Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 15 October 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. In Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, the SMM continued to follow up on two fatalities caused by shelling. The Mission observed damage caused by shelling in a residential area of Zolote-4/Rodina. The SMM heard and saw explosions and heard small-arms fire near the SMM inside the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and saw newly dug trenches in the Petrivske disengagement area. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as near Zaichenko, Verkhnoshyrokivske, Bezimenne, Volnovakha and at a railway station in Voznesenivka, near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable demining in Zolote‑2/Karbonit. The Mission monitored events related to the Defender of Ukraine Day in Dnipro. In Kyiv, the SMM followed up on reports that a large number of people had been detained near the Pecherska Lavra.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations,[1] including, however, fewer explosions (about 420), compared with the previous 24 hours (about 570 explosions).

On the evening and night of 14-15 October, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded 24 undetermined explosions and 37 projectiles in flight (mostly from north-north-west to south-south-east), all 0.5-4km south-south-east, south and south-south-west.

On the evening and night of 14-15 October, the SMM camera 1.5km north-east of Hnutove (90km south of Donetsk) recorded 30 undetermined explosions and about 590 projectiles in flight (including about 360 from south to north and south-west to north-east), four bursts and two illumination flares, all 2-4km east-north-east, east and east-south-east. 

On the evening and night of 14-15 October, the SMM camera in Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol) recorded 23 undetermined explosions and about 210 projectiles in flight (almost half evenly from easterly directions to westerly directions and westerly directions to easterly directions), all 2-4km south-east, south-south-east and south. 

On the evening of 14 October, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions and about 250 bursts and 75 shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-6km at directions ranging from east to south-west. The following day, the SMM heard 185 undetermined explosions and about 565 and 15 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-7km at directions ranging from north-east to south-west. 

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including, however, fewer explosions (about 60), compared with the previous 24 hours (about 180 explosions). 

Positioned on the south-east edge of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 31 undetermined explosions and two bursts of small-arms fire, all 10-15km north-east. 

Positioned in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 7-10km north-north-west and about 120 shots of small-arms fire 2-3km north-north-west.

The SMM continued to follow up on reports of a woman and a girl killed by shelling in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka. Medical staff from a morgue in Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, non-government-controlled, 50km west of Luhansk) told the SMM that on 13 October a woman (47 years old) had died as a result of shrapnel wounds to the chest, stomach, arms and legs and a girl (17 years old) had died as a result of shrapnel wounds to the head, body and limbs. (See SMM Daily Report 15 October 2018.)

The SMM observed fresh damage in a residential area as a result of shelling. In Zolote‑4/Rodina (government-controlled, 59km west of Luhansk), at 64 Vilna Street, the SMM saw that two of the house’s west-facing windows were covered by pieces of wood. The SMM also observed five holes, assessed as shrapnel damage, in the exterior western walls of the main house. The SMM also saw two holes, assessed as shrapnel damage, on the water boiler in the bathroom inside the house. About 20m east of the east-facing front door, the SMM saw a crater on an asphalt road, assessed as caused by a 120mm mortar round. The SMM was not able to assess the direction of fire. About 2m west of the house, the SMM observed an outhouse with a hole in the centre of its roof, and debris from the roof on the floor of the outhouse. The SMM assessed the damage to have been caused by a projectile (type undetermined). A man (about 60 years old) told the SMM that his house had been damaged by shelling around 18:00 on 13 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 evening of 14 October, the SMM camera positioned at the Prince Ihor Monument south-east of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk) recorded an undetermined explosion 2-3km east-north-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area). 

During the night of 14-15 October, the SMM camera in Stanytsia Luhanska recorded a projectile in flight from east-south-east to west-north-west 2-4km east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On 15 October, the SMM observed a grey mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (DJI Inspire 2), flying at an altitude of around 25m and approaching the SMM camera site at the Prince Ihor monument from a southern direction. Two men wearing camouflaged trousers whom the SMM saw operating the UAV about 100m south of the camera site told the SMM that they were recording for a film.  

On the evening of 14 October, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded two undetermined explosions (one assessed as outside the disengagement area and the other unable to determine whether inside or outside) and nine projectiles in flight (almost all from north-east to south-west) (four assessed as inside the disengagement area and the rest unable to determine whether inside or outside), all 1-3km east-south-east, south-east and south-south-east. The following day, the same camera recorded 11 projectiles (all from north-east to south-west) (assessed as inside the disengagement area) 2-4km south-east. 

Positioned on the southern edge of the Zolote disengagement area on 15 October, the SMM heard a whistling sound and heard and saw three explosions assessed as impacts of automatic-grenade launcher rounds 300-400m north-north-east (assessed as inside the disengagement area).The SMM also heard 36 shots and bursts of small-arms fire 2-2.5km north-north-east (assessed as inside the disengagement area).

During the day on 15 October, positioned about 2km north of Petrivske, the SMM observed newly dug trenches, including one approximately 200m long, inside the Petrivske disengagement area.

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

Beyond the respective withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas,on 14 October, an SMM mini-UAV spotted a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) near Chervonyi Zhovten (40km north of Luhansk). 

Beyond the respective withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas, on 14 October, an SMM mini-UAV spotted 21 tanks (11 T-64 and ten T-72), 12 mortars (2B11 Sani, 120mm), nine self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), 12 towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm), six anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) and a surface-to-air missile system (9K35), all at a known training area near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk). On 15 October, the SMM saw one tank (T-64) at a known training area near Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk) and nine towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) in Chervona Poliana (39km south-west of Luhansk). 

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles, anti-aircraft guns[3], a UAV anda jet airplane in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 13 October, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) near Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk) and an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) near Troitske (30km north of Donetsk). The same day, an SMM mini-UAV spotted two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-2) near Hnutove. On 14 October, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an APC (MT-LB) and two IFVs (BMP-2) near Troitske (69km west of Luhansk), ten IFVs (nine BMP-1 and a BMP-2) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) near Novozvanivka (70km west of Luhansk), an IFV (BMP-1) near Popasna, an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) near Zolote, an APC (BTR-80) and four IFVs (three BMP-1 and a BMP-2) near Orikhove (57km north-west of Luhansk), five IFVs (BMP-1) near Novotoshkivske (53km west of Luhansk), seven IFVs (two BMP-1, three BMP-2 and two undetermined types) and two armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) near Prychepylivka (50km north-west of Luhansk), an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2), an APC (BTR-80) and an IFV (BMP-1) near Krymske (42km north-west of Luhansk) and an IFV (BMP-1) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) mounted on an armoured personnel carrier (MT-LB) near Lobacheve (17km north-west of Luhansk).On 15 October, positioned north-west of Pyshchevyk (25km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM observed a jet airplane (type undetermined) flying from south-east to north-east, assessed as over the entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk but could not determine the altitude. 

In non-government-controlled areas, an SMM mini-UAV spotted an IFV (BMP-1) near Sentianivka (44km west of Luhansk) on 12 October. The following day, a mini-UAV spotted an IFV (BMP-1) near Lobacheve (13km east of Luhansk). On 14 October, an SMM long-range UAV spotted two armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2) and an IFV (BMP-1) near Sokilnyky (38km north-west of Luhansk),an APC (MT-LB) near Rozsadky (62km north-east of Donetsk) and an APC (BTR-80) near Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk). On 15 October, the SMM observed a UAV flying near the Prince Ihor Monument south-east of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (see above).

The SMM continued to observe explosive remnants of war. On a road about 2.5km east of Staromarivka (62km south of Donetsk), the SMM again observed five tail fins of 82mm mortar  rounds embedded in the asphalt. 

On 13 October, the Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable demining in the area of Zolote-2/Karbonit (government-controlled, 62km west of Luhansk) as well as the operation of the DFS.

The SMM visited a border area not under government control. While at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk), for 30 minutes, the SMM saw ten cars (five with Ukrainian, two with Russian Federation, two with Georgian licence places as well as one with “LPR” plates) exiting Ukraine and two cars (one with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates) and a bus (with Russian Federation licence plates) with Gukovo-Sverdlovsk written on a sign in the window and 15 passengers entering Ukraine. 

In Dnipro, on 14 October, the SMM monitored events related to the Defender of Ukraine Day (see SMM Daily of 15 October 2018). The SMM saw about 3,000 people (men and women, different age groups) gathered in front of the Regional Administration Building, some holding flags of Ukraine, the Yarosh State Initiative, Right Sector and C14 (Sich). The SMM saw around 20-25 police officers and observed a calm situation. 

In Kyiv,the SMM followed up on reports that, on 14 October, about 100 individuals had been present near Pecherska Lavra at 15 Lavrska Street and later had been taken to a police station. On 15 October, a security guard of Pecherska Lavra told the SMM that at around 16:00 on 14 October, he had seen that about 120 young men standing on the premises of the monastery had been detained by police officers securing the area. (Earlier on 14 October, the SMM saw about 300 police and National Guard officers present in the area.) According to a public statement by a police representative, “police detained about 100 persons, among then some minors, near Pecherska Lavra on 14 October.” Later on 14 October, the press service of the police informed that all those detained had been released. On 15 October, the Mission saw two police cars parked in front of Pecherska Lavra and noted a calm situation. 

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv 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 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, seebelow). 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 1km north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), an armed member of the armed formations again stopped the SMM and denied it passage south to Zaichenko and southward to Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol).
• At a checkpoint about 600m west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), three armed members of the armed formations again prevented the patrol from traveling west, citing “security reasons.”
• At a compound near Bezimenne (non-government-controlled, 30km east of Mariupol), a member of the armed formations denied the SMM access, citing “orders” from a superior. 
• A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer denied the SMM access to a military compound near Volnovakha (government-controlled, 53km south of Donetsk). 
• At the Chervona Mohyla railway station in Voznesenivka, two armed members of the armed formations prevented the SMM from entering the railway station and told the SMM to leave 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 both times.[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 both times.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.
• At a checkpoint of the armed formations south of the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk), the SMM was prevented from proceeding north due to the presence of mines and UXO. A member of the armed formations told the SMM that no demining had taken place. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.

Other impediments:

• During the evening of 14 October, an SMM long-range UAV temporarily lost its GPS signal, assessed as due to jamming[5], in government-controlled areas near Svitlodarsk.

[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.