Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 25 November 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 23 and 24 November, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Between the evenings of 24 and 25 November, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours.
• The SMM monitored the security situation following developments at sea near the Kerch Strait.
• The Mission observed heavy weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in Kostiantynivka.
• The SMM recorded ceasefire violations inside the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote disengagement areas.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to a water pipeline in Pervomaisk and continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• In Kyiv, Lviv and Kherson, the Mission monitored public gatherings commemorating the 85th anniversary of Holodomor.
• The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas, as well as near Kostiantynivka, Novolaspa, Zaichenko and two areas close to the border with the Russian Federation, Voznesenivka and Novoazovsk.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 23 and 24 November, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 150 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 175 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded south-east and south-west of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), south-west of Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk) and south-west and west of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk).

Between the evenings of 24 and 25 November, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, more explosions (about 170 explosions), compared with the previous 24 hours. The majority of ceasefire violations were again recorded in areas south-east, south and south-west of Svitlodarsk (including almost 160 explosions) and north-west of Horlivka.

In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 23 and 24 November, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 100 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (104 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including 87 explosions, were recorded south of Putylyne (government-controlled, 44km north-west of Luhansk). Between the evenings of 24 and 25 November, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 115 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded west and south-west of Kalynove-Borshchuvate (non-government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk).

The SMM monitored the security situation following developments at sea near the Kerch Strait

In Kyiv, the SMM monitored the security situation in front of the Russian Federation’s Embassy where a protest had reportedly taken place on 25 November. On the morning of 26 November, the SMM observed protests at the offices of the Russian Consulate-General in Kharkiv and Odessa. For more details, please see SMM Spot Report 26 November 2018.

Disengagement areas[2]

While on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk) on the evening of 23 November, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 3-4km south-south-west (all assessed as inside the disengagement area). During the night of 25 November, while on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard 13 explosions assessed as impacts of automatic-grenade-launcher rounds, about 30 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and three shots of 30mm cannon fire, all at an assessed range of 3-5km south-south-west (all assessed as inside the disengagement area).

Near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk), inside the disengagement area, on 23 November an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) in a revetted position, covered by camouflage netting, south of the railroad and about 1km east of road T1316, and an IFV (BMP-1) south of the railroad and about 700m west of road T1316. Both were assessed as belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

On the evening and night of 23-24 November, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded 29 projectiles in flight (mostly from northerly to southerly directions), a burst of an undetermined weapon and an illumination flare (in vertical flight), all at an assessed range of 0.5-4.5km at directions ranging from east-north-east to south-south-east. (Twenty of the projectiles and one burst were assessed as having occurred inside the disengagement area, three projectiles and one illumination flare were assessed as outside the disengagement area and six projectiles were unable to be assessed as inside or outside the disengagement area).

During the evening of 24 November, the same camera recorded two projectiles in flight from south to north at an assessed range of 0.5-1.5km east-south-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

During the day on 25 November, the SMM observed one green military truck, driven by a person in military style clothing (no badges/insignia or weapons visible), travelling south-west (inside the Zolote disengagement area) on the north-eastern edge of government-controlled Katerynivka (64km west of Luhansk, inside the disengagement area).

During the day on 24 November,  positioned about 2km north of Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM heard two shots of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 1-2km east and south-east, assessed as outside the disengagement area. [3] The following day, the SMM observed a calm situation near the Petrivske disengagement area.

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.  

In violation of the withdrawal lines

Government-controlled areas:

25 November:

• Five self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) on a ramp near the railway tracks at a railway station in Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk) and, several hours later, six self-propelled howitzers (2S1) at the same location

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas:

23 November:

• An SMM mini-UAV spotted a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) near Stupochky (60km north of Donetsk)

24 November:

• Ten tanks (T-64) loaded on trailers and parked next to road M04 near Memryk (33km north-west of Donetsk)
• Four multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) and six self-propelled mortars (2S9 Nona-S, 120mm) loaded on railway cars at a railway station in Sloviansk (95km north of Donetsk)

25 November:

• Ten self-propelled mortars (2S9) and four towed mortars (2B9 Vasilek, 82mm) at the railway station in Kostiantynivka

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[4]

Government-controlled areas:

23 November:

• An SMM mini-UAV spotted an IFV (BMP-1) in Zolote

24 November:

• An IFV (BMP variant) at a military compound in a neighbourhood of Nyzhnie (56km north-west of Luhansk)

25 November:

• An IFV (BMP-1) with its engine running, stationary and facing east near a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint in Zolote
• Two armoured personnel carriers (APC) (BTR-70) near Chermalyk (31km north-east of Mariupol)

Non-government-controlled areas:

22 November:

• An SMM mini-UAV spotted an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) and an APC (MT-LB) near an abandoned school building in Donetskyi (49km west of Luhansk)

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

On 24 November, the SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable water pipeline repairs near Pervomaisk (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), and on 24 and 25 November, the Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.

SMM monitors situation near Berdiansk

On 23 November, the SMM monitored areas in Berdiansk (70km south-west of Mariupol) including the port. The SMM saw some infrastructure repairs in the area and observed a calm situation.

Border areas not under government control*

On 23 November, while at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) for an hour and a half, the SMM observed 29 cars (four with Ukrainian and two with Russian Federation licence plates, and 23 with “DPR” plates), four fixed box-body cargo trucks (one with Russian Federation licence plates and three with “DPR” plates), a trailer tractor, two cargo vans and two black vans (all with “DPR” plates) escorted by a car with “DPR police” painted on it, as well as three buses (two with Ukrainian and one with Russian  Federation licence plates) entering Ukraine. The SMM also observed three buses (one with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates, and one with “DPR” plates), 22 cars (six with Ukrainian, five with Russian Federation and one with Georgian licence plates, and ten with “DPR” plates), seven cargo trailers (two with Ukrainian, two with Belarusian and one with Russian Federation license plates, and two with “DPR” plates), as well as four commercial cargo vans (two with Ukrainian licence plates and two with “DPR” plates) all exiting Ukraine.

On 25 November, while at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk) for ten minutes, the SMM was approached by a member of the armed formations who told it to leave the area.* At the Chervona Mohyla railway station in Voznesenivka, the SMM saw more than 100 uncovered cargo cars (unable to see whether empty or loaded) parked on rails. While present, the SMM was also told by a member of the armed formations to leave the area.*

The same day, at the border crossing point near Uspenka, the SMM observed 23 vehicles (six with Ukrainian and 14 with Russian Federation licence plates, two with “DPR” plates, one car with plates not visible), a fuel tanker, a bus (about 40 passengers) and four covered cargo trucks (Ukrainian licence plates) exiting Ukraine. The SMM also observed eight vehicles (one with Ukrainian and three with Russian Federation licence plates and one car with plates not visible, and three with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

While at a pedestrian border crossing point near Ulianivske (61km south-east of Donetsk) for about an hour and ten minutes, the SMM observed four pedestrians exiting Ukraine and a pedestrian entering Ukraine.

Gatherings in Kyiv, Lviv and Kherson in commemoration of Holodomor

On 23 November, the SMM monitored a session of Parliament dedicated to the 85th anniversary of 1932-1933 Holodomor and to commemorating its victims. The session was attended by 500-600 people, including Members of Parliament, the Patriarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate and the Head of the Greek-Catholic Church.

On 24 November, in Kyiv, the SMM monitored a Holodomor Memorial Day ceremony at the Holodomor Monument in Eternal Glory Park at 15 Lavrska Street. The SMM observed that the wider area around the monument had been completely cordoned off by police with metal detectors installed at two opposite positions along the perimeter, and about 1,000 people (mixed gender and ages) were entering the cordoned off area. Government officials addressed the crowd with speeches. The SMM saw about 500 National Guard and police officers present and observed a calm situation.

The same day in Lviv, at the Taras Shevchenko monument on Svobody Avenue, the SMM saw about 500 people (mixed gender and ages) gathered to commemorate the victims of Holodomor. The SMM observed as those gathered joined a ‘Minute of Silence’ and others made speeches. Many participants had black ribbons that read “We remember” and carried stalks of wheat that they laid next to lit candles and lamps. The SMM saw about ten police officers and five city guard officers present and observed a calm situation.

Also on 24 November in Kherson, the SMM observed about 300 people (mixed gender and ages) walk from Freedom Square on Ushakova Street to a monument commemorating the victims of Holodomor on Tiraspol Street. At the monument, the SMM observed as some people addressed the crowd and as others laid flowers, as well as wheat stalks near the monument. There SMM saw about 20 police officers and two police vehicles present and observed a calm situation.  

The SMM continued monitoring in Odessa, 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:

• On 24 November, at a checkpoint near Novolaspa (non-government-controlled, 50km south of Donetsk), three armed members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage, citing “security issues” in the area.
• On 25 November, at a border crossing point in Voznesenivka, a member of the armed formations again told the SMM to leave the area. He told the SMM that any issues related to the SMM’s freedom of movement should be addressed to the armed formations in Luhansk city.
• On 25 November, at a railway station in Voznesenivka, two members of the armed formations again told the SMM to leave the area.
• On 25 November, at a checkpoint about 800m north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), two armed members of the armed formations again prevented the SMM from traveling west toward Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol) and south toward Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol), citing “SMM safety”.
• On 25 November, at a checkpoint at the northern entrance to Novoazovsk (non-government-controlled, 40km east of Mariupol), two armed members of the armed formations again prevented the SMM from traveling south, citing “ongoing operations in Novoazovsk”.
• On 25 November, at the railway station in Kostiantynivka, a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer denied the SMM access to the area.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement through the failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.

Delays:

• On 24 November, at a checkpoint in the south-eastern outskirts of Novoaidar (government-controlled, 49km north-west of Luhansk), a Ukrainian police officer denied the SMM passage, citing an ongoing police operation. The SMM could see the police detaining a car with two people inside. After 26 minutes, the SMM was allowed to pass the checkpoint. 

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as a map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report.

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