Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 4 March 2019

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer ceasefire violations in Luhansk region.
• The SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station recorded undetermined explosions and projectiles at a range of 50-600m from its location.
• The Mission monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere. Its access was also restricted in government-controlled Taramchuk as well as near non-government-controlled Izvaryne and Voznesenivka, areas near the border with the Russian Federation.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations, including, however, fewer explosions (115), compared with the previous 24 hours (about 260 explosions). More than half of the ceasefire violations were recorded in south and south-easterly directions of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol).

On the afternoon of 3 March, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded 18 undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 0.1-4km south-south-east, south and south-south-west and 33 projectiles in flight at an assessed range of 0.05-3km south and south-west.

In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, more explosions (about 50), compared with the previous 24 hours (about 35 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas north-west and north-north-west of Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, non-government-controlled, 44km west of Luhansk)

Disengagement areas[2]

On the evening of 3 March, the SMM camera in Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) recorded an illumination flare at an assessed range of 1-3km east-north-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On the same evening, the SMM camera at Prince Ihor Monument south-east of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk) recorded an explosion (assessed as an airburst) at an assessed range of 4-6km west-north-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area).[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 withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

 3 March

An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted:

• three surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10) in Ocheretyne (31km north-west of Donetsk).

4 March

The SMM saw:

• 24 tanks (T-64) and seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) stationary at the railway station in Zachativka (74km south-west of Donetsk) and
• a surface-to-air-missile system (9K33 Osa) in Novookhtyrka (55km north-west of Luhansk).

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

Government-controlled areas

2 March

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-2), two armoured personnel carriers (APC) (a BTR-70 and a BTR-variant) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) north-east of Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk) and
• an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) near and an anti-aircraft gun  (ZU-23, 23mm) in Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk).

3 March

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• two IFVs (BMP-1) near Mykolaivka (40km south of Donetsk);
• six IFVs (BMP-1) near Trudivske (47km south of Donetsk);
• an IFV (BMP-2) near Novohryhorivka (55km south of Donetsk) and another IFV (BMP-2) in an area between positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the armed formations near Novohryhorivka;
• two IFVs (BMP-2) in Starohnativka (51km south of Donetsk); and
• an APC (MT-LB) near Hranitne (60km south of Donetsk).

4 March

The SMM saw:

• an IFV(BMP-1) near Myrna Dolyna (67km west of Luhansk);
• an IFV (BMP variant) and an APC (BTR-70) in Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk);
• two anti-aircraft guns (ZU-23, 23mm) near Novoselivka (31km north-east of Donetsk); and
• two armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRM-1K) and five IFVs (two BMP-2 and three BMP-1) near Mariupol (102km south of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

1 March

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• an IFV (BMP-1) near Vesela Hora (16km  north of Luhansk).

3 March

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• two IFVs (BMP-1) near Bila Kamianka (51km south of Donetsk) and
• three APCs (MT-LB) near Kalmiuske (42km south-east of Donetsk), in a zone within which deployment of heavy armaments and military equipment is proscribed according to Point 5 of the Memorandum of 19 September 2014.

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• two APCs (MT-LB) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) mounted on an APC (MT-LB) in Katerynivka (formerly Yuvileine, 8km west of Luhansk).

4 March

The SMM saw:

• an APC (BTR-80) in Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk).

Fresh impact craters near Molodizhne

Around 1.5km south-west of Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km north-west of Luhansk) in a snow-covered field about 5m from a checkpoint of the armed formations on road T-0504, the SMM observed six fresh impact craters within a radius of 5-60m south and north-north-west of the road. The SMM was unable to assess the type of weapon used or the direction of fire.

Presence of explosive remnants of war and mines as well as of mine hazard signs

About 800m east of the checkpoint of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on road H15 near Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw again three anti-tank mines (assessed as TM-62), at the distance of 4-15m south-west of the road between the abovementioned  checkpoint near Marinka and the checkpoint of the armed formations in Oleksandrivka (non-government-controlled, 20km south-west of Donetsk). At the checkpoint of the Ukrainian Armed Forces,  the SMM again saw 17 anti-tank mines (assessed as TM-62) (fenced off by wooden bars and white plastic strips) about 15m north of road H-15 as well as a mine hazard sign (red with skulls and crossbones and “Stop Mines” written in Ukrainian).

Approximately 3km east of Pobeda (government-controlled, 27km west of Donetsk), the SMM saw for the first time a mine hazard sign in a field about 13m west of road O0531. The sign in Ukrainian language is warning the public about the presence of explosive devices in the area while also informing them about the telephone number to be used to report such devices. The SMM saw a similar sign 10m east of road O0531 and another mine hazard sign  (with skull and crossbones and “Danger Mines” written in Ukrainian and Russian) on the southern edge of the same road about 4km  north-east of Novomykhailivka (government-controlled, 28km south-west of Donetsk).

About 4.5km west-south-west of Hranitne (government-controlled, 60km south of Donetsk), the SMM saw for the first time two mine hazard signs (with skulls and crossbones and “Stop Mines” written in Ukrainian and Russian) and three wooden sticks with red rags tied around the top of each stick (assessed as improvised mine hazard signs) south-east of road T0512.

SMM facilitation of repair works to civilian infrastructure

The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to water pipelines near Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), Berezove and at the Petrivske water pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), as well as to electric transformers and the gas distribution network near Betmanove (formerly Krasnyi Partyzan, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Donetsk). The latter were concluded within the day. The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS and to monitor the overall security situation in the area of the pumping station in Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).

Border areas outside of government control

While at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw six pedestrians (three men and three women, aged 15-60) exiting Ukraine and 14 pedestrians (mixed gender, aged 20-50) entering Ukraine. After five minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

While at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw a bus (with Ukrainian licence plates) entering Ukraine. After about five minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

At the Chervona Mohyla railway station in Voznesenivka, the SMM saw at least 80 stationary cargo wagons (including 15 fuel tanks). After about five minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

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

Denial of access:

• In Taramchuk (government-controlled, 29km south-west of Donetsk), two Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers stopped the SMM and requested it to leave the area.
• At a border crossing point near Izvaryne (non-government-controlled, 52km south-east of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations again told the SMM to leave the area.
• At a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, non-government-controlled, 65km south-east of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave, citing the need for prior permission from senior members of the armed formations to visit the area.
• At the Chervona Mohyla railway station in Voznesenivka, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave, citing the need for prior permission from senior members of the armed formations to visit 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 failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.
• At a checkpoint of the armed formations about 3km south of the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk), an armed member of the armed formations told the Mission that mines on the road leading north had not been cleared.

Delay:

• At a checkpoint 600m west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), a member of the armed formations again stopped the SMM on two occasions (for about 20 and 30 minutes).  After the delays, he allowed the SMM to pass through the checkpoint.

Other impediments:

• On 2 March, an SMM long range-UAV lost its GPS signal, assessed as due to jamming, while flying in areas near Stepanivka (government-controlled, 54km north of Donetsk).[5]
• On 3 March, an SMM long range-UAV lost its GPS signal, assessed as due to jamming, while flying in areas near Hranitne (government-controlled, 60km south of Donetsk).[6]

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

[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 cannot access its     camera in Petrivske; 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.

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

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