 60 projectiles in flight and three illumination flares, all 2-4km at directions ranging from east-north-east to south-east.

During the day on 21 August, positioned on the south-western edge of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard 30 undetermined explosions 3-6km south-east and south.

Positioned on the south-eastern edge of Avdiivka, the SMM heard 15 explosions (one assessed as outgoing, one assessed as an impact and 13 undetermined), about 105 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, as well as heard and saw four airbursts, all 0.5-4km east, east-south-east and south-east.

Positioned about 1km north-west of the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 49 undetermined explosions, about ten shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and a total of three minutes of uncountable shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-4km at directions ranging from south-east to west.

On the evening of 20 August, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) recorded three undetermined explosions, 70 projectiles in flight, 20 muzzle flashes and two illumination flares, all 2-4km at directions ranging from south-east to south-south-west.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including 33 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (25 explosions).

Positioned near Muratove (government-controlled, 51km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 14 undetermined explosions and about ten bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 1.5-2km south-south-west. 

The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Khartsyzk (non-government-controlled, 26km east of Donetsk). On 9 August, medical staff at the Children’s Hospital in Donetsk told the SMM that a boy (13 years old) had been admitted on 7 August with serious shrapnel injuries to his hands, right eye, right thigh and abdomen caused when an explosive device he had found had gone off in his hands earlier that day.  Medical staff added that the boy was in critical condition and had lost fingers from his right hand, while his left hand had been amputated. On 20 August, medical staff at the same hospital told the SMM that the boy remained in critical condition. The next day, the mother of the boy told the SMM that her son had been injured in an explosion at home on 7 August when he attempted to disassemble a 12cm metal object he had found, that she said had been similar in shape to a bullet.

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.*

During the day on 21 August, inside the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM saw two fresh craters assessed as impacts of 82mm mortar rounds, less than 1m west of road T-1316, in the middle of the disengagement area between the checkpoints at the northern and southern edges of the area. The SMM also saw damaged trees and bushes on the east side of the road. All above damage was located about 400m north-west of three craters spotted by the SMM on 19 August (see SMM Daily Report 21 August 2018).  

In the early morning of 21 August, while in Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 5-7km south-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

Positioned near the Petrivske 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 20 August, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted three towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) transported by prime-movers through woodland about 3km east of Memryk (33km north-west of Donetsk). The next day, the SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) about 1km south of Pylypchatyne (76km north-east of Donetsk).

In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, on 19 August, aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) (type undetermined) in a training area near Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, on 20 August, the SMM saw a self-propelled howitzer (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Novoolenivka (48km north-west of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas, on 19 August, aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of 21 tanks (probable T-72), four surface-to-air missile systems (probable 9K35 Strela-10) and 75 armoured combat vehicles (ACV) (probable infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) BMP variants) [3]  in a training area near Buhaivka; five tanks (probable T-72) in a training area near Shymshynivka, 33 tanks (probable T-64 and T-72) and 26 ACVs (probable IFV (BMP variants))[4] in a training area near Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk) and 30 tanks (probable T-64 and T72) in a training area near Manuilivka (65km east of Donetsk).

On 21 August, the SMM saw three tanks (type undetermined) in a training area about 1km north of Svobodne (non-government-controlled, 73km south of Donetsk) in a zone within which deployment of heavy armaments and military equipment is proscribed according to Point 5 of the Memorandum of 19 September 2014.

On 19 August, aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of 22 towed howitzers (or mortars) in a training area near Buhaivka, as well as seven self-propelled howitzers (or mortars) and a towed howitzer (or mortar) in a training area near Shymshynivka (non-government-controlled, 27km 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 government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM noted that 23 MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm), a self-propelled howitzer (2S1) and two surface-to-air missile systems (9K35) remained missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[5] and other indications of military-type presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 20 August, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted three IFVs (BMP-1) about 1km north-west of Katerynivka (64km west of Luhansk), and again spotted a well-maintained 30m trench in the yard of residential houses in Katerynivka, as well as two additional networks of trenches south-west and north-west of Katerynivka, respectively. On the same day, an SMM long-range UAV spotted two IFVs (BMP-2) near Bohdanivka (41km south of Donetsk). On 21 August, the SMM saw an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) in Pavlopil (26km north-east of Mariupol) and an APC (BTR-70) near Hirske (63km west of Luhansk).

In non-government-controlled areas, on 20 August, an SMM mid-range UAV again spotted a well-maintained network of trenches about 1km north-east of Molodizhne (63km north-west of Luhansk) and about 700m west of the Zolote disengagement area.

At the site of the SMM camera 1km south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol), on 20 August, the SMM observed three new electrical cables that had been connected to the camera’s fuse box, in addition to another cable previously seen (see SMM Daily Report 3 July 2018). The SMM addressed the issue to a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC).

The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire. 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 repair works to a segment of the water pipeline near Pervomaisk (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk) and to a water channel junction in Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire violations to enable repairs to residential houses in Avdiivka as well as to a water pipeline near Novotoshkivske (government-controlled, 53km west of Luhansk), however, both activities were cancelled after a short period of time due to security concerns over ceasefire violations in the area.

In Kyiv and Lviv, the SMM monitored public gatherings in support of Oleh Sentsov on the 100th day of the Ukrainian filmmaker’s hunger strike in the Russian Federation (see SMM Daily Report 10 July 2018). In Kyiv, the SMM saw about 75 people (20-40 years old, men and women) in front of the Embassy of the Russian Federation at 27 Povitroflotskyi Avenue, some holding signs with messages in support of Oleh Sentsov’s release from detention such as “Sentsov is 100 days on hunger strike – Freedom to captives of the Kremlin” and “Save Sentsov” in Ukrainian, English and French. The SMM saw about ten National Guard officers and ten police officers around the embassy. In Lviv, the SMM monitored a gathering of about 25-30 people (30-40 years old, men and women) in front of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation at 95 Levyts'koho Street, some holding signs with messages in support of Oleh Sentsov such as “Free Sentsov” in Ukrainian, Russian and English. The SMM saw about 15 police officers around the Consulate. Both gatherings ended peacefully without incident.   

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

*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 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:

• At a checkpoint in Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, nongovernment controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), four members of the armed formations again prevented the SMM from proceeding to Novoazovsk (nongovernment-controlled, 102km south-east of Donetsk) and Bezimenne (non-government-controlled, 30km east of Mariupol), citing “an ongoing operation in the area”.
• At a checkpoint at the entrance to Sosnivske (nongovernment-controlled, 35km north-east of Mariupol), three members of the armed formations prevented the SMM from entering the village. One of the members, identifying himself as the “commander”, told the SMM that only residents and others with authorization are allowed to enter.

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 that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.[6]
• 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:

• While at a checkpoint near Horlivka (nongovernment-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), a member of the armed formations demanded to search the SMM’s vehicles, quickly opening multiple doors of both vehicles and inspecting before allowing the SMM 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]  This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

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

[6] 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.