Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 4 December 2015

This report is for media and the general public.

The SMM recorded a relatively low number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, some of which were assessed to be training activities*. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair of critical infrastructure, and to monitor movement of civilians across the contact line. Its freedom of movement was restricted on three occasions. The SMM visited areas not controlled by the Government adjacent to the international border.

The SMM recorded ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions[1]. Positioned at “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled Donetsk railway station (6km north-west of Donetsk city) between 08:20 and 14:20hrs[2] the SMM heard three undetermined explosions and multiple bursts of small-arms fire in areas 3-5km to the west and north-west. In Horlivka (“DPR”-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard three undetermined explosions at locations ranging from 5-7km to the west.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded six undetermined explosions in “Lugansk People’s Republic (“LPR”)-controlled Slovianoserbsk (28km north-west of Luhansk) in areas 2-3km to the north and heard up to 100 rounds of small-arms and machine-gun fire assessed as training exercises occurring at the government-controlled Trokhizbenka training area (33km north-west of Luhansk).

In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of measures, the SMM revisited Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent weapons storage sites, the locations of which are corresponded with the withdrawal lines. The SMM observed that a previously recorded anti-tank gun (D44, 85mm) and two previously recorded mortars (2B9, 82mm) were missing; the SMM recorded additional weapons.

In areas beyond the withdrawal lines – but outside storage sites – the SMM observed the following Addendum-related weapons: 12 tanks T-64 in Kramatorsk (government-controlled, 83km north of Donetsk), eight of them being transported on military flatbed, one tank T-64 in Oleksandro-Kalynove (government-controlled, 47km north-west of Donetsk), two tanks T-64 in Zlatoustivka (government-controlled, 47km north-west of Mariupol) on two separate trailers; in Kostiyantynivka (government-controlled, 60km north of Donetsk) eight tanks T-64 being transported on trailers.

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of heavy weapons foreseen in the Minsk Package of measures. Members of the “LPR” provided the SMM with an inventory of heavy weapons, their serial numbers and the locations at which they are said to be stored, as requested by the SMM on 16 October. The Ukrainian military authorities had earlier provided an inventory list of military equipment featuring weapons systems as well as their serial numbers. The “DPR” had yet to provide the requested inventory of heavy weapons and locations of designated permanent storage sites for these weapons.

The SMM revisited locations beyond the respective withdrawal lines known to the SMM as heavy weapons holding areas, even though these did not comply with the specific criteria set out in the 16 October notification.

In government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited such holding areas and observed 12 howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) not recorded previously, and four previously recorded multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-27 Uragan, 220mm).

At various locations, the SMM observed other weapons and military hardware. In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw a military convoy consisting of seven armoured personnel carriers (BTR) and trucks carrying soldiers; in Kostiantynivka (government-controlled, 60km north of Donetsk); in Pavlopil (government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM observed around 100 soldiers. In “DPR”-controlled areas the SMM observed the following: four military-type trucks in Makiivka (35km, north-west of Donetsk) with one carrying armed individuals; two military-type trucks with one carrying armed individuals in Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk); in Krasnyi Partizan (24km north-west of Donetsk), one military-type truck with armed individuals; in Karlo-Marksove (39km north-east of Donetsk) two stationary military flatbeds with fuel tanks and a military convoy consisting of two armoured personnel carrier (BMP) and two multi-purpose light armoured towing vehicle (MTLB). In Donetsk city the SMM saw one MTLB.  

The SMM continued to observe the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) At a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint near government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed that the previously reported 20 anti-tank mines around the checkpoint were secured with concrete blocks and marked with signs (see SMM Daily Report 30 November 2015).

The SMM monitored the movement of civilians across the contact line. At the Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint near government-controlled Marinka, the SMM observed about 40 civilian vehicles and two buses, all with Ukrainian registration plates, waiting to cross into government-controlled areas. At a checkpoint in government-controlled Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed 143 civilian cars and one civilian truck waiting to cross into government-controlled areas. At a checkpoint in government-controlled Novotroitske (36km southwest of Donetsk), the SMM observed 140 civilian cars and one bus waiting to cross into “DPR”-controlled areas and in opposite direction 125 civilian cars, majority with Ukrainian registration plates, queuing to enter government-controlled areas.

In areas along the contact line, the SMM observed repairs of critical infrastructure. In “LPR”-controlled Raivka (16km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable a repair crew installing an electric transformer at a critical water pump station, necessary to restore water supply to Raivka and Metalist (“LPR”-controlled, 6km north of Luhansk). The repair works lasted for approximately 4.5hrs and will continue in the forthcoming days. In “LPR”-controlled Slovianoserbsk, the SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable a repair crew conducting an assessment of damage on electricity lines caused by shelling over the past months. According to the repair crew, restoring of electricity lines is needed for the local water pump station in “LPR”-controlled Krasnyi Lyman (30km north-west of Luhansk) to operate. The SMM observed also work of an “LPR” demining team, conducting demining work in the same area enabling safe access for the repair crew.

The SMM visited areas adjacent to the international border and border crossing points in areas not controlled by the Government. In particular, in “DPR”-controlled Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM observed 85 civilian cars and 20 civilian trucks, the majority with Ukrainian registration plates. Passengers in the first car in the queue told the SMM that they had been waiting for 3.5hrs. In “DPR”-controlled Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk), the SMM observed 60 civilian cars, the majority with Ukrainian registration plates and 55 civilian trucks, all with Ukrainian registration plates waiting to cross into the Russian Federation. Forty-five of the trucks were loaded with coal. One of the truck drivers told the SMM that he was transporting coal from Torez (“DPR”-controlled, 60km east of Donetsk) to Taganrog in the Russian Federation and had been queuing for six hours.

On 3 December, the SMM observed a demonstration in front of the regional prosecutor’s office in Odessa, where ten members (mainly men, different ages) of the Azov volunteer battalion under the Ministry of Internal Affairs and nine members (mainly men, different ages) of a non-governmental organisation called “Department of fight against corruption in Odessa city and region”. The two groups gathered to protest against the reappointment of the same prosecutors after a recent competition. Seven uniformed police officers observed the protest from a distance; it concluded peacefully after 30 minutes.

The following day, on 4 December, the SMM monitored a protest organised by pro-Maidan self-defence groups at the Malynovskyi district court in Odessa reacting to the pre-trial detention of anti-Maidan defendants. The SMM observed 30 self-defence activists (mainly men aged 18 to 45 years) including five members of the local branch of the Right Sector. The SMM observed six uniformed police officers and 15 National Guard officers at the site. The activists moved into the corridors of the courthouse. At 14:20hrs, the court ruled in favour of the prosecutor’s motion, confirming the continuation of the pre-trial detention. Reportedly, one of the defendants injured himself, which the SMM could not observe, but saw how one injured individual was being taken into an ambulance car outside the court. The SMM did not observe any other incidents.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Kherson, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnepropetrovsk, Chernivtsi, and Kyiv.

*Restrictions to SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to the fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM is restrained in fulfilling its monitoring functions by restrictions imposed by the parties and security considerations, including mine threats, damaged infrastructure, and the unpredictability of the situation in Donbas. “LPR” members continue to prevent the SMM from monitoring many areas adjacent to the international border in parts of Luhansk region not controlled by the Government.

Denial of access:

• On 2 December, Ukrainian Armed Forces stopped the SMM at a checkpoint near a heavy weapons holding area, requesting a password from the SMM in order to allow passage. After 30 minutes the SMM left the area.
• At a checkpoint in the area of government-controlled Pyrovrazhne (19km north-east of Mariupol), members of the Kryvbas volunteer battalion under the Ministry of Internal Affairs denied the SMM access to the village.

Conditional access:

• While visiting “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM was constantly accompanied by a local “DPR” “commander”.

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions to SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to the fulfilment of its mandate”.

[2] All times are in Kyiv time unless otherwise specified.