Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 28 April 2019

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 26 and 27 April, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region.
• Compared with the previous 24 hours, between the evenings of 27 and 28 April, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• A 26-year-old man was injured by gunfire in Chermalyk.
• Small-arms fire was directed at SMM unmanned aerial vehicles on two occasions near Azov.
• The SMM saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
• The Mission recorded ceasefire violations and saw fresh craters inside the Zolote disengagement area.
• The SMM saw fresh craters, mines and unexploded ordnance between Talakivka and Pikuzy.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure.

• Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted at a checkpoint of the armed formations near Bezimenne, at two heavy weapons holding areas in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, as well as at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka, a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region close to the border with the Russian Federation.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 26 and 27 April, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including fewer explosions (about 120), compared with the previous reporting period (about 150 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south-south-east of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol), at westerly directions of Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), in areas east and east-south-east of Hnutove (government-controlled, 20km north-east of Mariupol) and south-south-east, south-west and west of Azov (formerly Dzerzhynske, non-government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol).

On the evening and night of 26-27 April, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded 28 projectiles in flight and eight explosions (one assessed as an outgoing round of an undetermined weapon, one as an airburst, and six undetermined) at an assessed range of 0.1-1km south and south-south-west. It also recorded a fire about 800-900m south at the junction of road M-04 and road H-20.

Between the evenings of 27 and 28 April, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including fewer explosions (about 20), compared with the previous 24 hours. The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded at southerly directions of Chermalyk.

In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 26 and 27 April, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations, however a similar number of explosions (about 20), compared with the previous reporting period. The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south-east and south of Muratove (government-controlled, 51km north-west of Luhansk) and in areas north-west of Kalynove (non-government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk).

Between the evenings of 27 and 28 April, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including one explosion compared with the previous 24 hours. The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded west of Kalynove-Borshchuvate (non-government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk).

Man injured by gunfire in Chermalyk

On 28 April, at a hospital in government-controlled Mariupol, the SMM saw a man (26 years old) with his right leg wounded and bandaged below the knee. The man told the SMM that on the morning of 26 April, in Chermalyk, he had suddenly felt a bullet hit his right lower leg while walking in civilian clothing from Myra street towards a fenced-in Ukrainian Armed Forces compound to request permission to visit a nearby cemetery in the village. Medical staff at the hospital told the SMM that the man had been admitted on 26 April with fractures and tissue damage to his right leg caused by a bullet.

Small-arms fire directed at SMM unmanned aerial vehicle on two occasions near Azov

On 27 April, while conducting a mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight near Azov to locate an SMM mid-range UAV which had been lost in the area on 25 April (see SMM Daily Report 26 April 2019), the SMM heard 12 bursts of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 600m south-west, assessed as aimed at the UAV which was flying about 650m south-west of the patrol. About an hour later, while conducting a second mini-UAV flight from the same location, the SMM heard 15 bursts and ten shots of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 600m south-west, assessed as aimed at the UAV which was flying about 500m south of its location. On both occasions, the SMM safely landed the UAV.*

Aggressive behaviour directed at SMM by members of the armed formations in Pikuzy

On 27 April, while stationary near a shop in Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol), a civilian car with two men, (30-40 years old) inside, one with military-style clothing, drove towards the SMM rapidly from the road, stopping about 10cm from the front of an SMM vehicle. Upon exiting their vehicle, one of the two men told the driver of the same SMM vehicle in Russian “guard my vehicle” in a loud and aggressive tone, before entering the shop. The men returned shortly to their cars and drove away rapidly.

Disengagement areas[2]

On the evening of 26 April, the SMM camera in Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) recorded 13 projectiles in flight and an illumination flare at an assessed range of 2-4km south-east and south-south-east (assessed as inside the disengagement area), and a projectile in flight at an assessed range of 3-5km south-east, assessed as outside the disengagement area (within 5km of its periphery). On 27 April, inside the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM saw two fresh craters on the road, about 600m east of the checkpoint of the armed formations. It also saw a tailfin of a mortar round inside one of the craters and another near the other crater. The SMM assessed that both craters were caused by mortar rounds fired from a north-westerly direction. About 20m south of the craters, the SMM saw five other fresh craters in a field about 20-100m south of the road. The SMM was unable to assess the weapon used or direction of fire.

Positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk) and near the disengagement area close to Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), on 27 and 28 April, 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.

In violation of withdrawal lines

Government-controlled areas

26 April

An SMM mini-UAV again spotted two probable surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10) less than 50m from residential houses on the northern outskirts of Chernenko (86km south of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

27. April

The SMM saw six multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) in a compound near Sadovyi (57km south-west of Luhansk) (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 19 April 2019).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

26 April

The SMM saw a tank (T-64) on a truck west of Paraskoviivka (31km south-west of Donetsk).

Weapons permanent storage sites

At permanent storage sites in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region

28 April

The SMM noted that one site was abandoned and that a total of 23 tanks (nine T-64 and 14 T-72) and nine mortars (2B-14 Podnos, 82mm) continued to be missing.   

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

Government-controlled areas

26 April

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• four armoured personnel carriers (APC) (BTR-80) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted on a truck near Talakivka (90km south of Donetsk);
• an APC (BTR-80) near Pyshchevyk (84km south of Donetsk); and
• a steel turret near previously observed positions and trenches north of Vodiane (19km north-east of Mariupol).

Non-government-controlled areas

27 April

The SMM saw an armoured combat vehicle (BMP variant or MT-LB variant) in Brianka (46km south-west of Luhansk).

Fresh craters, mines and unexploded ordnance between Talakivka and Pikuzy

On 26 April, about 4km east of Talakivka, an SMM mini-UAV spotted for the first time five anti-tank mines (probable TM-62M) laid out in a single row across a road leading to Pikuzy, as well as again spotted a total of 166 anti-tank mines (probable TM-62) laid across the road and into a field north of the same road (for previous observations see SMM Daily Report 5 February 2019). About 650m south-east of the latter mines, the same UAV spotted two fresh craters about 10m south of the same road, each with a tail boom of a rocket-propelled-grenade (RPG) (PG series) inside, assessed as caused by RPG rounds fired from a westerly direction. About 150m east of the craters, the UAV again spotted four anti-tank mines (TM-62M) across the road, one of which was assessed as having a damaged fuse, as well as a tail boom of an RPG in the middle of the same road, about 10m east of the mines.

Long queues for civilians at checkpoints

On the morning of 26 April, at the checkpoint of the armed formations near Horlivka, the SMM saw a higher than usual number of vehicles queuing in a 3km long line to travel towards government-controlled areas. In the afternoon, at the same location, the SMM saw about 130 vehicles queuing to travel towards government-controlled areas and about 120 vehicles and about 400 pedestrians queuing to enter non-government-controlled areas. In the morning at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw about 500 pedestrians waiting to exit government-controlled areas. In the afternoon, the SMM saw about 100 vehicles (including two full buses) and about 100 pedestrians queuing to exit government-controlled areas.

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

On 27 April, 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). On 27 and 28 April, 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.

Border areas outside government control

On 28 April, positioned at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw five pedestrians entering Ukraine. After about five minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

On 28 April, positioned at the Chervona Mohyla railway station near Voznesenivka for about 20 minutes, the SMM saw at least 100 stationary railway cars, but could not determine the contents.

On 28 April, positioned at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) for about 30 minutes, the SMM saw seven cars (three with Russian Federation licence plates and four with “DPR” plates) and one bus with Ukrainian licence plates entering Ukraine. The SMM also saw 12 cars (five with Ukrainian and three with Russian Federation licence plates, and four with “DPR” plates), one bus with Ukrainian licence plates and five covered cargo trucks (two with Ukrainian, one with Russian Federation and one with Belarusian licence plates, and one with “DPR” 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 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 27 and 28 April, at a checkpoint about 2.5km west of Bezimenne (non-government-controlled, 30km east of Mariupol), armed members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage, citing security concerns for SMM members.
• On 28 April, 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 the area.
• On 28 April, at two heavy weapons holding areas in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, members of the armed formations denied the SMM access.

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 27 April, while conducting a mini-UAV flight near Azov (formerly Dzerzhynske, non-government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM heard 12 bursts of small-arms fire, assessed as aimed at the UAV, which it landed safely (see above).
• On 27 April, while conducting a second mini-UAV flight near Azov (formerly Dzerzhynske, non-government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM heard 15 bursts and ten shots of small-arms fire, assessed as aimed at the UAV, which it landed safely. The SMM immediately left the area (see above).

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, the SMM camera at Oktiabr mine (non-government-controlled, 9km north-west of Donetsk city centre) 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 hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.