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

This report is for the media and the general public.

Following a recommitment to the ceasefire as of 00:01 on 29 August, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period, however 85 per cent of violations in Donetsk region were attributed to training in non-government-controlled areas. The Mission followed up on reports of a civilian fatality near Dokuchaievsk. It heard ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. TheSMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas, as well as again in Zaichenko and near Novoazovsk, near the border with the Russian Federation.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Horlivka, Starolaspa and Dokuchaievsk. The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enabledemining and repairs to water infrastructure in Luhansk region, at a gas distribution station in Krasnohorivka and the South Donbas water pipeline between Avdiivka and Yasynuvata. The SMM continued to see a fire near Berezove and noted that the entry-exit checkpoint near Novotroitske remained closed; it facilitated adherence to the ceasefire to enable firefighting activity near Berezove. In Kyiv the SMM monitored a gathering in front of the Embassy of the Russian Federation. The SMM monitored gatherings in commemoration of the “Ilovaisk battle” in Lviv and Chernivtsi.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including, however, fewer explosions (about 80), compared with the previous reporting period (about 120 explosions). Eighty-five per cent of all violations in Donetsk region were attributed to live-fire training exercises within the security zone in Yenakiieve (non-government-controlled, 41km north-east of Donetsk) (see below).

On the evening and night of 29-30 August, the SMM camera in Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol) recorded 17 explosions (nine assessed as airbursts, five assessed as outgoing and three undetermined) and about 70 projectiles in flight, all 1-4km south-east and south.

On the evening and night of 29-30 August, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 31 undetermined explosions and 16 shots of small-arms fire, all 2-7km in directions ranging from south-east to south.

Positioned 1km north-west of the railway station in Yasynuvata  (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard nine undetermined explosions and five bursts of small-arms fire, all 2-5km east, south-east and south-west.

Positioned in Yenakiieve, over the course of about one and a half hours, the SMM heard six undetermined explosions and about 1,250 shots of small-arms fire, all 1-3km west, assessed as live-fire training inside the security zone, in violation of the decision of the Trilateral Contact Group of 3 March 2016 that prohibits the conduct of live-fire training in the security zone.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded three ceasefire violations (all explosions),compared with the previous reporting period (two explosions). 

The SMM followed up on a report of a civilian fatality. An employee of the company told the SMM that at around 10:00 on 28 August, he had heard small-arms fire followed by an explosion at the premises of the Vitiazcompany at 42 Tsentralna Street in the western outskirts of Dokuchaievsk (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk). A few minutes later he was informed that a colleague who had been working at a nearby quarry had been injured by the explosion. He told the SMM that when he had reached his colleague, he found him dead and said that his body had been severely burned. Medical staff at a morgue in Dokuchaievsk told the SMM that on 28 August, parts of a charred corpse of an employee of the Vitiazcompany had been brought to the morgue. The wife of the deceased told the SMM by telephone that her husband (aged 57) had been killed while at the quarry near Dokuchaievsk in the morning of 28 August.

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 hardwareo f 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted, but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.*

On 29 August, inside the Zolote disengagement area, an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted a 5m extension of a 25m-long trench running from west to east 120m south of the railway bridge (not visible in imagery from 29 August 2018), assessed as belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces (for previous observations in the area, see SMM Daily Report 20 August 2018). The UAV also spotted an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) south of the railway line and about 440m north-east of the bridge.

During the day on 30 August, on the north-eastern edge of the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM saw a minivan driving with five men in military uniforms followed by a car driven by a man in military uniform traveling from inside the disengagement area in the direction of Katerynivka (government-controlled, 64km west of Luhansk). Later, the SMM saw a military truck mounted with a heavy-machine-gun driving from Katerynivka east across the disengagement area and a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer armed with an assault rifle (AK-74) walking from Katerynivka north-east through the disengagement area. 

During the same day, positioned at the Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint north of the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM saw white smoke and a fire in a field about 400m south which was spreading on the western side of road T1316 as well as two Ukrainian Armed Forces officers armed with hand-gun (Makarov-type pistol, 9mm) walking south-west in the direction of a fire inside the disengagement area.

While on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, during the night of 30 August, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 5-7km south-south-west, assessed as outside the disengagement area. 

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 non-government-controlled areas, on 29 August, an SMM long-range UAV spotted two anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) in Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) with barrels raised to the firing position near Starolaspa (51km south of Donetsk) and three towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) in firing positions east of Dokuchaievsk.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in a government-controlled area, the SMM saw nine towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) near Khlibodarivka (65km south-west of Donetsk).

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 saw eight multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-27 Uragan, 220mm) and noted that 11 MLRS (one BM-21 Grad, 122mm and ten BM-27) were missing, including four (BM-27) for the first time. 

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[3]in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 29 August, an SMM long-range UAV spotted eight IFVs (six BMP-2 and two BMP variants) near Zaitseve (62km north-east of Donetsk), two IFVs (BMP-2) near Starohnativka (51km south of Donetsk) and two IFVs (BMP-2) near Hranitne (60km south of Donetsk). On 30 August, the SMM saw an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM variant) near Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) and an IFV (BMP-2) in Nyzhnie (56km north-west of Luhansk).   

In non-government-controlled areas, on 29 August, an SMM long-range UAV spotted two armoured personnel carriers (MT-LB) in Horlivka and an APC (BTR-80) near Lukove (72km south of Donetsk). On 30 August, the SMM saw an IFV (BMP-2) near Horlivka.

The SMM continued to observe the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). On road H20, about 1km south-west of the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS), the SMM observed an unexploded 82mm mortar shell on the road, three projectiles embedded in the tarmac several hundred metres apart and assessed as MLRS (BM-21) missiles, as well as several tailfins of mortar rounds (82mm) and remnants of rocket-propelled-grenade projectiles. The SMM noted that the area was highly contaminated with UXO.

The SMM continued to follow-up on the situation of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. The Ukrainian Armed Forces notified the SMM that it would be closing the entry-exit checkpoint at Stanytsia Luhanska bridge from 2-7 September in order to complete construction works related to the checkpoint. On the non-government-controlled side of the entry-exit checkpoint, the SMM observed a posted notice that read that as of 2 September the Ukrainian Armed Forces would be closing the entry-exit checkpoint.

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 demining and repair works to a water channel junction in Stanytsia Luhanska, a water pipeline near Zolote,a gas distribution station near Krasnohorivka (government-controlled, 21km west of Donetsk) and to the South Donbas water pipeline between Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north-west of Donetsk) and Yasynuvata. 

The SMM continued to facilitate adherence to the ceasefire to enable firefighting activity near Berezove (government-controlled, 31km south-west of Donetsk) (see SMM Daily Report 30 August 2018). Positioned in Vodiane (government-controlled, 42km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM could see smoke in the direction of Berezove. The Mission also noted that the nearby entry-exit checkpoint at Novotroitske (government-controlled 36km south-west of Donetsk) remained closed. 

In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a pre-announced public gathering in front of the Embassy of the Russian Federation (27 Povitroflotskyi Avenue) marking the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances. The Mission saw about 25 people (mixed genders and ages), some of them holding posters with the names of Ukrainian citizens from Crimea who have reportedly gone missing. The SMM saw 18 National Guard officers, two police officers and one police car present and observed a calm situation. 

On 29 August, the SMM monitored public gatherings in Lviv and Chernivtsi commemorating “Ilovaisk battle” that took place in August 2014 (see SMM Daily Report 30 August 2018). In Chernivtsi, at the Central Square, the SMM saw about 70 people (mostly women, mixed ages). The Mission saw eight police officers present. At the square in front of the Taras Shevchenko monument on Svobody Avenue in Lviv, the Mission saw about 250 people (mixed genders and ages) including several holding flags with the emblems of Right Sector and Azov battalions. The SMM saw two police officers present. Throughout both events, the Mission observed calm situations. 

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

*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 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 Mariupol) two armed members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage, citing “an ongoing operation in the area”. As a result of this denial, the SMM was unable to follow up on reports of civilian casualty.

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 a checkpoint of the armed formations on the southern edge of the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM lost contact with the mini-UAV due to signal interference. The SMM later retrieved the UAV about 1km north-east of the southern edge of the disengagement area, where it was laying in the middle of an asphalt road. (For recent UAV-related impediments in this area, see SMM Daily Report 29 August 2018.)

[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.