Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 10 April 2019
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 saw fresh damage caused by probable mortar or automatic grenade launcher rounds to residential houses in Pervomaisk.
- The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
- The Mission recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area.
- The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure on both sides of the contact line.
- It observed that the entry-exit checkpoint near Marinka had re-opened following its closure on 6 April.
- Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. It was also restricted at a compound in Luhansk city and at a checkpoint near Yasynuvata.*
Ceasefire violations[1]
In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including fewer explosions (about 80), compared with the previous reporting period (about 310 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas north of Donetsk city and in areas south-east and south of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol), as well as in areas south-south-east and south of Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol).
In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions (about 380), compared with the previous reporting period (about 200 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south-east and south of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk) and in areas north-east of Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, non-government-controlled, 44km west of Luhansk).
Fresh damage to residential houses in Pervomaisk
On 9 April, at 59 Luhova Street on the northern outskirts of Pervomaisk (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), about 1km south of the southern edge of the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk), the SMM saw three shattered north-facing windows and a 1m by 0.5m hole in the north-facing side of the roof of a one storey house, as well as marks on a fence about 3m north of the house. About 5m east of the house, in the same compound, the SMM saw two shattered west-facing windows in another one-storey house. The SMM assessed that all damage was fresh and caused by rounds from a probable 82mm mortar or automatic grenade launcher; however, it could not assess the direction of fire. A resident of the house (man, 70 years old) told the SMM that he had heard shelling on the morning of 9 April.
Disengagement areas[2]
On the evening of 9 April and during the day on 10 April, in two locations close to the disengagement area near Zolote, the SMM recorded nine projectiles and four undetermined explosions, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.
Positioned about 2km north of the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM heard an undetermined explosion at an assessed distance of 5km south-west, unable to be assessed as inside or outside the disengagement area.
Positioned in the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed a calm situation.
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 in violation of withdrawal lines
Government-controlled areas
10 April
The SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) in the north-western outskirts of Komyshuvakha (68km west of Luhansk).
Non-government-controlled areas
6 April
Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of a tank (type undetermined) in a training area near Novoselivka (37km north-east of Donetsk).
9 April
An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted:
- a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) about 20m from a residential house near Kalynivka (55km north-east of Donetsk);
- two multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) in a training area near Pokrovka (36km east of Donetsk); and
- two towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) and a self-propelled howitzer (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Vynohradne (34km east of Donetsk).
10 April
The SMM saw six MLRS (BM-21 Grad) and six self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) at the former Luhansk airport about 10km south of Luhansk city (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 10 April 2019).
Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites
Government-controlled areas
9 April
An SMM long-range UAV spotted five tanks (type undetermined) near Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk).
The SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (probable 9K37) near Dachenske (49km north-west of Donetsk).
10 April
The SMM saw:
- two surface-to-air missile systems (a 9K37 and a S-300) near Lisne (20km north-west of Mariupol) and
Non-government-controlled areas
6 April
Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of a tank (type undetermined) in a compound in Novoazovsk (102km south-east of Donetsk).
9 April
An SMM long-range UAV spotted:
- 15 tanks (T-72) in a training area near Manuilivka (65km east of Donetsk) and
- ten tanks in a training area near Pokrovka.
10 April
The SMM saw seven tanks (type undetermined) and three surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10) at the former Luhansk airport about 10km south of Luhansk city (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 9 April 2019);
Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[3]
Government-controlled areas
8 April
An SMM mini-UAV spotted three infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) (one BMP-1 and two probable BMP-1) and an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-80) near Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk).
10 April
The SMM saw:
- five APCs (BTR-70) in Raihorodka (34km north-west of Luhansk);
- five IFVs (three BMP-1 and two BMP variants) in the eastern outskirts of Popasna;
- an IFV (BMP-2) south-east of Valuiske (20km north-east of Luhansk); and
- an APC (BTR-80) in Berdianske (18km east of Mariupol).
Non-government-controlled areas
6 April
Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of ten probable military-type armoured vehicles (type unidentified) in a training area near Novoselivka (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 26 March 2019).
8 April
An SMM mini-UAV spotted two APCs (BTR-70) and an armoured communication vehicle (R-145) on an APC (MT-LB) chassis near Stare (formerly Chervonyi Prapor, 58km west of Luhansk).
9 April
An SMM mini-UAV spotted an APC (MT-LB) with a mounted anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) and an IFV (BMP variant) near Dovhe (22km north-west of Luhansk).
10 April
The SMM saw:
- two IFVs (BMP-1) and an armoured recovery vehicle (BTS-4A) in Luhansk city, and
- an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) mounted on a truck in Brianka (46km south-west of Luhansk).
Re-opening of the entry-exit checkpoint near Marinka
The SMM observed that the entry-exit checkpoint (EECP) near Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) had re-opened on 10 April after its closure on 6 April following the wounding of two men (a Ukrainian State Border Guard Service officer and a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier) by gunfire at the EECP (see SMM Daily Report 8 April 2019). The Mission saw lower than usual amounts of traffic at the EECP, with 20 civilian vehicles and about 100 pedestrians queuing to enter government-controlled areas and fewer than ten vehicles queuing to exit government-controlled areas. At the checkpoint of the armed formations near Kreminets (non-government-controlled, 16km south-west of Donetsk) on the same day, the SMM saw 200-250 civilian vehicles and 50-60 pedestrians queuing to exit non-government-controlled areas and about 20 vehicles queuing to enter non-government-controlled areas.
Mines near Shchastia and unexploded ordnance spotted near Uzhivka
On 8 April, south of the bridge in Shchastia, an SMM mini-UAV again spotted 36 anti-tank mines (TM-62) across road H-21, south of a checkpoint of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (for previous observations see SMM Daily Report 8 April 2019).
In Uzhivka (formerly Leninske, non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM saw that a previously observed tailfin of a 120mm mortar bomb protruding from the asphalt on the edge of the road was still present.
In the eastern outskirts of Popasna, the SMM saw that four of the previously observed five anti-tank mines (TM-62) south of road T0504 had been destroyed by probable ground fire and that the remaining anti-tank mine was without a fuse as a result of probable ground fire.
SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure
The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk); to power lines near Holubivka (formerly Kirovsk, non-government-controlled, 51km west of Luhansk), near Spartak (non-government-controlled, 9km north of Donetsk) and near Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, non-government-controlled, 50km west of Luhansk); as well as to water pipelines in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km north-west of Luhansk). The Mission also continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS and to monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to water pipelines near Kruta Balka (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Donetsk) and near Travneve (government-controlled, 51km north-east of Donetsk).
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 SMM Daily Report 8 April 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:
- A member of the armed formations denied the SMM access to a compound where the SMM observed ACVs in Luhansk city, citing safety concerns.
- Two armed members of the armed formations at a checkpoint north-west of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk) refused to let the SMM travel on road M-04 past the turn to Kruta Balka (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Donetsk), citing “orders from their superior”.
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.
Other impediments:
- On the evening and night of 9-10 April, an SMM long-range UAV experienced signal interference, assessed as jamming, while flying over non-government-controlled Yelyzaveto-Mykolaivka (45km south-east of Donetsk), Novoamvrosiivske (56km east of Donetsk), Berehove (38km south-east of Donetsk) and Olhynske (55km south-east of Donetsk). [4]
- On 10 April, while following up on a civilian casualty, medical staff at a hospital in Staromykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 15km west of Donetsk) again refused to provide the SMM with information or allow the SMM to speak with the alleged civilian patient, citing the need for written permission from those in control.
[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.
[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] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.
[4] The interference could have originated from anywhere within the radius of several kilometres of the UAV’s position.