Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 6 November 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 recent damage to civilian properties caused by shelling in residential areas of Staromykhailivka. The SMM saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM recorded ceasefire violations near the Petrivske disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas; it was also restricted near Novoazovsk - close to the border with the Russian Federation – as well as near Oleksandrivske, Bezimenne, Zaichenko and Troitske.* The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to the Petrivske water pumping station near Artema, power lines near Zolote-5/Mykhailivka and damaged houses in Marinka and Krasnohorivka, as well as to enable demining near Nyzhnoteple. In Kyiv, the SMM followed up on media reports of searches at apartments and offices of two activists.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including, however, fewer explosions (about 220), compared with the previous reporting period (about 235 explosions).[2]

On the evening and night of 5-6 November, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded seven undetermined explosions and 70 projectiles in flight (from west to east), all at an assessed range of 0.5-4km south and south-south-west.

On the evening of 5 November, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 30 undetermined explosions and about 380 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all at an assessed range of 2-7km east and south-east. During the day on 6 November, while at the same location, the SMM heard about 60 undetermined explosions and about 100 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all at an assessed range of 3-7km south-east and south-south-east.

On the evening and night of 5-6 November, the SMM camera in Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol) recorded six undetermined explosions and 85 projectiles in flight (mostly from easterly to westerly directions and from westerly to easterly directions), all at an assessed range of 2-5km south-east and south-south-east.

On the evening and night of 5-6 November, the SMM camera about 1.5km north-east of Hnutove (government-controlled, 20km north-east of Mariupol) recorded 17 explosions (three assessed as outgoing rounds of undetermined weapons and the remainder undetermined) and about 210 projectiles in flight (mostly from north to south and from south to north), all at an assessed range of 2-6km east-north-east, east and east-south-east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations (no explosions), compared with the previous reporting period (ten explosions).

On the morning of 6 November, positioned on the south-eastern edge of Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk) to facilitate repair works to the Petrivske water pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), the SMM heard a single shot of small-arms fire 60-100m east-south-east. The SMM immediately left the area.

The SMM observed recent damage to civilian properties caused by shelling in residential areas of Staromykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 15km west of Donetsk). On 5 November, accompanied by members of the armed formations, the SMM saw damage at six impact sites, assessed as caused by 30mm armour piercing rounds fired from a west-south-westerly direction. At each impact site, residents told the SMM that shelling had taken place in the area on the evening of 29 October.

At 2 Zhukovskoho Street, from inside a residential one-storey house, the SMM saw a hole in the west-south-west-facing side of the roof and a hole in the east-north-east-facing side of the same roof (covered on the outside with an asbestos roofing material sheet), assessed to be the exit hole of the same round.

About 300m west-north-west from the first impact site, at 17A Zhukovskoho Street, the SMM saw a small fresh hole in the west-facing exterior wall of a one-storey house as well as damage to the brickwork, assessed as due to impacts of rounds, in the west-south-west-facing and west-facing exterior walls.

About 30m east-south-east from the second impact site, at 17 Zhukovskoho Street, the SMM saw a hole in a west-south-west-facing metal gate near a one-storey house.

About 25m east-south-east from the third impact site, at 16 Zhukovskoho Street, the SMM saw multiples holes in a west-south-west-facing concrete fence, a west-south-west-facing wooden wall and the chimney of a one-storey house.

About 30m east-south-east from the fourth site, at 14 Zhukovskoho Street, the SMM observed a hole in the west-facing exterior wall of a one-storey house and a corresponding hole in the east-facing interior wall of the house’s kitchen.

About 15m east-south-east from the fifth site, at 13 Zhukovskoho Street, the SMM saw a hole in a west-south-west-facing brick fence and the imprint of the side of a round in the west-south-west-facing door of a garage as well as pieces of freshly stripped bark from the west-south-west-facing side of trees 15m away from the house.

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[3] (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.*

Positioned about 2km north of Petrivske, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 2-4km south-east and two shots of small-arms fire 0.6-1km east (all assessed as outside the disengagement area).

Positioned in the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote 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 a non-government-controlled area, on 1 November, aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of six multiple launch rocket systems (type undetermined) in a training area near Miusynsk (62km south-west of Luhansk) (for previous observations in the area see SMM Daily Report 24 October 2018).

In violation of withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas, on 3 November, an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) near Ozarianivka (formerly Pershe Travnia, 52km north of Donetsk). On 5 November, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted six tanks (T-64) near Pidlisne (70km north-west of Luhansk). On 6 November, an SMM mini-UAV spotted a surface-to-air missile system (9K35) near Ozarianivka.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside storage sites in non-government-controlled areas, on 1 November, aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of 17 tanks (type undetermined) and three surface-to-air missile systems (type undetermined) in a training area near Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk) and 12 tanks (type undetermined) in a training area near Shymshynivka (27km south-west of Luhansk) (for previous observations in the area see SMM Daily Report 17 October 2018). Aerial imagery available to the SMM also revealed the presence on 1 November of 42 tanks (type undetermined), five pieces of self-propelled artillery and 12 pieces of towed artillery in a training area near Miusynsk (see above), 29 tanks (type undetermined) in a training area near Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk) (for previous observations in the area see SMM Daily Report 26 October 2018), and 22 tanks (type undetermined), nine pieces of self-propelled artillery and 18 pieces of towed artillery in a training area near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk) (for previous observations in the area see SMM Daily Report 17 October 2018).

The same aerial imagery available to the SMM also revealed the presence of 66 armoured combat vehicles (ACV) (type undetermined) in the above-mentioned training area near Buhaivka, 28 ACVs (type undetermined) in the above-mentioned training area near Shymshynivka and 78 ACVs (type undetermined) in the above-mentioned training area near Myrne.[4]

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside storage sites in government-controlled areas, on 5 November, an SMM long-range UAV spotted two surface-to-air missile systems (9K33 Osa) near Valerianivka (51km south-west of Donetsk), six tanks (type undetermined) near Zatyshne (64km south-west of Donetsk), eight self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Maloianisol (78km south-west of Donetsk), two tanks (T-64), two towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) and a surface-to-air missile system (9K35) near Manhush (25km south-west of Mariupol) and four towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) located behind a non-functional school in Azovske (121km south of Donetsk). On 6 November, the SMM saw a mortar (type undetermined) near Pokrovsk (formerly Krasnoarmiisk, 55km north-west of Donetsk).

In a non-government-controlled area, on 1 November, aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of 20 pieces of towed artillery in a training area near Buhaivka.

The SMM observed ACVs and anti-aircraft guns in the security zone.[5] In government‑controlled areas, on 3 November, an SMM mini-UAV spotted a self-propelled anti-aircraft system (ZSU-23-4, Shilka, 23mm) and a modified armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) with an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23-2, 23mm) near Ozarianivka. On 5 November, an SMM long-range UAV spotted two APCs (undetermined variant), an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) and an ACV (type undetermined) near Nevelske (18km north-west of Donetsk), three ACVs (undetermined variant) near Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk) and an IFV (BMP-2) and an ACV (type undetermined) near Heorhiievka (27km south-west of Donetsk). On 6 November, an SMM mini-UAV spotted a self-propelled anti-aircraft system (ZSU-23-4) and a modified APC (MT-LB) with an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23-2, 23mm) near Ozarianivka. On the same day, the SMM saw an APC (BTR-70) near Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk), an IFV (BTR-4) near Novobakhmutivka (28km north of Donetsk) and an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) in Hirske (63km west of Luhansk).

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to the Petrivske water pumping station near Artema (see above), power lines near Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk) and damaged houses in Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) and Krasnohorivka, as well as to enable demining activities in Nyzhnoteple (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk). The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS.

The SMM visited two border areas outside government control. While at a border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) for about 30 minutes, the SMM saw 11 cars (two with Ukrainian and seven with Russian Federation licence plates, as well as two with “DPR” plates) and a covered cargo truck with Ukrainian licence plates exiting Ukraine.

While at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) for about ten minutes, the SMM saw six cars (two with Russian Federation, one with Lithuanian and one with Armenian licence plates as well as two with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

In Kyiv, the SMM followed up on media reports of searches carried out by Ukrainian law enforcement authorities at apartments and offices of two activists at Sichovykh Striltsiv Street and Shovkovychna Street on 6 November. At the first address, the Mission observed a fire truck, an ambulance and four firefighters entering the building. At the second address, it observed a calm situation. It was later announced that the searches had been conducted under a warrant issued by the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv City in the framework of criminal proceedings under Article 109 (Actions aimed at forceful change or overthrow of the constitutional order or take-over of government) and Article 111 (High treason) of the Criminal Code.

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 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 near Troitske (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel allowed the SMM to proceed through the checkpoint but asked the patrol not to drive further than 100m away from the checkpoint on the other side, citing “orders from his superiors”. The SMM refused the condition and did not proceed through the checkpoint.
• 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 to Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol) and to Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol), citing “the presence of a sniper in the area”.
• At a checkpoint near Bezimenne (non-government-controlled, 30km east of Mariupol), two armed members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage west along road M14, citing “possible shelling in the area”. While present, the SMM saw a civilian car travelling east through the checkpoint.
• At a checkpoint near Novoazovsk (non-government-controlled, 40km east of Mariupol), near the border with the Russian Federation, two armed members of the armed formations again prevented the SMM from travelling east through the checkpoint, citing “an ongoing police operation in the area”. While present, the SMM saw several civilian cars passing the checkpoint in both directions.
• On two occasions, at a checkpoint in the eastern outskirts of Oleksandrivske (formerly Rozy Liuksemburh, non-government-controlled, 90km south-east of Donetsk), an armed member of the armed formations prevented the SMM from travelling east towards Markyne (non-government-controlled, 94km south of Donetsk), citing “an ongoing exercise”.

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.[6]
• 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.

Delay:

• At a checkpoint near Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), four armed members of the armed formations requested to see the SMM’s patrol plan. The SMM declined and was allowed to proceed through the checkpoint after about 20 minutes.

Other impediments:

• On the night of 5-6 November, an SMM long-range UAV temporarily lost its GPS signal, assessed as due to signal interference, while flying over areas near Maloianisol.[7]

 

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

[2] During the reporting period, the SMM camera in Krasnohorivka was not operational.

[3] 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.

[4] This hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[5] This hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[6] 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.

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