Latest from the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (based on information received as of 18:00), 21 October
This report is for media and the general public.
The SMM continued to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum. In the Donetsk and Luhansk regions the situation remained volatile. The SMM observed numerous cases of non-compliance with the provisions of the Minsk Memorandum and received reports of many others. In other parts of the country the situation remained calm.
In Borivskyi District (140km south-east of Kharkiv), the SMM met the district head who provided updates on the local Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) situation. The interlocutor stated that the number of IDPs present in Borivskyi had increased in early October. He said that there are now 2,325 IDPs officially registered in the district (compared to 1,986 in early October). He added that a total of 3,547 IDPs had been registered in Borivskyi district since the start of the crisis (March 2014) out of which 1,222 had already returned to their regions of origin (not specified). The interlocutor ensured that the civil servants of the District Department of Labor and Social Protection arecurrently familiarizing themselves with the newly enacted government regulations with financial assistance and registration for IDPs (resolutions 505 and 509).
In Krymske village (42.5km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM spoke with the Ukrainian commander at the most western checkpoint of Krymske. The interlocutor stated that the “Luhansk People Republic” (LPR) forces – who previously controlled Krymske – had pulled out of the village on 20 October after the Ukrainian forces had sent reinforcements to the area, which allegedly deterred the LPR from keeping their position in Krymske.
In Mariupol the security situation remains tense, but no incidents were observed during the reporting period.
On 21 October the SMM visited the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) field office in Svitlodars'k (80km south-east of Kramatorsk). The SMM met Ukrainian and Russian JCCC representatives at the JCCC field office command centre. The Ukrainian representatives reported 60 cease-fire violations while the Russian representatives reported 62 violations in the past 24 hours. The interlocutors did not provide details on the aforementioned violations.
In Maiorsk (60km south-south-east of Kramatorsk), the SMM met the Ukrainian commander of a local checkpoint. The commander reported that the situation in his area of responsibility remains volatile. He said that enemy snipers are still operating in the area. The commander added that a Ukrainian patrol from his checkpoint had been ambushed near Zaitseve village (70km south-east of Kramatorsk). During the patrol, the SMM heard 122mm mortar shelling about 2km east from the Ukrainian checkpoint in Maiorsk. The SMM could not specify whether it was outgoing or incoming shelling. The SMM also heard small arms and light weapons fire coming from Zaitseve village and directed towards the aforementioned Ukrainian checkpoint in Maiorsk. The SMM assessed that the bursts originated from 7.62 calibre assault rifles.
In Dobropillia (60km south-west of Kramatorsk), the SMM spoke with the mayor, the deputy mayor and the deputy director of the Social Protection Department. The aforementioned officials stated that there are currently 5,116 registered IDPs in the city. However, the mayor stated that real number of IPDs in Dobropillia might be twice that, as the official numbers do not include non-registered IDPs. The officials explained that Dobropillia administration is currently re-registering all the IDPs in compliance with the new government regulation on IDP financial assistance and registration (resolutions 505 and 509). The mayor added that there are no tensions between the local population of Dobropillia and the IDPs. In Dobropillia most IDPs live either in private accommodation or in hostels, dormitories and houses provided by the local authorities. The interlocutors explained that “Rinat Akhmetov Foundation” and the Ukrainian Red Cross had been the largest humanitarian relief supplier so far. Dobropillia officials stated that local water supply had been severely restricted (access limited to the morning and evening) as the regional water reservoir located in Karlovskoye (50km north-west of Donetsk) had been severely damaged during the recent fighting in the area. Dobropillia authorities also created mobile administrative service points where IDPs can address their administrative issues.
In the city of Donetsk and its surroundings the overall security situation remained tense.
The SMM did not observe nor hear any shelling or shooting. On 21 October the SMM visited the warehouse of the Donetsk state chemical plant where a heavy explosion occurred on 20 October. The SMM spoke to local inhabitants living in the area located in the vicinity of the explosion site. The local inhabitants said that they felt a powerful shock followed by an acoustic wave after the explosion had broken out at Donetsk state chemical plant on 20 October. The interlocutors reported that the explosion shattered the windows of their accommodation, which the SMM could observe. The SMM monitored the Donbass Arena (located 13km east of the explosion site). The SMM observed damage on the western side of the arena, mainly destroyed glass panels. The SMM later went to local schools located 6km east of the factory where they observed broken windows. The SMM finally went to Donetsk City Hospital No.1 (11km east of the factory). There wasno damage reported or observed at the hospital premises.
The situation in Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Odessa, Kyiv, Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk and Lviv remained quiet.