Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 5 March 2019

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region.
• The Mission saw anti-tank mines close to road H-20 near Olenivka and Berezove.  
• 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. Its access was also restricted at a checkpoint near non-government-controlled Verkhnoshyrokivske, preventing the SMM from following up on reports of a civilian casualty.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including, however, fewer explosions (about 100), compared with the previous reporting period (115 explosions). More than half of the ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south and south-east of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol) and west of Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk). On the evening and night of 4-5 March, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded about 70 projectiles in flight, about 40 of which were recorded as close as 100-500m from the camera, and two undetermined explosions, all at an assessed range of 0.1-2km at southerly directions.

In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 20 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 50 explosions). The majority of explosions were recorded in areas west of Yuzhna Lomuvatka (non-government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and in areas south-west of Kalynove-Borshchuvate (non-government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk).

Disengagement areas[2]

During the day on 5 March, positioned near the disengagement areas close to Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk), Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk) and Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM observed a calm situation.[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.

Weapons that the SMM could not verify as withdrawn

At heavy weapons holding areas in government-controlled areas of Luhansk and Donetsk region[4]

5 March

The SMM noted that:

• ten howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) and eight mortars (2S9 Nona-S, 120mm) were present and
• four howitzers (D-30) and three mortars (2S9) were again missing.

Weapons permanent storage site

At a permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region

4 March

The SMM noted that all weapons previously observed at the site were present.

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

Government-controlled areas

3 March

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

• an infantry fighting vehicle (BMP-2) and an armoured combat vehicle near Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk).

5 March

The SMM saw:

• an armoured personnel carrier (BTR-70) on road H-20 near Novobakhmutivka (28km north of Donetsk).

Presence of mines

On 3 March, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted for the first time a row of eight probable anti-tank mines laid out south-east to north-west across 90m in a field north of road H-20, about 900m north-east of the forward position of the armed formations near Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), and 16 probable anti-tank mines laid in two parallel rows of eight in a field about 220m west of road H-20 about 2km north-east of Berezove.

Demining activities

About 3.5km south-east of Lomakyne (government-controlled, 15km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM saw a van with the logo of a non-governmental organization parked on the side of road T0519 and four people conducting demining activities in a field 80m north-east of the road.

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to water pipelines near Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk) and power lines near Holmivskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km north-east of Donetsk) and in Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-east of Donetsk), as well as to the Petrivske water pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk). A representative of the water company Popasna Vodakanal told the SMM that all their water wells were operational and that the water pressure had returned to normal levels, and that all works had been concluded. The SMM also monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable an inspection to a water pipeline running along road H-20 between Berezove and Olenivka. Despite security guarantees having been provided that the ceasefire would be adhered to for the inspection, the SMM heard four undetermined explosions close to where the repairs were being carried out. The SMM also continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS and to monitor the overall security situation in the area of the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).

Border area outside government control

While at a border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) for about an hour, the SMM saw 12 cars (five with Ukrainian and three with Russian Federation licence plates as well as four with “DPR” plates), two covered cargo trucks (one with Ukrainian and one with Lithuanian licence plates), two mini-buses (one with Ukrainian licence plates and one with “DPR” plates), as well as seven pedestrians (two females and five males, mixed ages) entering Ukraine. The SMM also saw 25 cars (six with Ukrainian, eight with Russian Federation and 11 with “DPR” plates), three covered cargo trucks (two with Ukrainian licence plates and one with “DPR” plates) and two pedestrians (one female and one male, aged 30-40) exiting Ukraine.

SMM continued to observe a calm situation south-east of Kherson

On 3 March, the SMM continued to observe a calm situation at a Ukrainian State Border Guard Service security post in Valok (188km south-east of Kherson). On 4 March, the Mission observed a calm situation at the crossing point between Chonhar (163km south-east of Kherson) and Crimea (see SMM Daily Report 30 January 2019).

The Mission continued monitoring in 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 SMM Daily Report 5 March 2019). 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:

• At a checkpoint 600m west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), two members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage, citing concerns about its safety. The SMM was therefore unable to reach Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol) to follow up on reports of a civilian casualty.

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.

 

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. 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, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.

[4] The SMM observed 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. The SMM noted that one of the sites was abandoned.

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