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

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM saw military presence inside the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas; it was also restricted near Betmanove and, again, near Verkhnoshyrokivske.* The SMM observed weapons in violations of agreed 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 water infrastructure in Stanytsia Luhanska, Avdiivka and near Artema.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] including 115 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (15 explosions).

On the evening and night of 20-21 September, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded about 45 explosions, 36 projectiles in flight (mostly from west to east) and two illumination flares in vertical flight, all 0.6-4km south and south-south-west.

On the evening of 20 September, the SMM camera in Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) recorded nine explosions (one assessed as an impact, six undetermined and two assessed as airbursts) and three projectiles in flight, all 2-4km south-east and south-south-east.

On the evening of 20 September, the SMM camera 1.5km north-east of Hnutove (government-controlled, 20km north-east of Mariupol) recorded four undetermined explosions, about 80 projectiles in flight (mostly from north to south) and two illumination flares in vertical flight, all 2-4km east-north-east and east.

During the day on 21 September, positioned 2km south-east of Lebedynske (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard about 30 undetermined explosions and four bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-4km at northerly directions.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including a similar number of explosions (about 30), compared with the previous reporting period.

On the evening of 20 September, the SMM camera in Kriakivka (government-controlled, 35km north-west of Luhansk) recorded 13 undetermined explosions, 2-4km south-west and south-south-west.

During the day on 21 September, positioned 1.5km north-west of Troitske (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 12 explosions (of which some were assessed as outgoing rounds of self-propelled grenade or rocket-propelled grenade launchers and others as impacts of the same weapon systems), all 2-3km north-east. The SMM assessed all of the above-mentioned explosions as live-fire training in the security zone, in violation also of the decision of the Trilateral Contact Group of March 2016 that prohibits the conduct of live-fire training (exercises) in the security zone as described in the Addendum to the Package of Measures.

Positioned on the south-eastern edge of Berezivske (non-government-controlled, 53km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions 2-3km north-north-east.

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.*

On 21 September, the SMM saw a military truck (Kamaz) loaded with wood entering the Zolote disengagement area (travelling west from the government checkpoint north of the disengagement area towards Katerynivka (government-controlled, 64km west of Luhansk)). The same day, the SMM saw three people (two men and a woman) wearing uniforms inside the disengagement area travelling on board of a black car with military licence plates from Katerynivka towards the government checkpoint.

During the day on 21 September, positioned near the Petrivske disengagement area, as well as near and inside the Stanytsia Luhanska 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 a non-government-controlled area, on 21 September, an SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted a tank (a possible T-72) in the yard of a house on the eastern edge of Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol).

In violation of withdrawal lines in a government-controlled area, on 21 September, the SMM saw a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near Topolyne (19km north-west of Mariupol).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in a non-government-controlled area, on 21 September, the SMM saw a tank (a probable T-64) loaded on a flatbed trailer near Mykhailivka (31km west of Luhansk) heading west on road T0504.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in a government-controlled area, on 20 September, an SMM long-range UAV spotted four surface-to-air missile systems (9K33 Osa) (of which two were assessed as probable) near Pobieda (55km north 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 non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM noted that six MLRS (BM-21) and12 mortars (11 PM-38, 120mm and one 2B11 Sani, 120mm) continued to be missing. The SMM noted that six self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) were missing for the first time.

The SMM revisited permanent storage sites in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region, whose locations were beyond the respective withdrawal lines, and noted that 18 tanks (eight T-64 and ten T-72), nine mortars (2B14 Podnos, 82mm) and 15 anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 82mm) continued to be missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACV) and an anti-aircraft gun[3] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 20 September, an SMM long-range UAV spotted six infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (five BMP-1 and one BMP-2) and two armoured personnel carriers (APC) (BTR-70) near Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk) and an APC (MT-LB) near Troitske.

In non-government-controlled areas, on 20 September, an SMM mini-UAV spotted a probable APC (BTR-80) near Pryvitne (11km north of Luhansk) and an ACV (type undetermined) near Vesela Hora (16km north of Luhansk). The same day, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an APC (BTR-70) and an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) at a compound in a residential area of Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk).

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure. 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 repairs to water infrastructure in Avdiivka, Stanytsia Luhanska and near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk).

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 SMM Daily Report 17 September) 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 two occasions, at a checkpoint west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), two members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage, citing risks to the SMM’s security.
• At a checkpoint near Betmanove (formerly Krasnyi Partyzan, 23km north-east of Donetsk), two armed members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage, thus preventing the SMM from accessing a school located about 50m from the checkpoint.

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 informed 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 informed 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 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 informed the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.
• The SMM did not travel across the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk) due to the presence of mines. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC said there were mines on the road south of the bridge. The SMM informed the JCCC. [4]

Other impediments:

• At a school in Petrovenky (non-government-controlled, 40km west of Luhansk), a woman who introduced herself as a school representative said that she could not provide information to the SMM, citing “orders” from senior members of the armed formations.
• The SMM temporarily lost communication with its mid-range UAV flying over Pikuzy, assessed as due to jamming. The SMM landed the UAV safely.[5]

[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 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 withdrew 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.