Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 23 November 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region.
• The SMM recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote disengagement areas.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to critical infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Access for the SMM remained restricted in all three disengagement areas; it was also restricted in the Trudivski area of Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district, Novolaspa and near Lozove*.
• It continued to monitor queues of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line.
• The Mission monitored a public gathering in Ivano-Frankivsk commemorating events at Maidan.

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, more explosions (about 175), compared with the previous reporting period (about 60 explosions). More than two thirds of the ceasefire violations were recorded in areas east-south-east, south-east, south-south-east and south-west of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including 104 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (three explosions). The majority of explosions were recorded in areas north-north-east and west of Holubivske (non-government-controlled, 51km west of Luhansk), south-east of Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and in areas north-north-east and north-west of Berezivske (non-government-controlled, 53km north-west of Luhansk).

Disengagement areas[2]

During the evening of 22 November, while on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard 16 bursts of anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) and infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) fire, all at an assessed range of 3-4km south-south-east (all assessed as outside the disengagement area), as well as 60 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all at an assessed range of 4-5km south-west (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area).

During the day of 23 November, positioned on the southern edge of the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM heard nine undetermined explosions and eight bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all at an assessed range of 2-5km north-north-east. During the same day, positioned in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 1-2km north-north-west. During the same day, positioned in Zolote, the SMM heard 27 undetermined explosions and five bursts and shots of small-arms fire, all at an assessed range of 4-6km south-east. All ceasefire violations were assessed as outside the disengagement area.

During the day of 23 November, the SMM observed a calm situation in the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government controlled, 41 km south of Donetsk).[3]

Withdrawal of weapons

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

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas:

22 November:

• An SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted six multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near Valuiky (70km north-west of Luhansk).

23 November:

• Two self-propelled anti-aircraft systems (2K22 Tunguska) near Kalynove (31km north-west of Donetsk).

Weapons that the SMM was unable to verify as withdrawn[4]

Government-controlled areas in Donetsk region beyond the respective withdrawal lines:

23 November:

• 23 self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), six towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm), 28 mortars (12 M-120 Molot, 120mm; 15 2B11 Sani, 120mm; and one BM-37, 82mm) and three anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) continued to be missing.

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[5]

Government-controlled areas:

23 November:

• An armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-80) near Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk);
• An APC (MT-LB) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23-2, 23mm) loaded in the rear of a military truck in Stepne (66km south-west of Donetsk);
• An APC (MT-LB) on road H-20 near Kamianka (20km north of Donetsk).

Presence of mines

On 22 November, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted again 12 mines laid out in two rows across road T0519 on the western edge of Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol).

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne (government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk), the Petrivske water pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), as well as to enable an assessment of a water pipeline near Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk). The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.

Situation of civilians at checkpoints along the contact line

At the checkpoint of the armed formations south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, at 10:00, the SMM saw about 550 people queuing to travel towards government-controlled areas and about 100 queuing in the opposite direction. At 11:40, the SMM saw about 500 people queuing to travel towards government-controlled areas and about 100 people queuing in the opposite direction. The Mission also saw 200 people waiting for a bus to non-government- controlled Luhansk city.

At the entry-exit checkpoint north of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, at 12:20, the SMM observed about 100 people queuing to exit government-controlled areas and about 80 people queuing in the opposite direction. About three hours later, the Mission saw 160 people queuing to exit government-controlled areas and 180 people queuing in the opposite direction. The SMM continued to observe snow and ice on the bridge and wooden ramps. 

Public gathering in Ivano-Frankivsk

On 21 November, the SMM monitored a gathering in Ivano-Frankivsk commemorating events at Maidan in November 2013. The SMM saw about 200 people (mainly men, different age groups) marching from Vichevyi Square to the Memorial Square where a memorial ceremony was held. There were ten law enforcement officers present. The Mission observed a calm situation.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, 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 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 SMM Daily Report 23 November 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.

Denial of access:

• One member of the armed formations denied the SMM passage through a checkpoint near Lozove (non-government-controlled, 52km north-east of Donetsk), citing “orders from superiors” and “explosive works”.
• Two armed members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage through a checkpoint in the Trudivski area of Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district (15km south-west of Donetsk city centre) citing “orders from superiors”.
• Two armed members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage through a checkpoint near Novolaspa (non-government-controlled, 50km south of Donetsk), after the SMM refused to show its patrol plan.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The SMM continued to be restricted in its access to the three disengagement areas, as well as in the ability to travel on certain roads identified by the Mission as important for effective monitoring due to the presence of mines and UXO. Positioned north of the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier told the SMM that there had been no demining in the area, therefore the SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. The SMM cameras in Hranitne and Krasnohorivka were not operational during the reporting period.

[2] Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[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] The SMM visited areas previously holding weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage did not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification from the SMM to the signatories of the Package of Measures on effective monitoring and verification of the withdrawal of heavy weapons. 

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