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

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer ceasefire violations in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM observed damage as a result of gunfire in a residential area of Dokuchaievsk. The SMM saw two new military positions inside the Zolote disengagement area,as well as military and military-type presence inside the Petrivske disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as again near Bezimenne and Zaichenko.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of the respective withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. It also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs and maintenance works to critical water infrastructure in Luhansk region, as well as repairs to houses in Avdiivkaanddemining in Pishchane. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored two public gatherings related to customs clearance, road maintenance and the use of biometric passports. 

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1]including 58 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (30 explosions).

On the evening of 18 September, the SMM camera in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk) recorded 77 projectiles in flight (mostly from south-south-west to north-north-east) 3-6km south-east and south-south-east. 

On the evening of 18 September, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded 15 undetermined explosions, 50 projectiles in flight (mostly from west to east) and six muzzle flashes, all 0.5-2km at directions ranging from east-south-east to south-west.  

During the day on 19 September, positioned about 1.5km south-south-east of Kamianka (government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk) for about four hours, the SMM heard 21 undetermined explosions 2-6km north-north-west and south-south-west.

On the evening and night of 18-19 September, the SMM camera in Berezove (government-controlled, 31km south-west of Donetsk) recorded 82 projectiles in flight (41 from north-west to south-east and 41 from south-east to north-west) 1-3km east-north-east and east. 

On the same evening and night, the SMM camera about 1.5km north-east of Hnutove (government-controlled, 20km north-east of Mariupol) recorded 130 projectiles in flight (mostly from north to south) 2-4km at directions ranging from north-east to south-east.  

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, however more explosions (41), compared with the previous reporting period (11 explosions).

On the evening of 18 September, the SMM camera in Kriakivka (government-controlled, 38km north-west of Luhansk) recorded ten undetermined explosions and two projectiles in flight from west to east, all 2-4km south-south-west. 

During the day on 19 September, while in Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, non-government-controlled, 50km west of Luhansk) the SMM heard 33 undetermined explosions 10-16km north-north-east. 

The SMM observed fresh damage as a result of gunfire in a residential area. At 100 Lenina Street in Dokuchaievsk (non-government-controlled, 30km south of Donetsk), the SMM saw a fresh hole in the outer pane of a double-paned west-south-west facing second floor apartment window in a five-storey building. The SMM also saw a 5.45mm bullet lodged between the two window panes and assessed that it was fired from a westerly direction. The resident of the apartment (woman, 71 years old) told the SMM that on 16 September at about 14:00, she had been in the living room and had heard the sound of glass breaking. Three other residents of the building separately told the SMM that they had heard “a lot of shooting” on 16 September.

The SMM continued to monitor and to pursue full access to the disengagement areasnear 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.*

The SMM saw for the first time two freshly dug south-facing military positions at the southern end of the railway bridge, one on either side of the road, as well as a man in camouflage clothing inside one of the positions which were assessed as belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.  

In non-government-controlled areas near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM saw about 15 civilians wearing orange jackets removing vegetation and cleaning the verges along the road from the Prince Ihor monument to the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. 

On 10 September, inside the Petrivske disengagement area, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted two members of the armed formations inside a position on the north-eastern edge of the disengagement area. On 12 September, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted three members of the armed formations near previously observed trenches on the south-eastern edge of 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 government-controlled areas on 18 September,an SMM long-range UAV spotted a self-propelled howitzer (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) near Vrubivka (72km west of Luhansk) and three self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Vidrodzhennia (66km north-east of Donetsk). On 19 September, the SMM saw nine multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near Vasiukivka (82km north of Donetsk). 

In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, on 18 September, an SMM mini UAV spotted three towed mortars (2B11 Sani, 120mm) near Donetskyi (49km west of Luhansk). 

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, on 18 September, an SMM long-range UAV spotted two self-propelled anti-aircraft systems (2K22 Tunguska) and five tanks (T-64) near Spirne (96km north of Donetsk), five self-propelled howitzers (2S3) near Zolotarivka (85km north-west of Luhansk) and a surface-to air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) near Zamulivka (75km north-west of Luhansk). 

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas, aerial imagery available to the SMM on 18 September revealed the presence of 39 tanks (undetermined variants) at a training area near Kruhlyk (31km 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. At one such site in a government-controlled area of Donetsk region, the SMM noted that 12 anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira,100mm), 30 mortars (2B11), four surface-to-air missile systems (9K35), three towed howitzers (D-44, 85mm), 40 self-propelled howitzers (20 2S1 and 20 2S3) remained missing (11 of the abovementioned 12 anti-tank guns (MT-12) were missing for the first time).

The SMM revisited a heavy weapons permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region whose location corresponded with the withdrawal lines and noted that two MLRS (BM-21) remained missing. The SMM also noted that additional weapons were present for the first time. 

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[3]and other indications of military-type presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 15 September, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted two IFVs (BMP-2) near Vodiane (94km south of Donetsk).[4]

In non-government-controlled areas, on 18 September, an SMM mini-UAV spotted two armoured personnel carriers (APC) (MT-LB) in Kalynove (60km west of Luhansk) and again spotted three APCs (two BTR-80 and an MT-LB) near a non-functional school occupied by the armed formations in Donetskyi, and a mid-range UAV spotted four IFVs (BMP-1) and an APC (BTR variant) in close vicinity to inhabited civilian houses in Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol). 

On 19 September, on the road between Bezimenne (non-government controlled, 30km east of Mariupol) and Roza (non-government-controlled, 36km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM saw fresh tracks assessed as at least six APCs (MT-LB). The same day, on the road between Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol) and Kulykove (non-government-controlled, 30km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM saw fresh tracks assessed as of a tank (T-64). (Both abovementioned sets of tracks are near areas where the SMM has encountered regular freedom of movement restrictions, see below). 

On 15 September, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted for the first time at least 100 fresh craters assessed as impacts of 82mm and 120mm mortar rounds between Vodiane (government-controlled, 94km south of Donetsk) and Azov (formerly Dzerzhynske, non-government-controlled, 96km south of Donetsk). On 18 September, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted 20m of new trenches near Krymske (government-controlled, 42km north-west of Luhansk), which are not visible in imagery from 11 August 2018, as well as about 20 fresh craters assessed as impacts of 82mm and 120mm mortar rounds, all less than two weeks old, near an IFV (BMP-1) (see above) near Vodiane. The same UAV also spotted a 50m extension of trenches near Pikuzy, not visible in imagery from 16 August 2018.

Aerial imagery available to the SMM on 17 September revealed the presence offour military-type trucks inside three compounds in Siedove (non-government-controlled, 106km south of Donetsk), a city to which the SMM has been denied access by the armed formations since April 2017.

The SMM observed the presence of mines and UXO. On 15 September, near Vodiane, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted more than 50 anti-tank mines (TM-62) in a field, part of a larger set of 500 previously observed mines, laid in two latitudinal rows south of road T0519 running south (see SMM Daily Report 1 September 2018). On 19 September, the SMM again observed a tailfin on the ground, assessed as from a 120mm mortar in Tavrycheske (non-government-controlled, 35km north-east of Mariupol).  

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

The SMM also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to residential houses in Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) and to water infrastructure in Stanytsia Luhanska and near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), as well as demining in Pishchane (government-controlled, 22km north of Luhansk), in an area where an anti-tank mine had reportedly exploded on 7 April 2018 (see SMM Daily Report 12 April 2018).

The SMM followed up on two public gatherings in Kyiv. The SMM saw about 350 people (mostly men, 20-50 years old) in front of the Cabinet of Ministers building at 12/2 Mykhayla Hrushevskoho Street after parking their cars (all with non-Ukrainian licence plates – most with licence plates from the Baltic states) along Hrushevskoho Street, impeding the flow of vehicular traffic. The men were carrying flags associated with “EuroAutoPower”, and several were holding signs in Ukrainian in support of more affordable customs clearance procedures. The SMM observed about 30 police and National Guard officers at the entrance of the building as well as a dozen police and National Guard buses and minivans. The event concluded without any incidents. 

The SMM saw about 350 people (mostly women, 60-70 years old) in front of the Supreme Court of Ukraine at 8 Pylypa Orlyka Street, praying, singing religious hymns and carrying banners against biometric passports, alleging that the passports violated their religious beliefs. The SMM observed about ten riot police officers and three National Guard and police buses nearby. The gathering was peaceful. 

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

*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 SMM Daily Report 17 September) TheSMM’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 on road E58 north-west of Bezimenne, two armed members of the armed formations again stopped the SMM and denied it passage.
• At a checkpoint north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), two armed members of the armed formations stopped the SMM and again denied it passage westward to Pikuzy and southward to Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol) citing “shooting in progress”. 

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 by phone 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 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 phone 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 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

• Following up on access to education at six schools in Holubivka (formerly Kirovsk, non-government-controlled, 51km west of Luhansk) and a school in Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, non-government-controlled, 44km west of Luhansk), staff refused to provide information to the SMM without prior written permission from the armed formations. 

 

[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]On 12 September, a mid-range UAV spotted four IFVs (BMP variants) near Bohdanivka (government-controlled, 41km south-west of Donetsk), not Bohdanivka (non-government-controlled, 44km west of Luhansk) (see SMM Daily Report 14 September 2018.)

[5]The SMM informed Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC. Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the JCCC withdrew from the JCCC as of 18 December 2017.