Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 22 July 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 Mission saw fresh damage caused by shelling to a civilian property in Olenivka, reportedly ten days ago.
- Small-arms fire was directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near Chermalyk and at an SMM mid-range UAV near Berezivske.
- Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM continued to monitor the operation of a shuttle bus service in government-controlled areas north of the bridge.
- The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs to critical civilian infrastructure, including repairs to power lines near Betmanove.
- Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including at a checkpoint near non-government-controlled Zaichenko and Shevchenko.*
Ceasefire violations[1]
In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including fewer explosions (seven) compared with the previous reporting period (about 35 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas east-south-east of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk).
In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including fewer explosions (five), compared with the previous reporting period (about 155 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including five explosions, were recorded at southerly directions of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk).
Following the beginning of the recommitment to the ceasefire at 00:01 on 21 July, the SMM recorded a total of 410 ceasefire violations (18 explosions, 24 projectiles in flight and 368 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire).
Recent damage to civilian property in Olenivka
On 22 July, in Olenivka (non-government controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), at 95 Pereizdna Street, near an inhabited house, the SMM saw a hole (7cm wide and about 25cm long) on the south-facing wooden door of a garage and about 20 cracks on the windshield of the car parked inside it. The SMM assessed the damage as recent and caused by an undetermined weapon. A resident of the house (a woman in her sixties) told the SMM that shelling had occurred at 02:00 on 12 July.
Small-arms fire assessed as directed at SMM UAVs near Chermalyk and Berezivske
While conducting a mini-UAV flight near Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol), while located 600m north of Chermalyk, the SMM heard three shots of small-arms fire at an assessed distance of about 1.8km north-west of the patrol, assessed as aimed at the UAV, also flying 1.8km north-west. The SMM safely landed the UAV and left the area.*
On the same day, while conducting a mid-range-UAV flight at the south-western edge of Berezivske (non-government-controlled, 53km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard one burst of heavy-machine-gun fire at an assessed distance of about 1-2km west of the patrol, assessed as aimed at the UAV, which was flying about 1.2-1.6km west. The SMM safely landed the UAV and left the area.*
Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area
On 22 July, the SMM saw a white armoured personnel carrier (APC) (Kozak), assessed as belonging to the State Emergency Services passing the entry-exit checkpoint (EECP) north of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north of Luhansk) and driving south.
Inside the disengagement area, the SMM saw two Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC)[2] at the entrance of the EECP, and two members of the armed formations wearing armbands with “JCCC” written on them, standing on the southern part of the broken bridge.
The Mission again saw a bus transporting people, mainly elderly, in government-controlled areas north of the bridge from an area about 250m south of the EECP to the broken section of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge and back, leaving approximately every 15-20 minutes.
Other disengagement areas[3]
On the evening of 21 July, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded an illumination flare in vertical flight, assessed as outside the disengagement area but within its 5km periphery. On the evening and night between 21-22 July, positioned on the northern edge of Popasna, the SMM heard about four explosions, 140 shots of small-arms fire and 75 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all assessed as outside the Zolote disengagement area but within its 5km periphery.
On 20 July, inside the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), an SMM long-range UAV again spotted an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1), assessed as belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. On 22 July, positioned close to the disengagement area near Petrivske, the SMM observed a calm situation.[4]
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
20 July
An SMM long-range UAV again spotted two 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
21 July
An SMM mini-UAV spotted a probable surface-to-air missile system (9K35, Strela-10) in Katerynivka (formerly Yuvileine, 8km west of Luhansk).
Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[5]
Government-controlled areas
20 July
An SMM mid-range UAV spotted an IFV (BMP variant) near Katerynivka (64km west of Luhansk).
An SMM long-range UAV spotted an IFV (BMP-1) inside the disengagement area near Petrivske (see above).
21 July
An SMM mini-UAV spotted two IFVs (BMP variant) and an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) about 70m east of a church in a residential area on the north-eastern edge of Heorhiievka (27km south-west of Donetsk).
22 July:
The SMM saw an IFV (BTR-4) near Novobakhmutivka (28km north of Donetsk).
Non-government-controlled areas
20 July
An SMM mini-UAV again spotted a fortified position, assessed as belonging to the armed formations, with four men (all visibly armed) involved in construction activity around the position, north of Stepove (27km west of Luhansk).
21 July
An SMM mini-UAV spotted:
- three armoured communication vehicles (R-145) and one APC (MT-LB) chassis, and an APC (MT-LB) in Katerynivka (formerly Yuvileine, 8km west of Luhansk); and
- four APCs (MT-LB) and an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) on the southern edge of Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk).
The SMM saw an armoured recovery vehicle (BTS-4 variant) on the northern outskirts of Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, non-government-controlled, 50km west of Luhansk).
Demining activities near Kodema
On 22 July, the SMM saw a white mini-van and six persons in protective gear bearing the logo of an international organization in the fields on the western outskirts of Kodema (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), carrying out demining activities.
SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure
The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to power lines near Betmanove (formerly Krasnyi Partyzan, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Donetsk).
The SMM also continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) and monitor the security situation in the area of the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk). On 22 July, the SMM heard three explosions, assessed as impacts at an assessed range of 2.5km north-east of the DFS and two explosions, assessed as impacts at an assessed range of 2km east-south-east of DFS.
The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.
*Restrictions of the 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 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, SMM Daily Report 15 July 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:
- At a checkpoint about 600m north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), two armed members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage southwards to Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol) and westwards to Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol) citing “ongoing demining activities in the area”.
- At the eastern entrance of Shevchenko (non-government-controlled, 69km south of Donetsk), an armed member of the armed formations denied the SMM passage towards Mykolaivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Mariupol) without providing any specific reason.
Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:
- The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to 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 west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), a member of the armed formations allowed the SMM to proceed again after about 30 minutes of waiting.
Other impediments:
- While conducting a mini-UAV flight near Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard three shots of small-arms fire about 1.8km north-west, assessed as aimed at the UAV, which it landed safely.
- While conducting a mid-range-UAV flight near Berezivske (non-government-controlled, 53km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard one burst of machine-gun fire about 1 to 2km west, assessed as aimed at the UAV, which it landed safely.
- On the evening and night of 20-21 July, an SMM long-range UAV experienced dual GPS signal interference, assessed as due to jamming, while flying over Novhorodske (government-controlled, 35km north of Donetsk), between Andriivka (non-government-controlled, 44km south-east of Donetsk) and Bezimenne (non-government-controlled, 30km east of Mariupol), as well as between Nova Tavriia (non-government-controlled, 92km south of Donetsk) and Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk). The same UAV also experienced signal interference, assessed as due to probable jamming, while flying over areas between Kostiantynivka (government-controlled, 60km north of Donetsk) and Stepanivka (government-controlled, 54km north of Donetsk).
- On three different occasions on 22 July, an SMM mini-UAV experienced GPS signal interference, assessed as due to probable jamming, while flying over Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol).
[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.
* 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] The Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) was established in September 2014 by Ukraine and the Russian Federation. Each posted a representative to jointly head the Centre and a staff of officers from the Ukrainian and Russian Federation Armed Forces to be co-located in defined sectors of Luhansk and Donetsk regions. In December 2017, Russian Federation Armed Forces officers withdrew from the JCCC and departed Ukraine.
[3]Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.
[4] Due to the presence of mines, including a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remains limited, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.
[5] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.