Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 25 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 heard ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas; it was also restricted in Pikuzy and Kozatske.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of agreed withdrawal lines in Dyliivka and Kalynove. 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 the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne, water pipelines near Maiorsk and Horlivka, the Krasnohorivka gas distribution station between Marinka and Oleksandrivka, and water infrastructure in Slovianoserbsk and near Artema, as well as to enable demining in Pishchane. The SMM observed a calm situation at the ABL near Chonhar in Kherson region.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including, however, a similar number of explosions (about 100), compared with the previous reporting period.           

On the evening and night of 24-25 September, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded three undetermined explosions, a muzzle flash and 54 projectiles in flight (mostly from west to east), all 1-2km south-south-east, south and south-south-west, including a projectile that was fired 430m south-south-west, which passed as close as 10m below the SMM camera.

On the evening of 24 September, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 18 undetermined explosions and about 115 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-6km south-east, south and west-south-west.

On the evening and night of 24-25 September, the SMM camera 1.5km north-east of Hnutove (government-controlled, 20km north-east of Mariupol) recorded two undetermined explosions and about 165 projectiles in flight (just over half from north to south and the remainder from south to north) and a muzzle flash, all 2-4km east-north-east and east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including 34 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (11 explosions).

On the evening and night of 24-25 September, the SMM camera in Kriakivka (government-controlled, 38km north-west of Luhansk) recorded two undetermined explosions and 34 projectiles in flight (about half from north-east to south-west and half from south-west to north-east), all 2-5km east-south-east and south-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.*

Positioned in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard seven outgoing explosions of recoilless-gun (SPG-9, 73mm), 15 shots of automatic grenade-launcher fire and 35 shots of small-arms fire, all 1-1.5km north-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area). Shortly thereafter, positioned in Zolote-4/Rodina (government-controlled, 59km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 2km south-east (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 government-controlled areas, on 24 September, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted four towed howitzers (D-20, 152mm) near Dyliivka (49km north of Donetsk).

In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, on 24 September, an SMM long-range UAV spotted a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) near Kalynove (60km west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, on 24 September, an SMM mini-UAV spotted two surface-to-air missile systems (9K37) and 16 missiles (9M317) loaded on railway cars in Mariupol (102km south of Donetsk). On 25 September, on the outskirts of Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk), the SMM saw two surface-to-air missile systems (9K37) and four more surface-to-air missile systems (9K37) at the railway station in Kostiantynivka.  

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACV), anti-aircraft guns[3] and other indications of military presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 23 September, an SMM mini-UAV spotted two armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2) near Staryi Aidar (20km north-west of Luhansk). On 24 September, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted on a truck near Ozarianivka (formerly Pershe Travnia, 52km north of Donetsk) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) mounted on a truck near Bila Hora (54km north of Donetsk). On 25 September, the SMM saw an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BTR-4) near Kamianka (20km north of Donetsk).

On 24 September, an SMM mini-UAV spotted five Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel standing next to a building with a Ukrainian flag, speaking to eight civilians in a residential area east of Zolote-4/Rodina. Nearby, the same UAV spotted a 50m-long trench, which six Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel were digging in the backyards of two residential houses, as well as another 20m-long new trench 250m east, also in the backyard of a residential house. The same UAV also spotted a new military position on a ridge with five Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel present near Zolote 4/Rodina, at a location where an SMM mid-range UAV had spotted two recoilless guns and four Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel two days prior (see SMM Daily Report 24 September 2018). While conducting the UAV flight, the SMM heard approximately 15 shots of small-arms fire 1-2.5km east of Zolote-4/Rodina. Footage from the SMM mini-UAV shows a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier firing a shot of small-arms fire in the direction of the UAV.

On 24 September, in Hranitne (government-controlled, 60km south of Donetsk), an SMM mini-UAV spotted three firing positions on the roof of a building about 50m north-west of a functional school across the street. Near the school, the same UAV spotted four persons in camouflage clothing, assessed as Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers, one of whom was armed with a long-barreled weapon.

In non-government-controlled areas, on 24 September, an SMM long-range UAV spotted five IFVs (BMP-1) and an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (probable MT-LB) near Sokilnyky (38km north-west of Luhansk) and five IFVs (BMP variants) near Kalynove.

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure, including water pipelines between the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) and Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), as well as to enable repairs at the Krasnohorivka gas distribution station between Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) and Oleksandrivka (non-government-controlled, 20km south-west of Donetsk), where works were interrupted due to ceasefire violations (see table below for ceasefire violations in the area), and demining at and repairs to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne (government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk) and Horlivka. The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS, including through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire.

The Mission also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to water infrastructure in Slovianoserbsk (non-government-controlled, 28km north-west of Luhansk) and near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), as well as demining in Pishchane (government-controlled, 22km north of Luhansk).

In Kherson region, on 24 September, the SMM monitored the ABL at the checkpoint near Chonhar (163km south-east of Kherson) and observed both vehicular and pedestrian traffic traveling in both directions, without delays.

The SMM continued monitoring in 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 25 September 2018). 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:

• In Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol), five members of the armed formations (two visibly armed) denied passage to the SMM to proceed to an abandoned school in the village, citing risks to the “security and safety of the SMM patrol and scattered UXO around the school area.”
• At a checkpoint in Kozatske (non-government-controlled, 36km north-east of Mariupol), two members of the armed formations (one visibly armed) denied the SMM passage towards Porokhnia (non-government-controlled, 40km north-east of Mariupol), citing orders not to allow the SMM to pass through 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.

Other impediments:

• In Perevalsk (non-government-controlled, 38km west of Luhansk), a representative of the “city administration” told the SMM that it needed permission from the armed formations in order to gather information.

[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.