Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 17 May 2019
This report is for the media and the general public.
Summary
- Compared with the previous reporting period, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
- A woman was injured from shelling in Oleksandrivka.
- The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
- The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
- Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The Mission’s freedom of movement was also restricted near government-controlled Bohdanivka and near non-government-controlled Zaichenko, Bezimenne and Novoazovsk, all in southern Donetsk region.*
- The Mission saw an LGBTIQ rights gathering and counter-gathering in Chernivtsi.
Ceasefire violations[1]
In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, however, fewer explosions (about 110), compared with the previous reporting period (about 150 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded at southerly directions of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol), in areas south of Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk) and in areas south-east of Donetsk city centre.
In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions (about 670), compared with the previous reporting period (30 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including about 600 explosions, were recorded at southerly and easterly directions of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk).
Woman injured from shelling in Oleksandrivka
At a hospital in Donetsk city, the SMM saw a woman (53 years old) with her abdominal area bandaged. She told the SMM that while in Oleksandrivka (non-government-controlled, 20km south-west of Donetsk) on 13 April, she had heard shelling at about 05:00 and had sought shelter in a neighbour’s basement. As she was walking back to her house at about 07:00, she said she had heard whistling and other noise, and then had collapsed after feeling a sharp pain in her stomach. The woman said that she had then crawled back to her house and had been transported towards the hospital in a military-type truck, adding that an ambulance could not visit due to sniper fire concerns. Medical staff at the hospital told the SMM that the woman had been admitted on 13 April with shrapnel wounds to her stomach and left side of her body caused by shelling. At a school in Oleksandrivka, the woman’s neighbour (60-70 years old) told the SMM that she had met the woman on the street just moments before the incident.
Disengagement areas[2]
On the evening and night of 16-17 May, the SMM camera in Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) recorded nine projectiles in flight and three bursts of undetermined weapons, all at an assessed range of 2-5km east-south-east and south-east (all assessed as inside the disengagement area), a burst at an assessed range of 3-5km east-south-east (unable to be assessed as inside or outside the disengagement area), and seven projectiles in flight at an assessed range of 3-6km east and south (assessed as outside the disengagement area but within its 5km periphery). On 17 May, positioned on the western edge of Pervomaisk (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 4-6km north (unable to be assessed as inside or outside the disengagement area).
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 Mission observed calm situations.[3]
Fresh craters between Hirske and Zolote-2/Karbonit
In a field near a bridge south of Hirske (government-controlled, 63km west of Luhansk), the SMM observed at least six fresh craters around 100m east of road T-1316 and around 300m east of an operational school in Zolote-2/Karbonit (government-controlled, 62km north-west of Luhansk) (for previous observations n the area see SMM Daily Report 2 April 2019).
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
16 May
An SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted a self-propelled howitzer (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Vrubivka (72km west of Luhansk).
17 May
The SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9k33 Osa) in a field west of road M-03 north of Luhanske (59km north-east of Donetsk).
Non-government-controlled areas
15 May
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).
16 May
An SMM mini-UAV spotted:
- a tank (T-64) and three probable tanks (T-64) near Novoselivka (16km west of Luhansk); and
- two mortars (2B14 Podnos, 82mm) near Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, 44km west of Luhansk).
An SMM mid-range UAV spotted a self-propelled howitzer (2S1) near Vesele (92km south of Donetsk).
Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites
Non-government-controlled areas
16 May
An SMM long-range UAV spotted nine tanks (five probable T-72 and four probable T-64) in a training area near Pokrovka (36km east of Donetsk).
Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[4]
Government-controlled areas
15 May
An SMM mid-range UAV spotted an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) and a probable IFV (BMP variant) near Novhorodske (35km north of Donetsk).
16 May
An SMM long-range UAV spotted an IFV (BMP-2) near Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk).
An SMM mid-range UAV spotted an armoured combat vehicle (ACV) near Vodiane (94km south of Donetsk).
17 May
The SMM saw:
- an IFV (BMP-1) in Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk);
- a combat engineering vehicle (BAT-2) at a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint south-west of Popasna;
- an IFV (BTR-4) near Novokalynove (29km north-west of Donetsk);
- an IFV (BMP-2) near Yasnobrodivka (25km north-west of Donetsk);
- three IFVs (BMP-1) in a compound on the eastern outskirts of Popasna; and
- an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR variant) in Odradivka (59km north of Donetsk).
The SMM camera in Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk) recorded an ACV (BTR-80) on road H-20 north-east of Berezove.
Non-government-controlled areas
15 May
Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of four ACVs in a training area near Novoselivka (37km north-east of Donetsk).
16 May
An SMM long-range UAV spotted an IFV near Kreminets (16km south-west of Donetsk).
An SMM mini-UAV spotted:
- an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRM-1K) and an APC (MT-LB) near Sentianivka; and
- two ACVs about 50m from a residential house in Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 92km south of Donetsk).
The SMM saw two IFVs (BMP-1), one parked next to a house, north-east of Dachne (47km west of Luhansk).
UAV seen flying in the security zone
The SMM saw an unidentified UAV (assessed as a fixed-wing type) flying from north-east to south-west at an altitude of about 300m, about 2.5km south-east of Patriotychne (non-government-controlled, 35km north-east of Mariupol).
Presence of mines near Nelipivka and Vodiane and a mine hazard sign near Debaltseve
On 15 May, an SMM mid-range UAV again spotted at least 300 anti-tank mines laid out in two rows near Nelipivka (government-controlled, 40km north-east of Donetsk). On 16 May, an SMM mini-UAV again spotted about 20 anti-tank mines laid out in a single row about 3km north-west of Vodiane.
The SMM again saw an improvised mine hazard sign, a wooden sign with “Mines – Driving Prohibited” written in Russian, on the north-eastern edge of road M-03 near Debaltseve (non-government-controlled, 58km north-east of Donetsk).
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), as well as to water pipelines near Zolote and between Zolote-2/Karbonit, Zolote-3/Stakhanovets (government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk) and Popasna, and to high voltage power lines near Katerynivka (government-controlled, 64km west of Luhansk).
The Mission also facilitated the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) and continued to monitor the security situation in the area of the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).
People applying for passports of the Russian Federation in Donetsk region
In non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, the SMM observed a queue of about 20 people (mixed genders, 20-60 years old) outside a building in the Proletarskyi district of Donetsk city and five people queuing outside a building in Dokuchaievsk (30km south-west of Donetsk). Some of them told the SMM that they had been queuing to submit and finalize applications for passports of the Russian Federation or to apply for a “DPR” “passport”.
LGBTIQ rights gathering and counter-gathering in Chernivtsi
In Chernivtsi, the SMM saw about 15 people (mostly women, 20 to 30 years old) at Theatre Square for an event organized by a non-governmental organization for the “International day of fighting against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia”. About 500 members of the National Police and National Guard were around the group and around the square. On the other side of the square, the SMM saw about 50 people (mostly men, 20-30 years old), some wearing balaclavas, chanting slogans in opposition to the other group. At one point, the SMM saw members of the bigger group spray police with a substance, assessed as probable tear gas, in an attempt to move past the police towards the smaller group. The SMM saw some police with redness in their eyes and on the rest of their faces. The police maintained their position and escorted the smaller group away after about one hour. No further incidents were observed.
The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro 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 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 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:
- At a checkpoint north of Novoazovsk (non-government-controlled, 40km east of Mariupol), an armed member of the armed formations again denied the SMM entrance to the town, citing an “ongoing special operation in the area”.
- At a checkpoint 2.5km west of Bezimenne (non-government-controlled, 30km east of Mariupol), two armed members of the armed formations again prevented the SMM from proceeding further west, citing an “ongoing special operation in the area”.
- At a checkpoint about 800m north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), an armed member of the armed formations denied the SMM passage westward to Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol) and southward to Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol), citing a lack of prior communication to their superiors.
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.
Delay:
- At a checkpoint north-west of Bohdanivka (government-controlled, 41km south-west of Donetsk), a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier allowed the SMM to pass only after waiting about an hour and a half and contacting their superior officer for permission.
Other impediments:
- On the evening of 16 May, an SMM long-range UAV experienced signal interference, assessed as due to jamming, while flying over Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) and non-government-controlled areas of northern Donetsk region, including areas close to the contact line.[5]
[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, the SMM camera in Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk) was not operational.
* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate”.
[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.
[5] The interference could have originated from anywhere within a radius of several kilometres from the UAV’s position.