Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 12 October 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, compared with the previous reporting period. It observed a fresh crater caused by shelling in a residential area of Sakhanka. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and observed ceasefire violations near the Petrivske and Zolote disengagement areas. An SMM patrol heard and saw an explosion near Pervomaisk, approximately 300m west of its location. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as near Siedove, Novoazovsk and Voznesenivka, near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of the agreed withdrawal lines near Pidlisne. An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle again spotted vehicles, including a truck carrying an armoured personnel carrier, entering and exiting Ukraine via an unpaved road in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region near the border with the Russian Federation where there are no border crossing facilities. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to critical civilian infrastructure near Zalizne, Sakhanka, Artema, Donetskyi, Zolote-5/Mykhailivka and Krasnyi Lyman, as well as to enable demining in Zolote‑2/Karbonit. In Kharkiv, the SMM observed a protest at an event hosted by an organization advocating for the rights of the LGBT community.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations,[1] including 235 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 310 explosions).

On the evening and night of 11-12 October, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded 56 explosions (32 assessed as impacts of rounds of undetermined weapons, one as an airburst and 23 as undetermined) and 52 projectiles in flight (mostly from west-north-west to east-south-east and from east to west), all 0.5-3km at directions ranging from south-south-east to south-south-west.

On the evening and night of 11-12 October, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) recorded three undetermined explosions, about 240 projectiles in flight (mostly west-north-west to east-south-east) and an illumination flare in vertical flight, all 2-4km at directions ranging from north-north-west to north-north-east.

On the evening of 11 October, the SMM camera in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk) recorded 23 undetermined explosions, 105 projectiles in flight (mostly from north to south and south to north), two muzzle flashes and three bursts of undetermined weapons, all 2-4km east, east-south-east and south-east.

On the evening of 11 October, while in Svitlodarsk, the SMM heard 58 undetermined explosions and 22 bursts (17 assessed as small-arms fire and five undetermined), all 2-6km south-east. On the morning of 12 October, while in the same location, the SMM heard 37 undetermined explosions and five bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 2-6km at directions ranging from north to south-east.

During the day on 12 October, positioned on the south-eastern edge of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) for about six hours, the SMM heard 16 undetermined explosions and eight bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 1-3km south-east, south-south-east and south.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 270 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 40 explosions).

On the morning of 12 October, as it was driving south on road T-1316 near Pervomaisk (non-government-controlled 58km west of Luhansk), an SMM patrol heard and saw an explosion followed by a black cloud of smoke, approximately 300m west of its location, assessed as the impact of an artillery round fired from a northerly direction. The SMM immediately left the area safely.

During the day on 12 October, positioned near Nyzhnie (government-controlled, 56km north-west of Luhansk) for about 20 minutes, the SMM heard about 80 undetermined explosions and about 80 bursts of undetermined weapons, all 3-5km south-east.

During the day on 12 October, positioned on the eastern edge of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 30 undetermined explosions and a burst of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-10km north-east and east-north-east. Positioned on the south-eastern edge of Popasna, the SMM heard 11 undetermined explosions and six shots of small-arms fire, all 3-15km south-east and north-east. Positioned on the south-south-eastern edge of Popasna, the SMM heard 27 undetermined explosions, 18 bursts of undetermined weapons and what it assessed as an outgoing multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) salvo, all 4-12km north-east.

During the day on 12 October, positioned about 2.5km south-south-east of Holubivske (non-government-controlled, 51km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard five undetermined explosions and eight bursts of small-arms fire, all 5-6km north-east.  Positioned on the south-eastern edge of Holubivske, it heard 48 undetermined explosions and about 150 bursts of small-arms fire, all 3-6km at directions ranging from north-west to north-north-east. Positioned on the north-western outskirts of Holubivske, it heard six undetermined explosions 5-6km north-east.

The SMM observed a fresh crater caused by shelling in a residential area of Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol). On 12 October, at 39 Oktiabrska Street, the SMM observed a fresh crater (1.5m in diameter and 50cm deep) in the garden of an abandoned house, assessed as caused by an 82mm mortar round fired from a south-south-westerly direction. A resident of Sakhanka told the SMM that shelling had occurred in the village on the evening of 11 October.

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 morning of 12 October, positioned on the southern edge of the Zolote disengagement area for about five minutes, the SMM heard four undetermined explosions 3-7km north-north-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area). Positioned 2km north of Pervomaisk for about 20 minutes, the SMM heard four explosions assessed as outgoing rounds of undetermined weapons 2-3km south-south-west, as well as heard and saw an explosion assessed as the impact of an artillery round 300m west (see above), all assessed as outside the disengagement area. Positioned on the northern edge of the Zolote disengagement area for about 50 minutes, the SMM heard 11 undetermined explosions 10-13km east-north-east and 38 bursts and shots (16 assessed as shots of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm), ten as bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and 12 as small-arms fire) 2-4km east-north-east, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On the morning of 12 October, positioned about 2km north of Petrivske for about an hour, the SMM heard a shot of small-arms fire 0.5km north-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

Positioned in 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 the withdrawal lines, in a government-controlled area, on 10 October an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted three tanks (T-64) in a treeline west of Pidlisne (70km north-west of Luhansk).

Beyond the respective withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, in government-controlled areas, on 11 October an SMM mini-UAV spotted two tanks (T-72) at a railway station in Rubizhne (84km north-west of Luhansk), four anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm), a surface-to-air missile system (9K35, Strela-10) and three anti-tank guided missile systems (9P149 Shturm-S, 130mm) in Peredove (68km south-west of Donetsk). On 12 October, the SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) near Spirne (96km north of Donetsk) and three tanks (two T-72 and a T-64) at the railway station in Rubizhne.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACV) and an anti-aircraft gun[3] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 11 October, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) near Leonidivka (41km north of Donetsk) and an ACV (type undetermined) near Novhorodske (35km north of Donetsk). On 12 October, the SMM saw two stationary IFVs (BMP-1) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk).

In a non-government-controlled area, on 12 October, the SMM saw an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) near Pervomaisk.

An SMM long-range UAV again spotted vehicles, including a truck carrying an armoured personnel carrier (APC), entering and exiting Ukraine in the middle of the night via an unpaved road in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region near the border with the Russian Federation where there are no border crossing facilities. Between around 22:20 and 01:40 on the night of 11-12 October, the UAV spotted two trucks (probable Ural) parked along an unpaved road 500m south of the centre of Manych (non-government-controlled, 76km east of Donetsk). The UAV observed three separate groups of vehicles driving eastward and park at 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). The vehicles included two sedans, two tractor trailers, seven KamAZ trucks, four Ural trucks, a heavy-equipment transport trailer (KamAZ) carrying an APC (MT-LB), three sport-utility vehicles and a minivan. Several people were seen standing and walking between the vehicles. The UAV observed two sedans travelling westward from the border with the Russian Federation, which parked on the side of the road and established a makeshift checkpoint about 100m north-east of the location where the three groups of vehicles had parked and 3.5km east-north-east of Manych. A sport-utility vehicle departed the area where the three groups of vehicles were parked and travelled eastward toward the border with the Russian Federation, stopping at the makeshift checkpoint. The other vehicles, except the minivan, two sport-utility vehicles and a sedan, then proceeded in pairs to approach the makeshift checkpoint and interact with the people present, and continued travelling eastward. At 01:22, the two parked sedans that had established the makeshift checkpoint turned around and travelled eastward in the direction of the border with the Russian Federation. At 01:34, the UAV spotted a KamAZ truck with a twin axle trailer, two Ural trucks and a KamAZ truck as well as a sport-utility vehicle traveling westward on the same road from the border with the Russian Federation in the direction of Manych.

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 gas distribution pipelines near Sakhanka, to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north-west of Luhansk) and to water distribution infrastructure in 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 visited three border areas not under government control. While at a border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) for about an hour, the SMM saw five cars (two with Ukrainian licence plates and three with “DPR” plates) and three cargo trucks (with “DPR” plates) exiting Ukraine. The SMM also observed 15 cars (two with Russian Federation and three with Ukrainian licence plates, and ten with “DPR” plates) and a bus with “DPR” plates entering Ukraine.

While at a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (40km east of Mariupol) for about 35 minutes, the SMM saw five cars (one with Ukrainian and two with Russian Federation licence plates, and two with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine and a tanker-truck (with Ukrainian licence plates) exiting Ukraine.

While at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw a man and a woman (both aged 20-30) entering Ukraine. After about ten minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

In Kharkiv, on 11 October, the SMM saw about 30 people known to the SMM as members of Freikorps (men, 20-35 years old), five of them in uniforms with a white and black emblem, standing in a courtyard outside the building of an art centre at 2 Pletnevskyi Lane where an event hosted by a non-governmental organization (NGO) advocating for the rights of the LGBT community was ongoing. One of the men gave a speech to media present expressing opposition to the NGO’s activities. The SMM saw the Freikorps protestors block a group of about 25-30 people (mixed gender, 18-40 years old) attempting to join the event while both groups shouted slogans at each other. Approximately 20 police officers (12 of them equipped with helmets and flak jackets) separated the two groups. The SMM did not observe any other incidents.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, 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, 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.

Denials of access:

• At a checkpoint north-west of Siedove (non-government-controlled, 33km north-east of Mariupol), two armed members of the armed formations denied the SMM access to the town saying that a “special forces operation” was ongoing in the area.
• Two members of the armed formations again prevented the SMM from passing through a checkpoint near Novoazovsk, saying that a “special forces operation” was ongoing.
• At a border crossing point near Voznesenivka two members of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area, citing “orders from their superiors”.

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.
• The SMM did not travel across the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk) due to the presence of mines. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC said there were mines on the road south of the bridge. The SMM informed the JCCC.5

Other impediments:

• On four separate occasions, SMM mini-UAVs temporarily lost their GPS signal, assessed as due to jamming[5], near Bohdanivka (government-controlled, 41km south-west of Donetsk), Novohnativka (government-controlled, 40km south of Donetsk), Lebedynske (government controlled, 16km north-east of Mariupol) and Mykolaivka (government-controlled, 40km south of Donetsk). The SMM landed the UAVs safely.
• Staff at the hospital in Boikivske (formerly Telmanove, non-government-controlled, 67km south-east of Donetsk) again requested the SMM to obtain permission from senior members of the armed formations in order to provide information on a civilian casualty.
• A senior staff member at a school in Chornukhyne (non-government-controlled, 64km south-west of Luhansk) told the SMM it would need to submit an authorization 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.