Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 3 May 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 both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
- The SMM saw fresh small-arms fire damage to a residential house in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka.
- The SMM recorded an explosion inside the Zolote disengagement area.
- The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas.
- The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to civilian infrastructure and damaged houses, as well as to enable demining activities at cemeteries in government-controlled areas of Luhansk region.It alsocontinued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station and monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka.
- Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere.*
Ceasefire violations[1]
In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, more explosions (about 250), compared with the previous reporting period (about 180 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recordedin areas west and south-west of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), in areas north-north-west, north-west and south-west of Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk) and in areas north, south-west and west of Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk).
In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including a similar number of explosions (11), compared with the previous reporting period. The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded at easterly directions of Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk).
In Luhansk city, the SMM observed a gathering of about 2,500 people at an event of the armed formations where it heard about 15 explosions and 260 shots and bursts of small-arms fire, assessed as simulation pyrotechnics and blank shots.
Fresh small-arms fire damage to the window of a house in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka
At 18 Lizy Chaikinoi Street in the western part Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM observed two holes (1.5cm and 3.5cm in diameter, respectively) in a plastic window frame in the west-facing wall of a two-storey residential house. The SMM assessed that the damage had been caused by small-arms fire. According to the owner of the house (man in his forties), the damage had occurred on 2 May. (For previous observations in the area, see SMM Daily Report 22 April 2019.)
Loss of SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
While positioned 4km west of Almazna (non-government-controlled, 55km west of Luhansk) and flying an SMM mini-UAV about 300m south-south-west, the UAV encountered GPS signal interference. The SMM lost control of the mini-UAV and was not able to return it.
Disengagement areas[2]
On the evening of 2 May, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded an undetermined explosion at an assessed range of 2-4km south-east, assessed as inside the disengagement area, as well as eight projectiles and a muzzle flash assessed as outside the disengagement area.
During the day on 3 May, positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), 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 in violation of withdrawal lines
Non-government-controlled areas
30 April
An SMM mini-UAV spotted a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) near Novohryhorivka (33km west of Luhansk).
1 May
An SMM mini-UAV spotted four tanks (T-64) near Novoselivka (16km west of Luhansk).
2 May
An SMM mini-UAV spotted a towed mortar (2B16 Nona-K, 120mm), with its barrel removed, on the south-eastern outskirts of Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk).
Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites
Government-controlled areas
3 May
The SMM saw four towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) near Pryvillia (81km north of Donetsk).
Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[4]
Government-controlled areas
3 May
The SMM saw:
- an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) near Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk); and
- an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) and an armoured combat vehicle (type undetermined) near Zolote.
Non-government-controlled areas
30 April
An SMM mini-UAV spotted a new trench (not seen in imagery from 22 February 2019) running 100m north from a recently constructed bunker near Stepove (27km west of Luhansk).
1 May
An SMM mini-UAV spotted an IFV (BMP-1) and an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-80) about 35m from civilian houses in Novoselivka.
2 May
An SMM mini-UAV spotted an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2), three anti-aircraft guns (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted on three APCs (MT-LB M) as well as eight APCs (MT-LB) in Pervomaisk.
3 May
The SMM saw an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM variant) and two APCs (BTR-80) in Luhansk city.
Mine hazard signs in Debaltseve
On 3 May, the SMM observed for the first time a mine hazard sign with “Mines” written in Russian on Chervonoarmiiska Streetin the western outskirts of Debaltseve (non-government-controlled, 58km north-east of Donetsk) (for previous observations in the area, see SMM Daily Report 1 May 2019).
SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure and damaged houses
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), the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne (formerly Artemove, government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk) as well as damaged houses in Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) and Krasnohorivka (government-controlled, 21km west of Donetsk). The Mission also continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) and to monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).
SMM facilitation of demining activities in and around cemeteries
The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable demining activities reportedly carried out by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in and around cemeteries in government-controlled areas near Katerynivka (64km west of Luhansk).
Border areas outside government control
Positioned at the border crossing point near Novoazovsk (101km south-east of Donetsk) for 15 minutes, the SMM saw two cars with Russian Federation licence plates entering Ukraine, as well as five cars (four with Russian Federation licence plates and one with “DPR” plates) and two pedestrians (a woman and a man, both in their forties) exiting Ukraine.
In Donetsk City people apply for passports of the Russian Federation
In non-government-controlled Donetsk city, the SMM observed about 70 people (mixed gender and ages) in front of a building at Khodakovskoho Street No.10 in order to submit applications for passports of the Russian Federation. A man and a woman (in their thirties) told the Mission that once their papers would be examined and approved, they would be asked to make a payment of about 1,200 Russian Roubles at a financial institution in Donetsk. The SMM saw several representatives of the media in front of the building. It also saw a senior member of the armed formations give an interview saying that applicants were required to submit a birth certificate, eight photographs as well as a “passport” issued by the armed formations."
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, 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 theJoint Centre on Control and Co-ordination (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 SMM Daily Report 3 May 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.
Denials of 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.
- At a checkpoint in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk), an officer of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to the JCCC told the SMM by phone that no demining activities had taken place during the previous 24 hours and that the road south of the bridge was still mined. The SMM did not consider safe to proceed.
Delays:
- At a checkpoint approximately 600m west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), on two occasions, armed members of the armed formations allowed the SMM to proceed only after about 20 and 40 minutes respectively.
[1]For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, the SMM camera at the 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.