Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 28 August 2018

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. Small-arms fire was directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near Khrystove and another SMM mini-UAV experienced jamming near Muratove. The Mission saw fresh damage from shelling to a civilian property in Kriakivka. The SMM heard ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area, including 200-500m from the SMM. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere, including in Novolaspa, as well as again in Zaichenko, Bezimenne, and near Novoazovsk and Izvaryne, both near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM 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 Luhansk region and repairs to residential houses in Avdiivka. The Mission also facilitated dialogue for repair work assessments at the gas distribution station in Krasnohorivka, South Donbas water pipeline between Avdiivka and Yasynuvata and the Bakhmut Agrarian Union pig farm in Novoluhanske.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including, however, fewer explosions (about 110 explosions), compared with the previous reporting period (about 120 explosions).

On the evening and night of 27 August, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded about 35 undetermined explosions, about 150 projectiles in flight, three illumination flares and a muzzle flash, all 0.5-4km at directions ranging from south-east to south-west.

On the evening of 27 August and early morning of 28 August, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 62 explosions (ten assessed as outgoing and the remainder undetermined) and about 120 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-6km south-east and south.

On the evening and night of 27-28 August, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded 26 projectiles in flight and three illumination flares, all 1-4km east-north-east, east an east-south-east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 40 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (no explosions).

Positioned in north-western Khrystove (non-government-controlled, 18km north of Luhansk) while conducting a mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight, the SMM heard 15 shots of small-arms fire, which it assessed as aimed at the UAV, from a southerly direction.* The SMM mini-UAV was flying 2.2km south of the patrol at an altitude of about 77m when the SMM heard the small-arms fire and then recalled the UAV safely. At a nearby checkpoint of the armed formations, an armed man apologized for the incident.

The SMM observed fresh damage to a civilian property in Kriakivka (government-controlled, 38km north-west of Luhansk). At 25 Haharina Street, the SMM saw a fresh large hole on the western side of a roof of a single-storey house and a number of asbestos roof-tile pieces on the ground. The SMM saw large holes on the south-facing wall of a nearby chicken coop and the southern side of the roof of a nearby wooden barn. About 250m north of the house, the SMM observed trees with branches that had been freshly severed, assessed as by shrapnel. The SMM assessed that all of the damage was caused by undetermined weapon(s) fired from a southerly direction. A resident of the house (male, 52 years old) told the SMM that he had been working outside his house around 18:45 on 26 August when he had heard shelling with rounds flying over his head and impacting north of his house. He said that he had run to the cellar and then had heard a projectile hit his house.

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.*

Positioned on the southern edge of the Zolote disengagement area near a checkpoint of the armed formations and preparing to launch for a second time an SMM mini-UAV, the SMM heard a shot of small-arms fire, approximately 0.2-1km north followed by three shots and two bursts of small-arms fire 200-500m north, all assessed as fired from within the disengagement area. The SMM collected the mini-UAV and left the area.

Positioned on the western edge of Pervomaisk (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard four undetermined explosions 4-6km north-north-east of its position, assessed as inside the Zolote disengagement area.

Positioned in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and near the Petrivske disengagement area, the SMM noted calm situations.

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, on 27 August, an SMM long-range UAV spotted eight self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Novoolenivka (48km north-west of Donetsk) and four surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10) near Tarasivka (43km north-west of Donetsk) in a residential area about 100m from an abandoned school building (see SMM Daily report 14 June 2018). On the same day, an SMM mini-UAV spotted five towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) south-east of Novomaiorske (64km south-west of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in a non-government-controlled area, the SMM saw four tanks (T-64) near a training area in Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft gun[3] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 27 August, an SMM long-range UAV spotted four armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2) south-east of Bila Hora (54km north of Donetsk), an infantry fighting vehicle (BMP-2) near Toretsk (formerly Dzerzhynsk, 43km north of Donetsk), two armoured personnel carriers (APC) (MT-LB) and a military truck with a probable anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) in the rear of the truck near Vershyna (63km north-east of Donetsk) and three APCs (BTR variants) north of Shumy (41km north of Donetsk).

The SMM observed the recent expansion of trenches at forward positions. On 28 August, an SMM mini-UAV spotted a new 110m trench extension running east to west about 3km north of Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, non-government-controlled, 44km west of Luhansk) and about 5km south of Krymske (government-controlled, 42km north-west of Luhansk), (not visible on imagery from 16 August 2018), as well as another new 50m trench about 400m west of the previous trench (not visible in imagery from 6 August 2018). Both new trenches are south of road T1303 in a non-government-controlled area. On the northern side of road T1303, the SMM spotted a new 170m extension of an existing trench assessed as belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces (not visible on imagery from 16 August 2018). The positions of the sides in this area are within 500m of each other.

The SMM observed the presence of mines. On 26 August, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted for the first time 38 probable anti-tank mines (TM-62) surface laid on the northern, eastern, and southern sides of a fuel station near forward positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces south of Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), which are an extension of 170 previously observed anti-tank mines (see SMM Daily Report 10 April 2018). The same mid-range UAV spotted 15 anti-tank mines (TM-62) just north of a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint on road H-15.

The SMM observed demining-related activities. Positioned in Kamianka (government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk), the SMM observed Ukrainian State Emergency Services personnel demine about 100m of road H20 up to the DFS. Near Lomakyne (government-controlled, 15km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM saw three men wearing clothes with the logo of an international demining organization surveying the side of the road. One of the men told the SMM that they would conduct mine clearance of the nearby field starting on 1 September.

The SMM followed up on the situation at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk), which had been closed since 23 August. Over the course of one hour, the SMM observed that the entry-exit checkpoint was open and saw about 40 vehicles and approximately 350 pedestrians traveling in both directions. (See SMM Daily Report 28 August 2018.)

The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS, 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 facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), a water channel junction in Stanytsia Luhanska and a water pipeline near Zolote. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to residential houses in Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) and facilitated dialogue in support of assessments on repair works at the Bakhmut Agrarian Union’s pig farm near Novoluhanske (government-controlled, 53km north-east of Donetsk), a gas distribution station near Krasnohorivka (government-controlled, 21km west of Donetsk) and the South Donbas water pipeline between Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north-west of Donetsk) and Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Donetsk).

The SMM visited two border areas not under government control.* While at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk) for about 50 minutes, the SMM saw five cars exiting Ukraine (all with Russian Federation licence plates) and three cars entering Ukraine (all with Russian Federation licence plates).

While at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk) for almost 20 minutes, two members of the armed formations separately told the SMM to leave the area.*

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, 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 (for example, 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:

• At a checkpoint 800m north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), two armed members of the armed formations again stopped the SMM and denied it passage westward to Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol) and southward to Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol), citing “the SMM’s security”.
• At a checkpoint near Novoazovsk (non-government-controlled, 40km east of Donetsk) two armed members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage, citing “an ongoing operation in the area”.
• At a checkpoint about 3km west of Bezimenne (non-government-controlled, 30km east of Mariupol) on road E58, five armed members of the armed formations again prevented the SMM from continuing west, citing an “ongoing operation”.
• In Novolaspa (non-government-controlled, 50km south of Donetsk), the SMM was prevented by an armed member of the armed formations to patrol in the area.
• At a border crossing point near Izvaryne two members of the armed formations separately told the SMM to leave the area, citing “instructions” that the SMM is required to seek permission prior to monitoring in the area.
• On 27 August, at a security post along the ABL near Syvash (163km southeast of Kherson), a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer told the SMM that it could not access the area, citing orders from his commander.

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.[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.

Other impediments:

• While conducting a miniUAV flight near Khrystove, the SMM heard 15 shots of small-arms fire, assessed as fired in the direction of the UAV. The SMM safely recalled the UAV and left the area.
• While conducting a midrange UAV flight near Muratove (government-controlled, 50km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM temporarily lost control of the UAV due to signal interference. While conducting an SMM mini-UAV flight in the same area shortly after, the SMM lost contact with and control of the UAV due to signal interference, assessed as due to jamming. The SMM launched another mini-UAV in order to locate the lost asset.[5]
• A representative of a company in Alchevsk (non-government-controlled, 40km west of Luhansk) told the SMM that they would only meet with the SMM following written permission from the armed formations in Luhansk as well as attendance by the armed formations at the meeting.

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.

[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.

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