OSCE SMM Spot Report 45/2021: Armed formations denied the SMM’s passage near Zolote, Luhansk region

On the morning of 20 December, the armed formations in Luhansk region denied the Mission passage to an electricity box, part of the power supply to the SMM’s camera system in the disengagement area near Zolote. The box was located 100m south of the southern edge of the disengagement area. The SMM patrol, embedded with two technical specialists, was travelling from the direction of Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, non-government-controlled, 50km west of Luhansk).

The denial occurred at 09:44 at the checkpoint of the armed formations near the southern edge of the disengagement area, when a member of the armed formations denied the Mission passage, citing a “lack of prior notification”. At 10:12 another SMM patrol, after it had entered the disengagement area from the government-controlled areas, arrived at the camera site 350m north of its southern edge and performed camera maintenance at the site.

For recent freedom of movement restrictions faced by the Mission, see previous SMM Spot Reports.

The Mission again notes that such denials not only restrict the SMM’s freedom of movement, but also prevent the scheduled maintenance of the SMM’s technical means of observation, which are an essential and integral part of the Mission’s monitoring.

The OSCE Permanent Council Decision No. 1117 specifies that the SMM shall have safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. Unrestricted and unconditional access to all areas is essential to ensure effective monitoring and reporting of the security situation, as well as other mandated tasks. The mandate also tasks the Mission to report on any restrictions of its freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate.