Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 19:30 (Kyiv time), 16 July 2015

The level of violence at and around the destroyed “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled airport (12km north-west of Donetsk) decreased compared to previous days. Positioned at the “DPR”-controlled Donetsk central railway station (8km north-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard and observed on 16 July between 08:10 and 16:00hrs 10 incoming/14 outgoing and 15 unknown explosions at locations 3-6km north, north-west, west and south of its position. The SMM estimates that the explosions were caused by mortar and light weapons.  The SMM also heard the use of small arms north, north-west and south west of its position.

From its observation point located on the eastern outskirts of Berdianske (government-controlled, 1.5km west of Shyrokyne, 18.5km east of Mariupol), the SMM did not observe any violence during the day. The security situation remained calm in the government–controlled area of Mariupol.

The SMM continued to facilitate vital repair work to the water-supply system between “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk) and government-controlled Maiorsk (45km north-north-east of Donetsk). The SMM met the director of Voda Donbassa who requested that the SMM continue supporting the repairs on the pipeline until their completion scheduled for 31 July. He furthermore said that, due to the heavy shelling that had occurred during the night of 15 July, new damages had been caused to the central water pipe. The SMM observed a new hole in the water pipeline (1m2). Whilst in Maiorsk, the SMM heard small arms fire 5km north of its location. Around 20 rounds were heard for 2 minutes.

As in previous days, the SMM facilitated cease-fire for demining operations to be carried out and repair works to take place. The demining team found three unexploded objects near the area of the repair site. A controlled explosion was successfully conducted with the SMM ensuring that the sides knew about it and held the fire.

In Komsomolske (“DPR”-controlled, 42km south-east of Donetsk), the

In Krasnoarmiisk (government-controlled, 55km north-west of Donetsk), the head of the military field hospital said that, three days prior, 20 wounded soldiers (mostly from the areas of Avdiivka and Horlivka) had been admitted at the hospital. Besides trauma injuries, some suffered from psychosomatic disorders and post-traumatic stress the interlocutor informed.

The general security situation in Luhansk region remained relatively calm with only one ceasefire violation observed. At 16:10hrs, in government-controlled Staryi Aidar (20km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two outgoing bursts of four to six rounds of heavy machine gun 300 meters south of its position.

The SMM revisited three “DPR” and two Ukrainian Armed Forces heavy weapons holding areas, whose locations comply with the respective withdrawal lines. At one of the Ukrainian Armed Forces holding areas, the SMM recorded one additional self-propelled howitzer (2S3 Akatsiya 152mm). The total number of equipment now registered is six pieces of 2S3. At the other Ukrainian Armed Forces holding area, the SMM did not find any equipment and was told that the previously recorded six self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika 122mm) had been redeployed to an undisclosed location.

Despite claims by all sides that heavy weapons had been withdrawn, the SMM continued to observe heavy weapons in areas proscribed by the Minsk arrangements: in government controlled areas, two main battle tanks (MBT T-64); and one infantry fighting vehicle (BMP-2).

In addition, the SMM unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) detected a concentration of military hardware including 6 MBTs, at least 35 armoured personnel carriers and more than 40 military-type trucks near “DPR”-controlled Komsomolske  (45 km south-east of Donestk).  The UAV data also showed the continued construction of defensive positions on the government-controlled side of the line of contact, namely to the south-west of Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) and north-east of Mariupol as well as extensive activities in the training area to the south of Torez (“DPR”-controlled, 62km west of Donetsk).

The SMM continued to observe a few small protests throughout Ukraine by ‘Pravyi Sektor’ (Right Sector) members and supporters. On 15 July, in Kherson, the SMM monitored 50 supporters of the Right Sector, mostly men, protesting in front of the Court of Appeals against the detention of one activist charged with “armed robbery” (Art 187 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code) for beating an internally displaced person (IDP). A dozen policemen were present. In Kyiv for the fifth consecutive day, the SMM observed 50 Right Sector supporters (mainly males, aged between 20 and 50) wearing military fatigues gathered in front of the presidential administration. 15 National Guard and five police guarded the building. In Dnepropetrovsk, in front of the regional police building, the SMM observed a Right Sector protest attended by 15 people (mixed gender, aged between 15 and 30).  In Lviv, the SMM noticed only two Right Sector members staying in front of the regional administration building. In Chernivtsi, the SMM observed on the central square three Right Sector members. All gatherings were peaceful.

The parliament (of Ukraine voted in the first reading for the draft amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine on decentralization with 288 deputies supporting the draft and submitting it to the Constitutional Court before proceeding to the second reading. The draft amendments envisage multiple changes to the existing administrative setting of the country that would bring more powers to local communities. With regards to the ‘certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts’ the draft amendments state that the specificities of local governance there will be defined by a separate law. Compared to the earlier draft amendments of the 1 July 2015 the draft of 15 July, eventually voted by the parliament, refers to the specificities of local governance in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts not in the interim provisions of the ‘Law of Ukraine on the amendments to the Constitution (on decentralisation)’ but in the interim provisions of the amended text of the Constitution itself.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Odessa.

For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed Table

* Restrictions on SMM monitoring, access and freedom of movement:

The SMM is restrained in fulfilling its monitoring functions by restrictions imposed by third parties and security considerations, including the presence – and lack of information on the whereabouts – of mines and damaged infrastructure. The security situation in Donbas is fluid and unpredictable and the ceasefire does not hold everywhere. Self-imposed restrictions on movement into high-risk areas have impinged on SMM patrolling activities, particularly in areas not controlled by the government. Most areas along the Ukraine-Russian Federation international border have ordinarily been placed off limits to the SMM by both “DPR” and “LPR”.  The SMM UAVs cannot operate in Luhansk region as it is beyond their range.

Delayed access:

In Komsomolske (“DPR”-controlled, 42km south-east of Donetsk), at the entrance of a “military” compound, the SMM cars were blocked by a car and uniformed male armed persons. The armed persons checked SMM cars outside (the roof of the car) looking for cameras and asked about any pictures taken. After 10mns, the SMM was allowed to pass.