Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 12 April 2016

This report is for media and the general public.

The SMM observed a similar number of ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared to the previous day. A high number of explosions and gunfire continued to be recorded in different areas of the contact line in Donetsk region. The SMM noted that weapons were absent from storage sites and holding areas. The SMM monitored border areas not controlled by the Government. Armed men restricted the SMM’s movement in areas not controlled by the Government and the SMM was restricted in one instance in a government-controlled area.*

The SMM observed a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared to the previous day[1]. From its position in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard, during a two-hour period on the evening of 11 April, at least 173 explosions (mostly attributed to mortars), at least 20 bursts of anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm), observed five airbursts and heard bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire all 7-11km north-north-west and north of its position. Whilst in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard, during the night of 11-12 April, 11 undetermined mortar explosions, 11 undetermined explosions and three rounds from automatic-grenade launchers, saw 18 rounds and heard 39 outgoing rounds assessed as caused by infantry fighting vehicle (BMP-1, 73mm) and bursts of small-arms fire, all 2-8km in a clockwise arc from the south-east to the north.

On the evening of 11 April, the SMM camera positioned south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded 51 explosions from rounds outgoing from east to west and four undetermined explosions, all 4-6km north. Positioned in government-controlled Mariupol city (101km south-west of Donetsk) the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions at unknown distance south-east of its location on the evening of 11 April.

On the night of 11-12 April the SMM heard 30 undetermined explosions, all 5-15km in areas ranging from north-east to north-west of its position in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city.

Positioned in the vicinity of “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (17km north-east of Donetsk) on 12 April, the SMM heard 160 undetermined explosions and small-arms-fire 5-6km north, north-west and west.

While in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, 51 rounds of automatic grenade launcher (AGL), 39 rounds from an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23), 16 impacts from a recoilless gun (SPG-9 Kopye, 73mm), 17 explosions caused by mortar (11 120mm and six 82mm), two explosions from 122mm artillery, six explosions of anti-tank fire and 29 explosions from unknown weapons 2-5km south-east. Later, positioned at the same location, the SMM heard bursts of small-arms fire and heavy-machine-gun fire, 18 impacts of recoilless gun (SPG-9 Kopye, 73mm) rounds, five explosions caused by mortar (120mm), two artillery air bursts and 33 impacts of automatic grenade launcher round impacts at locations between 2 and 5km north-north-east and east-south-east.

From a position at “DPR”-controlled Donetsk railway station (6km north-west of Donetsk city centre) on 12 April, the SMM heard 63 undetermined explosions, two impacts (one of which was assessed as an 82mm mortar round), heard and saw two airbursts and small-arms fire, all 2-15km north-east to north-west and of its position.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations but at a level similar to the previous day. Whilst in government-controlled Dmytrivka (43km north of Luhansk), the SMM saw and heard hundreds of bursts from small arms, machine-guns and heavy machine-guns and heard three explosions (assessed as caused by recoilless gun, SPG-9, 73mm) coming from a nearby known Ukrainian Armed Forces training area, located outside the security zone. Whilst in government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM heard small-arms fire and an undetermined number of explosions coming from the nearby bridge. A short time later the SMM spoke with a number of civilians and “LPR” members at a checkpoint near the bridge who said had heard the same fire and explosions.

In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of measures, the SMM revisited a Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent storage site whose location corresponded with the withdrawal lines and saw that all weapons previously held at that site – four mortars (2B11, 120mm) – were absent.

The SMM revisited a permanent storage site in an “LPR”-controlled area whose location corresponded with the withdrawal lines and observed that seven tanks (T-72) continued to be absent.

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines the SMM observed seven tanks (T-72) in Luhansk city.

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of heavy weapons foreseen in the Minsk Package of Measures. The SMM has yet to receive the full information requested in the 16 October 2015 notification.

The SMM revisited an “LPR” heavy weapons permanent storage site and observed that eight self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) continued to be absent.

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines the SMM saw seven multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS; BM-21 Grad, 122mm), ten towed howitzers (five 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm and five D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) in Luhansk city.

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines the SMM saw one air defence missile system (9K33 Osa, 210mm) moving east near government-controlled Smolianynove (61km north-west of Luhansk); six towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) being towed west near government-controlled Lysychansk (75km north-west of Luhansk); 12 anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) near government-controlled Kremenivka (27km north-west of Mariupol).

The SMM revisited locations known to the SMM as heavy weapons holding areas, even though they do not comply with the specific criteria set out for permanent storage sites in the 16 October 2015 notification.

In government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited such locations and observed: 25 MLRS (11 BM-21 Grad, 122mm and 14 9P140 Uragan, 220mm); 36 anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira 100mm);  three anti-tank guns (D-48, 85mm); 12 mortars (seven 2B11, 120mm, and five PM-38, 120mm); 71 self-propelled howitzers (18 2A65 Msta B, 152mm; 42 2S1 Gvozdika; 11 2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm); two towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B 155mm). Eighteen additional towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) were observed hitched to trucks, which carried artillery ammunition on the load platform. One MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) continued to be absent as it has been since February 2016. Eighteen towed howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B 155mm) and six howitzers (D-30, 122mm) observed as absent on 30 March, continued to be so.

In “DPR”-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited one such location and observed eight self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), six towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) and six MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm).

Beyond the withdrawal lines and outside storage sites ten tanks were spotted by the SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near government-controlled Tymofiivka (38km north-west of Donetsk) on 11 April.

The SMM observed the presence of other hardware in the security zone: in the vicinity of “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata the SMM saw a UAV circling overhead that arrived from the west and flew off to the north-east; a tarp-covered BMP-1 in the yard of a school in a “DPR”-controlled part of Zaitseve (50km north-east of Donetsk); an armoured cougar vehicle with a mounted heavy machine-gun near government-controlled Staryi Aidar (20km north-west of Luhansk). An SMM mid-range UAV observed on 11 April five armoured personnel carriers (APC) in the government-controlled part of Zaitseve.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation affecting civilians following the closure of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (16km north-east of Luhansk). At the “LPR”-controlled checkpoint near the bridge, the SMM spoke with a woman who was eight months pregnant, trying to return home to government-controlled Starobilsk (85km north of Luhansk). Before the bridge closed on 8 April, she said she had visited “LPR”-controlled Luhansk city to care for her son who was in hospital. After being denied passage by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the woman left.

The SMM monitored three border areas not controlled by the Government. At the “DPR”-controlled Uspenka border crossing point (72km south-east of Donetsk) the SMM observed 80 civilian vehicles (ten with Russian Federation licence plates, the rest Ukrainian) and 46 trucks (cargo unknown) (two with Belarusian and the rest with Russian Federation and Ukrainian licence plates) queuing to enter the Russian Federation. Over a 40-minute period, the SMM observed two trucks (cargo unknown), ten cars (four with Russian Federation, one Georgian and five Ukrainian licence plates) entering Ukraine, while no vehicles crossed in the opposite direction. At Ulianivske (78km east of Donetsk) the SMM observed three pedestrians crossing out of Ukraine and one entering over a span of 50 minutes. At the Izvaryne border crossing point (54km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw approximately 100 civilian vehicles queued to cross (including four buses and seven trucks with unknown cargo); 32 had Russian Federation licence plates, the rest Ukrainian).

The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Kherson, Odessa, 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 alongside the border in parts of Luhansk region not controlled by the Government, and consistently demand to review SMM patrol plans.

Denial of access:

• Armed “DPR” members denied the SMM access to Rozy Liuksemburh (45km north-east of Mariupol) citing live-fire training (in an area outside of the security zone), which the SMM heard.
• An armed man denied the SMM access near “LPR”-controlled Zhovte (17km north-west of Luhansk) after the SMM refused to hand over its patrol plan. He said his unit was independent of the “people's militia” and that instructions from them did not apply to his group. The SMM notified the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC).
• Armed men denied the SMM access to “LPR”-controlled Mykolaivka (15km east of Luhansk) after the SMM refused to hand over its patrol plan. The SMM notified the JCCC.
• Near government-controlled Troitske (69km west of Luhansk) three Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel stopped the SMM and denied it further access. The SMM notified the JCCC.

Conditional access:

• “DPR” “traffic police” stopped the SMM at a checkpoint at the southern entrance to Yasynuvata and delayed it for 23 minutes. “DPR” members then escorted the SMM to an observation point and stayed with them until the SMM left the area. The SMM notified the JCCC.

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