Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 24 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 Mission recorded ceasefire violations and saw fresh craters near the Zolote disengagement area.
• The SMM observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas.
• The Mission saw mines near Vesela Hora and Novoselivka, unexploded ordnance near Debaltseve and mine hazard signs near Novohryhorivka, Horlivka and Chermalyk, some for the first time.
• The Mission saw the body of a deceased man at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk and continued to observe hardships faced by civilians at checkpoints along the contact line.
• The Mission facilitated and 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. The SMM was also restricted at checkpoints of the armed formations in Kreminets, as well as in southern Donetsk region near Verkhnoshyrokivske, Oleksandrivske, Novoazovsk and Zaichenko.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including 40 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 160 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded at southerly and south-easterly directions of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol) and of Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol). On the evening and night of 23-24 April, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded in total 59 ceasefire violations, including nine undetermined explosions and 33 projectiles in flight, all at an assessed range of 0.5-1km south, south-south-east and south-south-west.

In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 70 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (40 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas north-west of Pervomaisk (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), at westerly directions of Kalynove-Borshchuvate (non-government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk) and at easterly directions of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk) (see also Disengagement areas section). Positioned near Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km north-west of Luhansk) and at two locations in Popasna on the afternoon of 24 April, the SMM heard 13 undetermined explosions (including two at an assessed range of 600-800m) and about 320 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire assessed as in the vicinity of road T-0504, and was unable to cross the contact line using this road as a result.

Disengagement areas[2]

During the day on 24 April, positioned on the southern edge of the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk), near Molodizhne and at two locations in Pervomaisk, the SMM heard 17 undetermined explosions and about 640 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and cannon (30mm) fire within 5km of the disengagement area’s periphery.

On 23 April, the SMM observed impact craters close to the disengagement area near Zolote. An SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted 17 fresh impact craters on both sides of a local road leading from Molodizhne to the checkpoint of the armed formations on the southern edge of the disengagement area, about 2.5km north-east of Molodizhne and about 100m south of the disengagement area’s southern edge, assessed as caused by 82mm mortar rounds (for previous observations in the area, see SMM Daily Report 24 April 2019). The same UAV spotted 20 fresh impact craters about 550m south of the disengagement area’s southern edge and 1.9km west of its eastern edge, about 250m from houses in Pervomaisk, assessed as caused by 120mm mortar rounds. It also spotted a previously observed position with one recoilless gun (SPG-9) and three members of armed formations present about 100m south of the disengagement area’s southern edge and about 1km north-east of Molodizhne.

Positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk) and close to the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM observed calm situations.[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 in violation of withdrawal lines

Non-government-controlled areas

18 April

Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of six multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (type undetermined) in a training area near Miusynsk (62km south-west of Luhansk) (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 19 April 2019).

23 April

An SMM mid-range UAV spotted a mortar (probable 2B14 Podnos, 82mm) and a probable anti-tank gun (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) near Stavky (30km north of Donetsk).

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• four tanks north of Novoselivka (16km west of Luhansk) (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 19 April 2019);
• three mortars (82mm) about 1km north of Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, 44km west of Luhansk); and
• a probable mortar (2B11 Sani, 120mm) about 1km south-west of Molodizhne and two probable tanks (T-72) about 1.5km west of Kalynove-Borshchuvate (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 6 April 2019).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

24 April

The SMM saw a tank (T-64) loaded on a flatbed transporter near Kasianivka (22km north of Mariupol).

Non-government-controlled areas18 April

Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of:

• 19 tanks in a training area near Ternove (57km east of Donetsk) (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 9 April 2019);
• eight tanks in a training area near Miusynsk (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 19 April 2019); and
• 22 tanks, four surface-to-air missile systems (type undetermined) as well as 66 armoured combat vehicles (ACV)[4] in a training area near Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk) (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 3 April 2019).

Other weapons observed:

On 18 April, aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of 16 pieces of towed artillery or mortars (types undetermined) and 15 pieces of self-propelled artillery or mortars (types undetermined) in a training area near Buhaivka. On the same day, aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of 12 pieces of towed artillery or mortars (types undetermined) in a training area near Miusynsk.[5]

Weapons that the SMM could not verify as withdrawn[6]

At a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region

24 April

The SMM saw that seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) continued to be missing.

Weapons permanent storage site

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

24 April

The SMM noted that eight tanks (three T-64 and five T-72) continued to be missing.

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[7]

Government-controlled areas

22 April

An SMM mid-range UAV spotted:

• again an aircraft communications automatic jamming station (R-934B) near Novomykhailivka (28km south-west of Donetsk); and
• two ACVs and an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP variant) near Novoselivka.

24 April

The SMM saw:

• an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-80) near Semyhiria (58km north-east of Donetsk); and
• an APC (BTR-70) near Novobakhmutivka (28km north of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

23. April

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• five IFVs (BMP-1) and an ACV near Sentianivka; and
• an APC (MT-LBM) near Kalynove-Borshchuvate.

24 April

The SMM saw an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) towed by a truck near Kypuche (formerly Artemivsk, 46km west of Luhansk).

On 24 April, positioned about 1km north of the Donetsk central railway station (non-government-controlled, 6km north-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM saw a black and white mini-UAV flying at an altitude of about 80-100m, about 50m north-north-west of the SMM’s position, flying from a north-north-westerly direction, before hovering near the SMM patrol. The SMM left the area.

Presence of mines near Vesela Hora and Novoselivka, unexploded ordnance near Debaltseve and mine hazard signs near Novohryhorivka, Horlivka and Chermalyk

On 22 April, an SMM mini-UAV spotted for the first time 14 anti-tank mines (types undetermined) laid out in two rows across road H-21 near Vesela Hora (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Luhansk) and two anti-tank mines (TM-62) on the western side of the same road about 120m north-west of the aforementioned mines. The same UAV again spotted at least 44 anti-tank mines (probable TM-62) on the same road and in a field close to the latter two anti-tank mines.

On 23 April, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted for the first time 30 anti-tank mines (types undetermined) laid out in two rows running from north to south for about 70m in a field and another 150 anti-tank mines (types undetermined) laid out in two rows running from north to south for about 420m, all about 3km east of Troitske (government-controlled, 30km north of Donetsk). The same UAV again spotted about 600 anti-tank mines (types undetermined) running from north to south for about 500m, about 3.5km east of Novoselivka (government-controlled, 31km north of Donetsk) and again about 500 anti-tank mines (types undetermined) laid out in three rows running from north to south about 4km north-east of Novoselivka. 

On 24 April, on the southern edge of Debaltseve (non-government-controlled, 58km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw for the first time a piece of unexploded ordnance (UXO), assessed as a 122mm rocket from an MLRS (BM-21) embedded in the asphalt on the northern side of road M-03 about 200m east-south-east of a bridge above railway tracks, which is used daily by civilians and the SMM.

On the north-western edge of Novohryhorivka (non-government-controlled, 61km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw for the first time an improvised mine hazard sign, with “passage forbidden mines” written in Russian, attached to a wooden gate across a road leading to Nyzhnie Lozove (non-government-controlled, 59km north-east of Donetsk).

About 650m south-east of a checkpoint of the armed formations near Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), on the south-eastern side of road T-0513, the SMM again saw a white improvised mine hazard sign with “mines” written in Russian, attached to a wooden stick in the ground.

On the eastern edge of Chermalyk, the SMM again saw a red mine hazard sign, with “Stop Mines” in Ukrainian, attached to a rope extended across a road leading to a cemetery.

Demining activities in Myrna Dolyna

The Mission again saw six people in protective gear bearing the logo of an international organization in a field 50m west of a local road in Myrna Dolyna (government-controlled, 67km north-west of Luhansk).

Hardship for civilians at checkpoints along the contact line

At the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw the body of a deceased man covered with a blanket and lying on the ground behind containers. Medical staff from an international organization told the Mission that the man was 81 years old and had died of natural causes while waiting at the checkpoint. A couple (in their forties), who introduced themselves as neighbours of the man, said that he was a resident of a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region and had collapsed while waiting to travel to government-controlled areas to collect his pension.

At the checkpoint of the armed formations south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk), a representative of an international organization told the SMM that a 35-year-old man had died from natural causes at a bus stop nearby after travelling across the contact line. (These two cases would respectively be the eighteenth and nineteenth cases of civilians dying of natural causes at checkpoints along the contact line recorded by the Mission since the beginning of the year.)

At 12:30, at the entry-exit checkpoint north of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM saw about 500 people queuing to exit and about 200 people queuing to enter government-controlled areas. Two women and a man (all about 50 years old) told the SMM that they had been queueing for three hours to exit government-controlled areas.

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk) and to power lines near Luhanske (government-controlled, 59km east of Donetsk) and Spartak (non-government-controlled, 9km north of Donetsk). The SMM monitored the security situation in the area of the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk) and facilitated the operation of the DFS.

SMM monitoring and facilitating the distribution of coal in Travneve

The Mission continued to monitor and facilitate adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate the delivery of coal by an international humanitarian organization in Travneve (government-controlled, 51km north-east of Donetsk).

Border areas outside of government control

Positioned at a border crossing point near Ulianivske (61km south-east of Donetsk) for about 30 minutes, the SMM saw a woman entering Ukraine and a woman with a toddler exiting Ukraine.

Positioned at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) for about 45 minutes, the SMM saw six cars (two with Ukrainian licence plates, as well as four with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine and 34 cars (nine with Ukrainian and 12 with Russian Federation licence plates, as well as 13 with “DPR” plates), three minivans (with “DPR” plates), 76 covered cargo trucks (33 with Ukrainian, seven with Russian Federation and 19 with Belarusian licence plates, as well as 17 with “DPR” plates), and ten tanker trucks (four labelled as flammable, all with Russian Federation licence plates) exiting Ukraine.

The SMM 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, 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 on Control and Coordination (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.

Denial of access:

• On two occasions, at a checkpoint of the armed formations north of Novoazovsk (non-government-controlled, 40km east of Mariupol), an armed member of the armed formations again prevented the SMM from proceeding south towards Novoazovsk and east towards the border with the Russian Federation, citing “orders from his superior”.
• At a checkpoint of the armed formations on the eastern edge of Oleksandrivske (formerly Rozy Liuksemburh, non-government-controlled, 90km south-east of Donetsk), an armed member of the armed formations prevented the SMM from proceeding further.
• At a checkpoint north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), two armed members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage south to Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol), and west to Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol), citing “ongoing small-arms fire in the area and the security of the SMM”. While present, the SMM saw civilian vehicles crossing the checkpoint towards Sakhanka and Pikuzy.

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 south of the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations told the Mission that no demining activities had taken place between the checkpoint and the bridge.

Delay:

• At a checkpoint of the armed formations about 600m west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), an armed member of the armed formations again stopped the SMM for about 20 minutes before allowing the Mission to proceed through the checkpoint into non-government-controlled areas.

Conditional access:

• At a checkpoint of the armed formations on road H-15 near the Kargil plant in Kreminets (non-government-controlled, 16km south-west of Donetsk), a member of the armed formations allowed the SMM to proceed only after inspecting its trailer.

[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] 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 ACVs mentioned in this section are not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[5] The SMM was unable to assess whether these weapons were in violation of withdrawal lines in the absence of information on their calibre.

[6]  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.

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