Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 10 June 2016

This report is for media and the general public.

The SMM observed more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared to the previous day. Several explosions occurred in the vicinity of the SMM near Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of heavy weapons; it also noted armoured combat vehicles, an anti-aircraft gun and an unmanned aerial vehicle in the security zone. The SMM continued to monitor the humanitarian situation and observed a demonstration against discussions surrounding an armed OSCE presence in Donetsk. It also monitored a series of demonstrations in Dnipro, Odessa and Kyiv. Armed “DPR” members kept the power supply to SMM’s repeater in Donetsk city disconnected and the SMM faced one additional restriction on its freedom of movement, in an area not controlled by the Government.*

The SMM observed more ceasefire violations[1] in Donetsk region as compared with the previous reporting period.

Whilst in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) on the evening of 9 June, the SMM heard 56 undetermined explosions 6-10km west-south-west of its position within 22 minutes. The SMM heard 22 recoilless gun (SPG-9) explosions (11 assessed as outgoing and 11 impacts) during the remainder of the reporting period in Svitlodarsk.

Whilst in government-controlled Mariupol (102km south of Donetsk) on the evening of 9 June, the SMM heard four undetermined explosions at an undetermined distance east of its position. The SMM did not record any ceasefire violations on 10 June around Mariupol.

Whilst in a “DPR”-controlled area 6km north-west of Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard nearly 80 undetermined explosions in just more than two hours over noon time, 2-9km north-east and north-west of its position. Shortly after noon, whilst in government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk city), the SMM heard at least 20 undetermined explosions and continuous bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire in just over 30 minutes 2-3km east of its position.

Whilst in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard more than 100 undetermined explosions 2-6km south and south-east of its position over a two-and-a-half-hour period. During this time, the SMM also heard an additional 26 explosions from mortar rounds, two assessed as 120mm impacts and 24 assessed as outgoing rounds (82mm, 120mm and undetermined), 1-2km south and south-east of its position and saw and heard two airbursts, assessed as 82mm mortar rounds, 3-5km south-east of its position.

Over approximately the same time period, whilst in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard more than 100 undetermined explosions in directions 1-7km south, west and north of its position. The SMM continued to record ceasefire violations later in the afternoon, including 25 undetermined explosions over an eight-minute period and 18 undetermined explosions over a five-minute period; both instances were accompanied by continuous bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 2-7km west of its position.

Whilst in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk) in the afternoon, the SMM heard 26 explosions assessed as caused by mortar rounds of unknown calibre and saw four more explosions assessed as caused by impacts of rounds from unknown weapons, all 4-5km west, in less than a 30-minute time period.

In the early evening of 10 June, whilst two patrols were positioned approximately 150 metres north and just to the south of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (south of Stanytsia Luhanska, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM heard hundreds of bursts and single shots of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire 250-600 metres north-east and south-east of its positions. At the same time, the SMM observed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flying from government-controlled towards “LPR”-controlled areas in a southern direction. The SMM then heard two explosions caused by impacts 100 and 400 metres south-south-east of its position north of the bridge. This was followed by a grenade impact 70 metres south-east of its position north of the bridge and another explosion caused by an impact 300-600 metres south-east of its position, again north of the bridge. The UAV made four loops between government-controlled and “LPR”-controlled positions, as firing from the ground continued, and eventually it returned to government-controlled areas. The firing and explosions ceased shortly after the UAV left the area. Both SMM patrols moved to a safer location and continued to monitor the situation. Later in the evening, a Ukrainian Armed Forces representative from the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) told the SMM that the sides had agreed to cease fire around the bridge. Dozens of civilians were present at the crossing route during the episode, and continued to cross the bridge when the explosions occurred.

The SMM again followed up on the SMM long-range UAV lost on 2 June over “DPR”-controlled Korsun (31km north-east of Donetsk) (see SMM Spot Report, 3 June 2016). Several residents of Korsun, including two elderly women, told the SMM that recently they had seen a bright flash in the sky and heard a loud sound, which they assumed was the result of “DPR” members shooting down a UAV, and indicated that an impact had occurred to the north of the village. They added that three-four days later a group of men was seen driving around the area and questioning people about UAV fragments. The SMM was unable to reach the area of the possible crash site due to the danger of mines. The JCCC has still not provided the SMM with more details on the whereabouts of the downed UAV.

In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of measures the SMM observed, beyond the respective withdrawal lines and outside storage sites, 21 tanks (three T-72 and 18 T-64) at “LPR” training areas in Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk) and Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk).

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 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 notification.

In government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited such locations and observed 15 anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) and noted that 18 were missing, as first observed on 8 February.

The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles, one anti-aircraft gun, and a UAV in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM observed one armoured personnel carrier (APC; BRDM-1) near Trokhizbenka (32km north-west of Luhansk) and two APCs (BTR-70) in Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk). In “DPR”-controlled areas, the SMM observed one military-type truck mounted with an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) in Donetsk city and one infantry fighting vehicle (IFV; BMP-1) near Debaltseve. The SMM observed a UAV flying south from government-controlled areas to “LPR”-controlled areas over Stanytsia Luhanska bridge before returning to government-controlled areas.

In “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve, a man wearing military-style attire told the SMM that he was from the Russian Federation and had been fighting for the “DPR” for two years.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to infrastructure and the recovery of human remains. The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire near government-controlled Krymske (42km north-west of Luhansk) to facilitate the recovery by a Ukrainian volunteer organization of two bodies buried in the area. Also present, supervising the work, were members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The SMM saw that the grave had been marked with a sign which identified both men as being from government-controlled Lysychansk (75km north-west of Luhansk), which had been the site of fighting in the summer of 2014. The sign also mentioned the term, “Novorossiya”, and indicated that both men died on 19 February 2015. The SMM observed as the bodies were exhumed: one was dressed in a military-type uniform and the other was wearing a military uniform with Russian Federation military insignia on it. The SMM observed as the bodies were taken to a morgue in Sievierodonetsk (74km north-west of Luhansk).

In Shchastia, the SMM monitored and facilitated adherence to the ceasefire as six employees of the State Emergency Service worked with diving equipment and metal detectors to remove unexploded ordnance from water canals next to a coal power plant. Near government-controlled Artemove (42km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM monitored and facilitated adherence to the ceasefire throughout the day in order to facilitate repair and demining work at a factory.

The SMM monitored a border area not controlled by the Government, at the “DPR”-controlled Novoazovsk (102km south-east of Donetsk) border crossing point. The SMM observed 15 commercial trucks with Russian Federation licence plates waiting to leave Ukraine. The drivers did not wish to disclose any information regarding the content of their cargo which was not visible from the outside.

The SMM continued to monitor the humanitarian situation. In “DPR”-controlled Komuna (56km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM spoke with seven people (three of them women) who said that the village’s pre-conflict population of 600 people had shrunk to 300-400. They went on to say that trauma among children is widespread and psychological services are lacking. One woman told the SMM that she had three children (two, four and six years of age) and that her four-year-old son had stopped speaking during intense fighting around Komuna and Debaltseve, and has not spoken since. The SMM noted that the woman’s six-year-old daughter behaved aggressively and the woman said she had behavioural disorders due to trauma induced by the conflict.

The SMM monitored a series of public gatherings. In Donetsk, the SMM observed 15,000-20,000 people participating in a demonstration against discussions surrounding an armed OSCE presence in the area. Before the demonstration began, the SMM noted 73 buses parked at the Donbas Arena and approximately 200 people waiting in the area. The SMM observed as crowds of people were directed by men in civilian clothes who had also arrived on the buses, towards various gathering points in the vicinity of a central public square. “Senior” “DPR” members spoke at the gathering and the demonstrators carried placards with slogans in English and Russian. The demonstrators began to disperse and return to the buses at approximately 11:00. More than 600 armed men and women (ten per cent women) were providing security for the gathering.

The SMM monitored a demonstration at the Russian Federation Consulate General in Odessa. Approximately 80 self-defence activists (18-55 years of age, approximately 15 women) attempted to deter people from entering the Consulate General. Shortly before 18:00 some protestors threw eggs at the façade of the building and at the police. A small scuffle broke out between protestors and the police, but ended quickly. By 18:00 the protestors began to disperse.

In Dnipro, approximately 50 people demonstrated near a district court against a public official whom they accused of using his connections to avoid prosecution for an alleged crime. The demonstrators called for greater transparency of the courts in Dnipro. Two police (one woman and one man) were present at the gathering.

Outside the Constitutional Court in Kyiv, the SMM observed approximately 50 activists and 20 journalists listening to a speech by the head of the Civic Lustration Committee, who warned the audience that the Constitutional Court was reviewing the lustration process and was planning to put a stop to lustration. At least two Parliamentarians from the Self-Reliance (Samopomich) party and one from Bloc Poroshenko were present at the demonstration. There was no visible police presence.

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

The SMM’s monitoring is restrained by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines and unexploded ordnance, and by restrictions of its freedom of movement and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations.

Delay:

• Armed men delayed the SMM at a checkpoint near “DPR”-controlled Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, 29km north-east of Mariupol) for nearly 20 minutes, asking for the patrol plan, vehicle permit and personal documents of the patrol members. The SMM was eventually allowed to proceed without providing the requested information. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• Armed “DPR” members continue to keep the power supply to SMM’s repeater in Donetsk city disconnected as they have been doing since 20 May. As a result, SMM remote monitoring equipment at “DPR”-controlled Oktiabr mine and in Avdiivka are disabled (see SMM Daily Report 21 May 2016).

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report.