Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 9 October 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region but fewer ceasefire violations in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports of casualties in Maiorove and Zolote-5/Mykhailivka. The SMM observed damage as a result of shelling in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka. It continued monitoring all three disengagement areas, where its access remained restricted. The SMM’s access was also again restricted near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka and Verkhnoshyrokivske.* The SMM saw weapons in violation of the agreed withdrawal lines near Ocheretyne, Smolianynove and Metolkine. The Mission observed newly laid mines on both sides of the contact line. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. The SMM also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne and to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] including about 520 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 240 explosions).

On the evening and night of 8-9 October, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded about 17 explosions assessed as impacts 0.1-1km south, as well as about 185 undetermined explosions (including about 20 explosions within 100-500m of the SMM camera), 54 projectiles in flight (mostly west to east and north-west to south-east), a burst and an illumination flare, all 0.1-4km at directions ranging from south-south-east to south-west.

On 9 October, positioned about 3km south-west of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard and felt shockwaves of two explosions, after which it saw smoke in the sky, and then heard two additional explosions, all assessed as outgoing artillery rounds 1-2km south. About 20 minutes later, from a nearby position in Avdiivka, the SMM heard four undetermined explosions 3-4km south-east and south.

Positioned about 1km north of the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard and saw two undetermined explosions and heard five undetermined explosions, as well as three bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 1-4km south-west.

On 9 October, positioned about 2km south-west of Zalizne (government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk) to monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs, the SMM heard 35 undetermined explosions and 50 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 3-4km south-east and south-south-east and six undetermined explosions 2-3km north-west.

On the evening and night of 8-9 October, the SMM camera 1.5km north-east of Hnutove (government-controlled, 20km north-east of Mariupol) recorded 23 undetermined explosions, about 325 projectiles in flight (almost half from northerly to southerly directions and half from southerly to northerly directions), 12 bursts and five muzzle flashes, all 2-4km at directions ranging from east-north-east to east-south-east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 50 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (210 explosions).

On the evening of 8 October, the SMM camera in Kriakivka (government-controlled, 38km north-west of Luhansk) recorded eight explosions (five assessed as impacts and three undetermined) and about 75 projectiles in flight (mostly from west-north-west to east-south-east), all 2-5km south, south-south-west and south-west. The following day, the same camera recorded three explosions assessed as impacts 2-4km south-west.

The SMM followed up on reports of casualties. A community member in Michurine (non-government-controlled, 61km south of Donetsk) told the SMM that a man (55 years old) had lost his left foot as the result of an explosion on 24 September. In Maiorove (formerly Krasnyi Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 57km south-east of Donetsk), three local residents (two women in their forties and sixties, respectively, and one man in his fifties) separately told the SMM that a 55-year-old local resident had lost his foot on September 24 in a landmine explosion on the bank of a nearby river and that he had been taken by ambulance to a hospital in Boikivske (formerly Telmanove, non-government-controlled, 67km south-east of Donetsk). At the hospital in Boikivske, medical staff refused to provide information about the civilian casualty.* Staff at a local ambulance station in Boikivske told the SMM that the ambulance service had transported a man who had lost his foot in an explosion from Maiorove to Boikivske at the end of September.

In Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk) a woman (in her forties) told the SMM that a boy (nine years old) had received shrapnel injuries to the his head during shelling on the evening of 7 October and that three houses had also been damaged (see below). At a hospital in Pervomaisk (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), medical staff told the SMM that a child from Zolote-5/Mykhailivka had been admitted with injuries to his scalp on 7 October and had received stitches. The SMM was unable to access the area in order to speak with the boy or his parents due to security considerations.

The SMM observed damage as a result of shelling in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka. At 39 Kotovskoho Street, the SMM saw three broken south-south-westerly windows of a single-storey house and a hole in the roof of a garage located east of the house. The SMM assessed that the damage to the garage was recent and caused by a projectile fired from a southerly direction.

At 10 Korchahina Street, the SMM observed that about 1.5m of a fence constructed of roofing material had been shattered into small pieces as well as two impact sites inside the garden, between the fence and a single-storey house. The SMM assessed that the impacts were fresh and caused by projectiles fired from a northerly direction. Inside the house, the SMM observed three broken south-facing windows and a damaged mirror on the east-facing wall, all assessed as caused by shrapnel from a projectile fired from a northerly direction.

About 30m west of 10 Korchahina Street, the SMM saw an impact in the middle of a road, which it assessed as fresh and caused by a projectile fired from a northerly direction. The SMM could not conduct further assessments due to security considerations.

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.*

Inside the Zolote disengagement area, at a recently established Ukrainian Armed Forces position south of the railway bridge, the SMM observed a visibly armed soldier. About 300-400m south, between the forward positions of the sides, the SMM observed for the first time a discarded anti-tank missile tube.

During the day on 9 October, positioned 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 government-controlled areas, on 8 October, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted a self-propelled howitzer (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Ocheretyne (31km north-west of Donetsk). On 9 October, the SMM observed ten self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and a towed howitzer (D-20, 152mm) near Smolianynove (61km north-west of Luhansk) and a towed howitzer (D-20) near Metolkine (69km north-west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, on 8 October, an SMM long-range UAV spotted five self-propelled howitzers (2S1) near Novoolenivka (48km north-west of Donetsk), 12 tanks (T-64) near Tymofiievka (39km north-west of Donetsk), a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) near Kalynove (31km north-west of Donetsk) and a surface-to-air missile system (9K35) in a residential area of Oleksandropil (43km north of Donetsk) (the same UAV also spotted an armoured personnel carrier and eight military cargo trucks nearby in Oleksandropil[3]). On 9 October, the SMM observed five anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) at a train station in Rubizhne (84km north-west of Luhansk) and four self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and an anti-tank gun (MT-12) near Sievierodonetsk (74km north-west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in a non-government-controlled area, the SMM observed a tank (T-64) on a transporter 3.5km south of Luhansk city.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles, an anti-aircraft gun[4] and other indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 8 October, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-1KSh and a BMP variant) near Zolote-4/Rodina (60km north-west of Luhansk) as well as about 60m of new trenches not visible in imagery of 6 October 2018. On 9 October, the SMM saw an IFV (BTR-4) near Novokalynove (29km north-west of Donetsk), two IFVs (BMP-1) in Taramchuk (29km south-west of Donetsk), an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23-2, 23mm) mounted on a truck about 9km east of Plotyna (28km north-east of Luhansk), an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM variant) near Orikhove-Donetske (44km north-west of Luhansk) and two IFVs (BMP-1) south-east of Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk).

In non-government-controlled areas, on 8 October, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted six firing positions in and near Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, two of which are within 100m of residential houses, and 40m of trenches not visible in imagery of 28 September 2018. It also spotted 50m of trenches not visible in imagery from 29 September 2018 and a fortified position under construction by three men wearing camouflaged clothing, assessed as members of the armed formations.

The SMM observed newly laid mines. On 8 October, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted four newly laid anti-tank mines (TM-62) in front of a house in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, which were not visible in imagery of 4 October 2018. The same day, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted four anti-tank mines near a checkpoint of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Zolote-4/Rodina, which were not visible in imagery of 4 October 2018.

The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne and to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north-west of Luhansk).  

The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS, including through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire. Positioned near Kamianka (government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk), the SMM observed an 82mm mortar tailfin assessed as fired from a south-easterly direction embedded in the ground.

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 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 about 600m west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), three members of the armed formations (two visibly armed) again stopped the SMM and denied it passage southward to Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol) and Bezimenne (non-government-controlled, 30km east of Mariupol).
• 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”.

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.[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 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.6
• 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.

Other impediments:

• The SMM on 8 October temporarily lost communications with a long-range UAV, assessed as due to signal interference[6] near Svyrydonivka (government-controlled, 41km north-west of Donetsk) and Kruta Balka (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Donetsk).
• Medical staff at a hospital in Boikivske (formerly Telmanove, non-government-controlled, 67km south-east of Donetsk) refused to provide the SMM with information about a reported civilian casualty without prior approval from members of the “regional administration.”
• At a school in Rodakove (non-government-controlled, 22km west of Luhansk), staff told the SMM it was not permitted to enter the school and said that all school personnel have been told to “watch out” for the OSCE and that it should get permission from the armed formations to speak with them.
• At a school in Sorokyne (formerly Krasnodon, non-government-controlled, 43km south-east of Luhansk), staff told the SMM to leave and said that they had been given instructions not to allow it on school premises.
• At a school in Novosvitlivka (non-government-controlled, 16km south-east of Luhansk), staff told the SMM that it could not access the school, based on instructions from the armed formations.
• In Khriashchuvate (non-government-controlled, 10km south-east of Luhansk), a community member told the SMM that it could not access the school in the village, based on instructions from 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] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[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.

[6] The interference could have originated from anywhere within a radius of several kilometres of the UAV’s position.