Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 8 October 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission followed up on reports of a woman who died due to natural causes at a checkpoint of the armed formations in Horlivka. It continued monitoring all three disengagement areas and recorded ceasefire violations inside and near the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and was also restricted near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka, Staromarivka and Syvash, as well as in Michurine, at a heavy weapons holding area in a government-controlled area of Donetsk region, and again near Zaichenko.* The SMM saw weapons in violation of the 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 to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne and to power lines near Olenivka, as well as to enable demining in Zolote-2/Karbonit. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored two public gatherings.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] including about 240 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (120 explosions).

On the evening of 7 October, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 75 undetermined explosions 2-6km east and west. On the evening and night of 7-8 October, the SMM camera in Svitlodarsk recorded about 60 projectiles in flight (mostly from north to south) and two bursts, all 2-5km east-north-east and east. The following day, while in Svitlodarsk, the SMM heard about 45 undetermined explosions and 15 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-7km south-east.

On the night of 7-8 October, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 26 explosions assessed as outgoing artillery rounds 2-4km east-south-east.

On the evening and night of 7-8 October, the SMM camera 1.5km north-east of Hnutove (government-controlled, 20km north-east of Mariupol) recorded six undetermined explosions, about 85 projectiles in flight (mostly from northerly to southerly directions) and 12 bursts, all 2-4km at directions ranging from east-north-east to south-east.

During the day on 8 October, positioned 1km north-west of the entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk (government controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard five explosions assessed as impacts of artillery rounds and 16 undetermined explosions, all 2-4km south-south-east.

On the same day, positioned about 2km south-south-east of Lomakyne (government-controlled, 15km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard an explosion assessed as an impact of an artillery round and 27 undetermined explosions, all 2-3km east-north-east and east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 210 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (12 explosions).

During the day on 8 October, positioned in the eastern outskirts of Holubivske (non-government-controlled, 51km west of Luhansk) the SMM heard about 100 undetermined explosions and about 140 shots and bursts of small-arms fire, all 3-5km north-east.

On the same day, positioned on the north-eastern edge of Slovianoserbsk (non-government controlled, 28km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 34 undetermined explosions 10km west.

On the same day, positioned on the south-eastern edge of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard ten explosions assessed as impacts of rounds of undetermined weapons and nine bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-5km south.

The SMM followed up on reports of a woman who died at a checkpoint of the armed formations in Horlivka. A member of the armed formations told the SMM that on the morning of 6 October a woman (in her sixties) had collapsed as she had been walking through the checkpoint and died despite medical assistance having been provided. On 8 October, staff at the morgue of hospital no. 2 in Horlivka told the Mission that the woman’s body had been brought to the morgue and that autopsy indicated she had died of natural causes. They said the deceased woman had been a resident of Chystiakove (formerly Torez, non-government controlled, 62km east of Donetsk).

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 the evening of 7 October, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded three explosions assessed as artillery rounds and 31 projectiles in flight (from northerly to southerly and from southerly to northerly directions), all 1-4km east-south-east (the Mission was unable to assess whether they occurred inside or outside the disengagement area). During the day on 8 October, positioned on the northern edge of the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 5-7km south-south-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area) as well as 18 shots and bursts assessed as infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm), heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 2-3km south-south-west (assessed as inside the disengagement area).

On the same day, positioned 1.5km south-west of Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 12 undetermined explosions and 20 bursts of small-arms fire, all 3-5km north-north-east (all assessed as outside the Zolote disengagement area).

During the day on 8 October, positioned inside the Stanytsia Luhanska and near the Petrivske disengagement areas, 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 government-controlled areas, on 8 October, an SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted a piece of artillery (calibre greater than 122mm) near Zoria (80km south of Donetsk). On the same day, the SMM saw ten multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-27 Uragan, 220mm) (eight being offloaded from a train and two on train cars) at the train station in Rubizhne (84km north-west of Luhansk).

In violation of withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area, on 7 October, an SMM mini-UAV spotted three surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10) at a compound in Katerynivka (formerly Yuvileine, 8km west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, on 6 October, an SMM long-range UAV spotted a surface-to-air missile system (9K37) near Ahrobaza (8km west of Mariupol). On 7 October, an SMM long-range UAV spotted two tanks (T-64) near Stepanivka (54km north of Donetsk). On 8 October, the SMM saw four MLRS (BM-27) near Lyman (91km north of Luhansk), three self-propelled howitzers (2S5 Giatsint-S, 152mm) near Sloviansk (95km north of Donetsk), and in total at least 12 surface-to-air missile systems: one 9K37 near Topolyne (19km north-west of Mariupol), two 9K35 near Shevchenko (19km north-west of Mariupol), six 9K33 Osa near Pokrovsk (55km north-west of Donetsk) and at least three 9K33 near Marynivka (39km north-west of Donetsk).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACV), an anti-aircraft gun[3] and other indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 6 October, near Novotoshkivske (53km west of Luhansk) an SMM mid-range UAV spotted an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR variant), an IFV (BMP variant) as well as positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with craters nearby assessed as caused recently by mortar and artillery fire (the craters were not visible in imagery from 29 August 2018) possibly coming from a southerly direction. On the same day, an SMM mini-UAV spotted two APCs (BTR-70) near Artema (26km north of Luhansk), an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) near Petrivka (27km north of Luhansk) and three APCs (two BTR-70 and a BTR-80) near Chermalyk (31km north-east of Mariupol). On the same day, an SMM long-range UAV spotted three ACVs (type undetermined) north-east of Illinka (38km west of Donetsk), two IFVs (BMP-1) near Vodiane (94km south of Donetsk) and an IFV (BMP-1) near Hnutove. On 8 October, the SMM saw an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) near Artema.

In non-government-controlled areas, on 6 October, an SMM mini-UAV spotted three IFVs (two BMP-2 and one BMP-1) and a probable IFV (BMP-1) near Sofiivka (formerly Karlo-Marksove, 40km north-east of Donetsk). On the same day, an SMM mini-UAV spotted a 500m-long trench extension (not visible in imagery from 1 June 2018) about 2km west-south-west from Naberezhne (77km south of Donetsk). On 8 October, the SMM saw three IFVs (BMP-1) near Slovianoserbsk.

The Mission 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 to power lines near Olenivka (non-government controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk). It also continued to monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable demining in the area of Zolote-2/Karbonit (government-controlled, 62km west of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire.

The Mission visited two border areas outside government control. While at a border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) for about an hour, the SMM saw nine cars (four with Ukrainian licence plates and five with “DPR” plates) exiting Ukraine and three cars and a bus (all with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

While at a pedestrian border crossing point near Verkhnoharasymivka (57km south-east of Luhansk) for about 50 minutes, the SMM saw eight people (four women aged 30-60 and four men aged 25-60) entering Ukraine and nine people (three women aged 35-60, five men aged 20-40 and a child about five years old) exiting Ukraine.

In Kyiv, the SMM monitored two gatherings. The Mission saw about 150 people (mainly men, aged 18-35) gathered outside the headquarters of the State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) at 32–35 Volodymyrska Street. The Mission saw some protestors carrying the flags of National Corps and wearing its insignia on their clothes, while others were wearing the insignia of Natsionalni Druzhyny. A member of National Corps stated that they had gathered to protest a senior SBU official (according to media reports the official is currently under investigation by the National Anticorruption Bureau of Ukraine). On the spot, the SMM observed 20 men it assessed to be plainclothes law enforcement officers as well as about 30 uniformed police officers and no security incidents.

On 6 October, the SMM observed about 300 people (mainly men in their twenties) march from Shevchenko Park to Independence Square in Kyiv, several of whom were displaying the flags of “Democratic Axe” and “Tradition and Order”. Participants were demanding Ukrainian legislation pertaining to firearms possession to be liberalised. The SMM observed about 40 police officers near the park and no security incidents.

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 Coordination 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 8 October 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.

Denials of access:

• At a checkpoint north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), two 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), saying “shelling was expected in the area”.
• At a checkpoint in Yuzhna-Lomuvatka (non-government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage to the village, citing “demining in the area”.
• At a checkpoint near Staromarivka (non-government-controlled, 62km south of Donetsk, three armed members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage, citing “security reasons”.
• In Michurine (non-government-controlled, 61km south of Donetsk), an armed member of the armed formations told the SMM it was not permitted to stop next to a school. The Mission immediately left the area.
• At a security post near Syvash (162km south-east of Kherson), a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer told the SMM that it could not access the area, citing orders from his commander.
• At a heavy weapons holding area in a government-controlled area of Donetsk region, a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer denied the SMM access to the site.

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 informed the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.
• At a checkpoint of the armed formations on the southern side of the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations told the SMM that mines had not been cleared on the road leading north toward Shchastia. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.

Other impediments:

• On 7 and 8 October, the SMM temporarily lost communications with a long-range UAV, assessed as due to signal interference[5] between Kostiantynivka (government-controlled, 60km north of Donetsk) and Oleksandropillia (government-controlled, 71km west of Luhansk) and near Zolote. The SMM landed the UAV safely.
• On three separate occasions on 8 October, the SMM temporarily lost communication with its mini-UAV due to signal interference6 near Lebedynske (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Mariupol). The SMM landed the UAV safely.
• The SMM temporarily lost communication with its mini-UAV due to signal interference6 near Chermalyk. The SMM landed the UAV safely.
• Medical staff at hospital no. 14 in Petrovskyi district of Donetsk city refused to provide the SMM information about a reported civilian casualty without prior approval from senior members of the armed formations.

 

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. The SMM camera on the northern edge of Popasna was not operational during the reporting period.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate”.

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