Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 16 September 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region between the evenings of 14 and 15 September, compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 15 and 16 September, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM observed a fresh crater caused by shelling near Dovhe. It recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote and Petrivske disengagement areas. The Mission’s access remained restricted in the disengagement areas as well as again near Verkhnoshyrokivske, Yuzhna-Lomuvatka and Zaichenko, and in Novoazovsk and Dovzhanske, near the border with the Russian Federation in non-government-controlled areas.* The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station as well as to water infrastructure in Artema and between Avdiivka and Yasynuvata.

In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 14 and 15 September, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] including 89 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 50 explosions). Between the evenings of 15 and 16 September, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, however, fewer explosions (75), compared with the previous 24 hours.

On the evening and night of 14-15 September, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 29 undetermined explosions and about 25 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-6km south-east. On the evening of 15-16 September, at the same location, the SMM heard about 40 undetermined explosions and about 40 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 2-5km south-east and south.

On the evening and night of 15-16 September, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration System (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded six undetermined explosions, about 30 projectiles in flight (most from west to east) and an illumination flare, all 1-3km in southerly directions.

During the day on 15 September, positioned on the south-eastern edge of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) for about 6.5 hours, the SMM heard 14 undetermined explosions and about 45 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-4km in southerly directions.   

On the evening and night of 14-15 September, the SMM camera 1km south-west of Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) recorded four undetermined explosions, about 300 projectiles in flight (mostly from north to south) and an illumination flare, all 1-5km in easterly directions. On the evening and night of 15-16 September, the same camera recorded nine undetermined explosions, about 245 projectiles in flight (most from north to south), eight muzzle flashes and three bursts of undetermined weapons, all 1-4km east-north-east and east.

During the day on 15 September, positioned near Pavlopil (government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol) for about three hours, the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions and three bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all at unknown distances south and south-east, as well as two undetermined explosions and eight minutes of uncountable shots of small-arms fire followed by about 20 shots and bursts of small-arms fire, all 1-2km north-east.

On the same day, positioned 1km south-west of Lebedynske (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Mariupol) for about 45 minutes, the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions and about 50 shots and bursts of small-arms fire, all 1-2km east-north-east. Later that day, positioned in Lebedynske for about ten minutes, the SMM heard five explosions assessed as outgoing rounds and their subsequent impacts and about five shots and bursts of small-arms fire, all 2-3km north-east and east-north-east.

On the evening and night of 15-16 September, the SMM camera 1km south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded about 170 projectiles in flight (most from west to east), 26 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and two illumination flares, all 2-4km in northerly directions.

In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 14 and 15 September, the SMM recorded no ceasefire violations, compared with 85 in the previous reporting period (34 explosions). Between the evenings of 15 and 16 September, the SMM recorded about 320 ceasefire violations, including about 215 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours.

During the day on 16 September, positioned on the eastern edge of Toshkivka (government-controlled, 60km north-west of Luhansk) for about 30 minutes, the SMM heard 215 undetermined explosions and 100 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 8-10km east-south-east.

The SMM observed a fresh crater caused by shelling on the south-eastern edge of Dovhe (non-government-controlled, 22km north-west of Luhansk). On 15 September, led by members of the armed formations, the SMM saw a fresh crater with a protruding 82mm mortar tailfin, assessed as caused by a mortar round fired from a north-north-westerly direction. The crater was in a field in the south-eastern edge of the village, about 300m north-east of an armed formations position and about 350m from the nearest residential house. Four residents of Dovhe told the SMM that they had heard fire from unknown weapons near their houses on 14 September.

The SMM continued to monitor and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske[2]  (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), 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 15 September, positioned about 2km north of Petrivske for about 75 minutes, the SMM heard 15 bursts and shots of small-arms fire 1-2km south-east, all assessed as outside the disengagement area. Positioned near the Petrivske disengagement area on 16 September, the SMM observed a calm situation.

During the day on 16 September, positioned about 3km north of Pervomaisk (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk) for about 40 minutes, the SMM heard four undetermined explosions 3-5km north-east, assessed as outside the Zolote disengagement area.

Positioned near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area on 15 and 16 September, 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.

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. At two such sites in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, on 14 September, the SMM observed 13 towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) and noted that 15 mortars (PM-38, 120mm) remained missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[3], a helicopter and other signs of military presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 14 September, an SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted three armoured combat vehicles (ACVs) (type undetermined) near Novozvanivka (70km west of Luhansk) and an SMM mini-UAV spotted three ACVs in a military compound east of Zaitseve (62km north-east of Donetsk). The next day, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-variant) in Vodiane (94km south of Donetsk).  

On 15 September, the SMM saw a military helicopter (type undetermined) flying east to west at a height of about 200m near government-controlled Pylypchatyne (76km north-east of Donetsk). On 16 September, the SMM saw for the first time a freshly dug trench 40m in length near Hranitne (government-controlled, 60km south of Donetsk).

On 15 September, an SMM-mid range UAV spotted at least 40 craters, including six craters assessed as impacts of probable 120mm mortar rounds near positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces east of Vodiane.   

The SMM visited two border areas not under government control. On 15 September, while at a border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) for about 30 minutes, the SMM saw 49 cars (14 with Ukrainian, 20 with Russian Federation, one with Belorussian and one with Lithuanian licence plates and 13 with “DPR” plates) waiting to exit Ukraine, as well as five cars (two with Ukrainian licence plates and three with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

On 16 September, while at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk) for about 15 minutes, the SMM saw three cars with Ukrainian licence plates, three covered cargo trucks (two with Ukrainian licence plates and one with “LPR” plates) three buses (with Ukrainian licence plates) and four pedestrians waiting to exit Ukraine. After 15 minutes, an armed member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave.*

The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS, including through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire.

It also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair and maintenance works on 15 and 16 September in Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk) and to the South Donbas water pipeline between Avdiivka and Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk).

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

*Restrictions of 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:

• On 15 and 16 September, at a checkpoint west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage. On both days, the SMM saw other civilians crossing.
• On 15 and 16 September, at a checkpoint near Novoazovsk (non-government-controlled, 40km east of Mariupol), members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage, citing a “special forces operation” ongoing in the area. On both days, the SMM saw other civilians crossing.
• On 15 September, at a checkpoint of the armed formations in Yuzhna-Lomuvatka (non-government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk), members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage through a road barrier, citing an order that the road had been closed for all vehicle traffic due to ongoing demining and engineering works.
• On 16 September, an armed member of the armed formations at a checkpoint near Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol) prevented the SMM from accessing Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol) or Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol), citing security concerns.
• On 16 September, while present at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske, a member of the armed formations demanded that the SMM leave the area.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• On 15 and 16 September, 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 on both occasions.[4]
• On 15 and 16 September, 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 on both occasions.
• On 15 and 16 September, 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:

• At a checkpoint in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), on 16 September, while the SMM attempted to pass towards Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk), two members of the armed formations wearing military-style attire allowed the SMM to proceed only after inspecting the SMM patrol vehicle trunks.

Other Impediments:

• On evening and night of 15-16 September, an SMM long-range UAV was temporarily jammed while flying over Kostiantynivka (government-controlled, 60km north of Donetsk), Krasnohorivka (government-controlled, 21km west of Donetsk), Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), Petrivske, Katerynivka (government-controlled, 64km west of Luhansk), Zoria (government-controlled, 40km north-west of Donetsk) and Netailove (government-controlled, 22km north-west of Donetsk)[5].

 

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

[2] Due to the presence of mines, including on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remains limited, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.

[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 within the radius of several kilometres of the UAV’s position.