Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 11 October 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. It observed fresh bullet impacts at a forward position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and again observed military positions inside the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as again near Zoria and Verkhnoshyrokivske.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of the agreed withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle again spotted vehicles (including one carrying an anti-aircraft gun) in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region moving on a dirt road towards the border with the Russian Federation where there are no border crossing facilities; the SMM recalled the unmanned aerial vehicle due to multiple instances of GPS signal loss assessed as jamming. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to critical civilian infrastructure near Zalizne, Marinka, Artema, Vesela Hora, Donetskyi, Krasnyi Lyman and Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, as well as to enable demining in Zolote‑2/Karbonit. The SMM observed gatherings in protest of low salaries and high utility costs in Lviv, Dnipro and Ivano-Frankivsk and an evacuation caused by a bomb threat in Kherson.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] including about 310 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (305 explosions).

On the evening and night of 10-11 October, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded about 60 undetermined explosions, an airburst, 20 muzzle flashes, about 130 projectiles in flight (mostly from west to east and from north-west to south-east) and two illumination flares, all 0.5-5km at directions ranging from south-east to west.

On the evening of 10 October, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 20 undetermined explosions and about ten bursts and shots of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-5km south-south-west. The following morning, from the same location, the SMM heard about 50 undetermined explosions and six bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 2-5km north-west.

During the day on 11 October, positioned on the north-western edge of Horlivka, the SMM heard about 60 undetermined explosions 4-7km at northerly directions and two undetermined explosions and a shot of small-arms fire 1-3km south.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 40 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 120 explosions).

On 11 October, positioned near Pidlisne (government-controlled, 70km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions and, several seconds later, saw dark smoke rising, 8-10km south-west. Later the same day, positioned in Loskutivka (government-controlled, 72km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions and, several seconds later, saw dark smoke rising, 7-9km south-west.

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.*

The SMM saw 30-40 fresh bullet holes in the concrete blocks and sandbags fortifying the forward position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. The SMM assessed the damage to have been caused by the impact of heavy-machine-gun rounds fired from south-south-east; the damage was not apparent to the SMM on 10 October. A Ukrainian Armed Forces Officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co‑ordination (JCCC) told the SMM that the checkpoint had come under fire between 02:00 and 04:00 on 11 October.

On the evening of 10 October, the SMM camera in Stanytsia Luhanska recorded an undetermined explosion 2-4km west (assessed as outside the disengagement area). In the early morning of 11 October, the SMM, while on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, heard two undetermined explosions and about 40 bursts and shots of small-arms fire 3-5km south-south-west (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area).

On 11 October, the SMM saw an armed soldier of the Ukrainian Armed Forces inside the Zolote disengagement area, near observed positions south of the road T1316 railway bridge (see SMM Daily Report 11 October 2018). The same day, an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-1) approximately 500m and 700m, respectively, north-east of the railway bridge (also inside the disengagement area). Approximately 1.2km north-east of the railway bridge, also inside the disengagement area, the same UAV spotted another IFV (BMP-1) (see SMM Daily Report 11 October 2018). The SMM assessed the vehicles and positions as belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

In the early morning of 11 October, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded an undetermined explosion 4-5km south-south-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area). Later the same day, positioned on the northern edge of the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 5-6km north-west (also assessed as outside the disengagement area).

Positioned near the Petrivske 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 the withdrawal lines on 11 October, in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw seven tanks (T-64) near Pidlisne. In non-government-controlled areas, on 10 October, an SMM long-range UAV spotted two towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) near Vilkhivka (40km east of Donetsk).

Beyond the respective withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites on 11 October, in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw four multiple launch rocket systems (BM‑21 Grad, 122mm) in Zachativka (74km south-west of Donetsk), a towed mortar (2B9 Vasilek, 82mm) near Sievierodonetsk (74km north-west of Luhansk), 20 towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) near Khlibodarivka (65km south-west of Donetsk) and a tank (T-72) near the railway station in Rubizhne (84km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[3] and other indications of military-type presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 10 October, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR variant) near a checkpoint of the Ukrainian Armed Forces east of Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) and four IFVs (BMP variants) near Zolote, including three in the disengagement area (see above).

In non-government-controlled areas, on 10 October, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted three IFVs (BMP-1) and the ongoing construction of an underground shelter near Naberezhne (77km south of Donetsk) and an APC (BTR-80) near Sosnivske (78km south of Donetsk).

The SMM continued to observe mines. On 10 October, an SMM long-range UAV again spotted 36 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid out in three rows across road H-21, about 2km north of Vesela Hora (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Luhansk) (see SMM Daily Report 19 March 2018).

An SMM long-range UAV again spotted vehicular activity in the middle of the night in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region along an unpaved road near the border with the Russian Federation where there are no border crossing facilities. Between 23:00 and 24:00 on 10 October, the UAV spotted two trucks (one Ural and one Kamaz) and four sport-utility vehicles driving east along an unpaved road near Manych (non-government-controlled, 76km east of Donetsk) to a location near the border with the Russian Federation where the SMM has previously observed convoys of covered cargo trucks entering Ukraine (see SMM Daily Report 9 August 2018). During the same period, the UAV spotted two Ural trucks (one mounted with an anti-aircraft-gun (ZU‑23, 23mm)), a minivan and a car in a field along the same dirt path, approximately 2km from the border. At 23:45, the SMM recalled the UAV from the area due to multiple instances of signal interference assessed as jamming.*

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), to the Krasnohorivka gas distribution station between Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) and Oleksandrivka (non-government-controlled, 20km south-west of Donetsk), to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north-west of Luhansk) and to water distribution infrastructure in Vesela Hora, Donetskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km west of Luhansk), Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk) and Krasnyi Lyman (non-government-controlled, 30km north-west of Luhansk). It also monitored 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 DFS, including through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire.

The SMM observed gatherings in protest of low salaries and high utility costs. In Dnipro, on 10 October, the SMM monitored a public gathering in front of the Regional State Administration building at 1 Oleksandra Polia Avenue, where it saw about 500 people (men and women, 30-50 years old) protesting what they said were poor living standards, low salaries and high utility prices. On the site, the Mission saw about 20 police officers and 30 soldiers and no security incidents. In Lviv, on 9 October, the SMM monitored a public gathering in front of the Ivan Franko National University at 1 Universytetska Street, where it saw about 3,000 people (men and women, different age groups) demanding better living conditions for teachers. The Mission saw six police officers and one police car and no security incidents. Also on 9 October, in Ivano-Frankivsk, the SMM monitored a public gathering in front of the Regional State Administration building at 21 Mykhaila Hrushevskoho Street, where it saw approximately 850 people (men and women, different age groups), several of whom were carrying banners and flags of state administration employees’ trade unions, protesting proposals to increase gas and electricity prices before winter. It heard protestors express dissatisfaction with low salaries. On the site, the SMM saw about 12 police officers and no security incidents.

About 150 people were evacuated from a forum at Kherson Regional Art Museum at 34 Soborna Street in Kherson. According to organizers of the event, the evacuation was due to a phoned-in bomb threat. The SMM observed members of the police, State Emergency Service and fire brigade and a police bomb squad enter the premises. The audience was able to return after about an hour, and the forum continued without incident.

The SMM continued monitoring in Odessa, Kharkiv, 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 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 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:

• On two occasions, at a checkpoint about 600m west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), members of the armed formations (three 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 an agricultural compound also used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Zoria (government-controlled, 22km north-east of Mariupol), a security guard denied the SMM access. (See SMM Daily Report of 11 October 2018.)

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.5
• 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 long-range UAV temporarily lost its signal, assessed as due to jamming, near Manych, an area near the border with the Russian Federation. The SMM landed the UAV safely.
• The SMM long-range UAV temporarily lost its GPS signal, assessed as due to jamming 6 in non-government-controlled areas near Ilovaisk (30km south-east of Donetsk) and Panteleimonivka (26km north-east of Donetsk).
• On two occasions, signal interference6 prevented the SMM from launching a mini-UAV near Bohdanivka (government-controlled, 41km south-west of Donetsk). The UAV was not damaged.
• A senior staff member at a school in Teple (formerly Krasnodon, non-government-controlled, 33km south-east of Luhansk) told the SMM it would need to submit a letter of approval from the armed formations in order to be provided information.

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

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