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

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region between the evenings of 28 and 29 September, compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 29 and 30 September, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM followed up on reports of children killed and injured by an explosion in Horlivka, as well as a person injured and damage caused by an explosion in Donetsk city. The Mission recorded a ceasefire violation inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as near Zaichenko, Novoazovsk, Tavrycheske, Bezimenne, Yuzhna-Lomuvatka and Izvaryne.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of agreed withdrawal lines in the Petrivske disengagement area and near Dokuchaievsk. The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station and also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs and maintenance to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne. The Mission monitored public gatherings in Mariupol, and followed up on reports of water contamination in Makiivka.

In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 28 and 29 September, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations,[1] including, however, more explosions (265), compared with the previous reporting period (about 240 explosions). Between the evenings of 29 and 30 September, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 100 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours.

On the evening and night of 28-29 September, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded a projectile in flight from north to south, 200-400m south-south-west, about 80 explosions (one outgoing, the remainder undetermined) and about 30 projectiles (one from north-west to south-east, the remainder from west to east), all 0.5-3km at southerly directions. On the following evening and night, the same camera recorded 17 explosions (two assessed as impacts, one airburst and the remainder undetermined), about 80 projectiles in flight (mainly from west to east) and six illumination flares, all 0.3-4km at southerly directions

On the evening of 28 September, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 50 undetermined explosions and about 60 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-7km at southerly directions. The following evening, from the same location, the SMM heard about 100 undetermined explosions and about 30 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 2-7km at southerly directions.

In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 28 and 29 September, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including six explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (five explosions). Between the evenings of 29 and 30 September, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, about 30 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours.

The SMM followed up on reports of children killed and injured by an explosion in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk). At a hospital in Horlivka, a doctor told the SMM that on 29 September a ten-year-old boy had been admitted to the hospital with shrapnel injuries (scratches) to his face and abdomen. Also at the hospital, the boy’s grandfather told the SMM he believed the boy had been injured by an explosion from a mine or other explosive device while near a railway station in Horlivka. The doctor, the grandfather and a member of the armed formations in Horlivka, told the SMM separately that three other children had been killed by the same incident. Reportedly, the three killed children were 12, 13 and 14 years old.

The SMM followed up on media reports of civilian casualties and damage caused by an explosion at the office of the “communist party” in non-government-controlled Donetsk city on 29 September. On 30 September, a doctor at Hospital no. 24 in Donetsk city told the SMM that a woman (about 50 years old) had been admitted the previous day with bruises and burns; the SMM saw numerous bruises and red spots on the woman’s back and legs. She told the SMM that on 29 September, after about 13:00, she had been standing in the entrance hall of the building housing the party’s office at 107 Khlibodarna Street in Donetsk city, talking to the head of the party, when she heard an explosion from a lamp directly above her head.

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 (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 the evening and night of 28-29 September, while on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard ten bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 2-3km south, assessed as outside the disengagement area. On the evening of 29 September, from the same location, the SMM heard 17 undetermined explosions 5-7km south, assessed as outside the disengagement area. On the evening of 30 September, from the same location, the SMM heard about ten bursts and shots of small-arms fire 3-4km south-south-east, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On the evening of 28 September, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded an undetermined explosion, four projectiles in flight and a burst, all 2-3km east and east-south-east, assessed as outside the disengagement area

On 30 September, positioned about 2km north of Petrivske, the SMM heard two shots of heavy-machine-gun fire 2-3km south-west, assessed as inside 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 28 September, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted a mortar (probable 82mm) within a known position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Petrivske disengagement area. The same day, an SMM mini-UAV spotted two towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) in firing positions near Dokuchaievsk (30km south-west of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, an SMM long-range UAV spotted two surface-to-air missile systems (9K33 Osa) in Kalynove (35km north of Donetsk) on 28 September. On the same day, an SMM mini-UAV spotted three surface-to-air missile systems (9K37) at the railway station in government-controlled Rubizhne (84km north-west of Luhansk). On 29 September, the SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K37) at the same railway station and, later the same day, a surface-to-air missile system (9K37) loaded on a flatbed truck near the same railway station. On 30 September, the SMM saw three self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) and two multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) at the railway station in Kramatorsk (83km north of Donetsk).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACVs)[2] in the security zone.[3] In government-controlled areas, on 28 September, an SMM long-range UAV spotted five infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-1) near Taramchuk (29km south-west of Donetsk), two IFVs (undetermined variants) near Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk), two armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2) near Nevelske (18km north-west of Donetsk), as well as an IFV (BMP-2) and an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-70) in Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk). On the same day an SMM mid-range UAV spotted six IFVs (BMP-2) near Pyshchevyk (25km north-east of Mariupol) and three IFVs (two BMP-2 and one probable BMP-1) near Hnutove (90km south of Donetsk). On 30 September, the SMM saw an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) in Petrivka (27km north of Luhansk) as well as an armoured reconnaissance vehicle and an IFV (undetermined variants) in a residential area of Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk).

In non-government-controlled areas, on 28 September, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) in Kamianka (24km south of Donetsk) and an IFV (BMP-1) in Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk).

The SMM observed construction at the entry-exit checkpoint near Novotroitske (government-controlled, 36km south-west of Donetsk). The SMM observed the installation of new containers and sanitary facilities, as well as the paving of new lanes of travel. According to a representative of the State Border Guard Service, the construction works are expected to last three weeks and will temporarily limit the capacity of the checkpoint, which he said he expects will lead to long queues.

In Mariupol, the SMM observed approximately one thousand people gathered in Teatralna Square listening to speakers demanding improvements to air quality in Mariupol. Many of the participants were wearing white overalls and gas masks, while others were carrying banners stating “I want to breathe” in Russian. The SMM saw about 100 police officers in the area and no security incidents.

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne (government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk) and continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS, including through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire.

The SMM visited three border areas outside of government control.* While at a pedestrian border crossing point near Verkhnoharasymivka (57km south-east of Luhansk) for about 30 minutes on 29 September, the SMM saw a woman and three men exiting Ukraine and four men and two women entering Ukraine. The SMM noted that the wooden bridge traversing the Velyka Kamianka river, which pedestrians must cross to enter or exit Ukraine, was missing a few planks and was, in general, in very poor condition.

While at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk) for about five minutes on 30 September, the SMM saw seven women and two men exiting Ukraine and eight women and four men entering Ukraine before the SMM was told by a member of the armed formations to leave the area.* The same day, while at a pedestrian border crossing point near Popivka (50km south-east of Luhansk) for about 20 minutes, the SMM saw a man entering Ukraine.

On 30 September, at the train station in Fashchivka (non-government-controlled, 60km south-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed around 60 wagons of coal and 20 wagons of iron ore, all stationary.

At a hospital in Makiivka (non-government-controlled, 12km north-east of Donetsk), two staff members told the SMM that they were currently treating 21 persons for ailments resultant of contaminated tap water, including 12 suffering from an undetermined infectious disease.

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 29 and 30 September, at a checkpoint north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), 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 “security reasons”.
• On 29 and 30 September, at a checkpoint north of Novoazovsk (non-government-controlled, 40km east of Mariupol), armed members of the armed formations again prevented the SMM from proceeding to the city or towards the border with the Russian Federation.
• On 29 September, at a checkpoint north of Tavrycheske (non-government-controlled, 35km north-east of Mariupol), armed members of the armed formations prevented the SMM from entering the village.
• On 29 September, at a checkpoint near Bezimenne (non-government-controlled, 30km east of Mariupol), an armed member of the armed formations prevented the SMM from entering the village.
• On 30 September, at a checkpoint near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka (non-government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations prevented the SMM from passing through the checkpoint.
• On 30 September, at a border crossing point near Izvaryne, a member of the armed formations again told the SMM to leave the area.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• On 29 and 30 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 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 both times.[4]
• On 29 and 30 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 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 both times.5
• On 29 and 30 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 informed the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.

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

[2]    This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[3]    On 27 September an SMM long-range UAV spotted an armoured personnel carrier (MT-LB) near Sofiivka (formerly Karlo-Marksove, non-government-controlled, 40km north-east of Donetsk), not Sofiivka (government-controlled), as originally reported in SMM Daily Report 29 September 2018.

[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.