Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 18:00 (Kyiv time), 25 January 2015
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 and the work of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). The shelling of a residential area in Mariupol city on 24 January resulted in 30 dead and 102 injured, according to latest media reports.
On 24 January, the SMM visited the site of an extremely heavy barrage of Multi Launch Rocket System (MLRS) which impacted in the area of Olimpiiska Street, 8.5km north-east of Mariupol city centre (95km south of Donetsk), approximately 400 meters from a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint (see SMM Spot Report 24 January). Media reports the death toll to be 30 fatalities and an additional 102 wounded all of which are civilians.
On 24 January, the SMM patrolled Donetsk city centre where it observed substantial damages allegedly caused by shelling on 21-22 January. In Rybatska Street, the SMM observed several residential houses which had suffered structural damage as well as others with shattered windows. Local residents told the SMM that the majority of the neighbourhood was without gas, water and electricity since the shelling on 21 January. On Voziednannia Street, the SMM observed four artillery impacts which caused structural damage to roofs and windows in three houses on the street. In Brusova Street, the SMM observed structural damage to four residential houses allegedly caused by shelling on 22 January. The residents informed the SMM that a woman had died and a man was wounded in the shelling. In Pavla Popovycha Street, the SMM observed the casing of a BM30 series “Smerch” rocket in a garage. In Donetsk city, the SMM observed an increased “police” and military presence at intersections.
When contacted by the SMM, the Major-General of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Head of the Ukrainian side to the JCCC at the JCCC headquarters in government-controlled Debaltseve (55km north-east of Donetsk) said that officers of the Russian Federation Armed Forces and “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”) and “Lugansk People’s Republic” (“LPR”) members remain in government-controlled Soledar (77km north of Donetsk). He told the SMM that on 24 January the Ukrainian Armed Forces positions at the outskirts of Debaltseve had been targeted by artillery fire originating from the direction of “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (43km north-east of Donetsk) and “LPR”-controlled Fashchivka (84km south-west of Luhansk). The SMM was not able to verify these statements.
When contacted by the SMM, Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint personnel near government-controlled Novoluhanske (55km north-east of Donetsk) said that incoming heavy artillery and Grad shelling was on-going for the past four days and impacting in areas close to government-controlled Zaitseve (67km north-north-east of Donetsk) and government-controlled Myronivsky (75km north-east of Donetsk). When contacted by the SMM, the mayor and the municipal council secretary of Novoluhanske confirmed the information about the shelling and that there were no casualties but there were material damages including to the central heating plant serving the town.
On 24 January, at 16:22hrs, the SMM observed in the outskirts of government-controlled Novoaidar (57.9km north-west of Luhansk) what it assessed to be a salvo of six outgoing Grad II missiles outgoing from approximately 5km to the north-east. As the SMM left the scene detonations were heard and pressure waves were felt inside the SMM vehicles. At 16:54hrs while approximately 100 meters from the Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint at government-controlled Novokhtyrka (70km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM observed a tank munition fired from the south to the north coming from the direction of Novoaidar. Small arms fire erupted from the same general direction, south to the north, which prompted the SMM to depart from the location. While retreating, the SMM observed an additional two tank munitions being fired from the same direction to the north.
The JCCC duty room in Luhansk informed the SMM that from 08:00hrs on 23 January to 08:00hrs on 24 January, 79 ceasefire violations were recorded which resulted in five civilian deaths and one injured as well as seven houses, nine non-residential buildings and 15 infrastructural objects being damaged. From 08:00hrs on 24 January to 08:00hrs on 25 January, 38 ceasefire violations were recorded which resulted in one person being injured and nine houses, one non-residential building and one infrastructural object being damaged.
On 25 January, the SMM was stopped at a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint north of government-controlled Toshkivka (70km west of Luhansk) and held up without explanation for 35 minutes following which it decided to retreat.
According to media reports, on 24 January, at approximately 20:30hrs, an explosion occurred at a cargo facility near the Balashovka cargo railroad station on Kharkiv’s Nekhaenka Street, (Kominternovskyi district). On 25 January, the SMM visited the site but was not able to enter the facility which was sealed off. Local residents on the spot said that a gas tank exploded during a fire inside a carpenter’s workshop near the cargo facility. The police said to the SMM that the incident resulted in no injuries and was under investigation by the State Security Service (SBU).
On 25 January, the SMM monitored the regular weekly gathering at Kharkiv’s Liberty Square, where some 150 middle aged men and women, including members of Euromaidan, “Pravyy Sektor” (Right Sector) and “Azov” volunteer battalion, commemorated the victims of the Mariupol shelling. The protestors marched to the consulate of the Russian Federation and expressed their concerns about Russian Federation policies. Around 100 police were present at the event which ended peacefully.
According to an official statement, the Dnepropetrovsk Regional State Administration held an emergency meeting on 24 January during which an Emergency Operation Centre was established and includes defence, law enforcement and security agencies, regional authorities as well as city, town and village administrators. The statement also made reference to unspecified security measures that had been taken to protect key infrastructure. When contacted by the SMM on 25 January, the Dnepropetrovsk regional police and Kryvbas volunteer battalion both said that there were currently no threats to the region.
In Zaporizhzhia (69km south of Dnepropetrovsk), when contacted by the SMM, the regional police said that the situation was calm. When contacted by the SMM, the SBU also said that the situation was calm and informed the SMM that the checkpoint between Mariupol and Berdiansk (284km south-east of Dnepropetrovsk) was reinforced. When contacted by the SMM, the chief of police and the chief of the State Emergency Services in Berdiansk both said that the situation was calm with no changes to the current security arrangements.
On 25 January, the SMM monitored at Odessa airport a demonstration attended by approximately 400 men and women of different ages supporting the Ukrainian troops who had served at the Donetsk airport and called for better equipment for soldiers. Approximately 20 police were present at the event which ended peacefully.
On 25 January, the SMM monitored a protest in front of Odessa’s Russian Federation consulate with some 370 protestors, men and women of different ages including 20 men in camouflage uniforms with Ukrainian and Right Sector insignia. The protestors displayed Ukrainian, Svoboda party and Right Sector flags. They shouted slogans against the Russian Federation. Approximately 100 police were present at the event which ended peacefully.
On 25 January, the SMM observed a gathering at Chernivtsi Central Square of 100 men and women of all ages commemorating the victims of the Mariupol shelling. The head of the regional Svoboda party called for the mobilization to be implemented in “a proper way”. The police were present at the event which ended peacefully.
On 25 January between 13:00 and 15:00hrs, the SMM observed two separate gatherings at the Independence Square (Maidan) in Kyiv. The first one was composed of approximately 100 mostly elderly persons demanding further reforms. The second one was composed of approximately 20 persons aged between 20 and 40 who silently held signs reading “I LOVE MARIUPOL”. Men and women were equally represented in both cases. Police were not visible and both gatherings ended peacefully.
The situation in Kherson, Ivano-Frankivsk and Lviv was calm.