Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 15 August 2016

This report is for media and the general public.

The SMM observed an increase in the number of explosions recorded in Donetsk region compared with the previous day with intense fighting noted in the area of Yasynuvata-Avdiivka. Fewer explosions were recorded in Luhansk region compared with the previous day. The SMM carried out crater analysis on both sides of the contact line, in Pikuzy, Popasna and Novoselivka. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons, and observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure. The SMM faced freedom-of-movement restrictions, three in “LPR”-controlled and two in government-controlled areas. The Mission monitored two border areas not controlled by the Government. The SMM continued to assess the situation to be calm along the administrative boundary line with Crimea. The Mission monitored the Pride parade in Odessa.

The SMM observed an increase in the number of ceasefire violations recorded in Donetsk region, in particular the number of explosions.[1] Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM recorded approximately 300 explosions in areas to the west and south-west, most of which were undetermined though some were assessed as caused by mortar, automatic-grenade-launcher and armoured-personnel-carrier cannon (BMP-1, 73mm) fire. The SMM heard explosions it assessed as 12 outgoing mortar rounds 5-7km west-north-west and their impact 2-3km south-south-west; five outgoing mortar rounds 3-5km south and their impact 3-5km south-south-west; four outgoing mortar rounds 5-6km south and their impact 2-3km south-south-west. The SMM also recorded (uncountable) heavy-machine-gun and small-arms-fire throughout the day on both sides of the contact line.

Positioned in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard 22 undetermined explosions, bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 2-3km south-south-east; six impacts and three explosions assessed as outgoing fire 4-7km south-south-east; one undetermined explosion 5-6km south-east; three undetermined explosions 4-6km south-east and small-arms-fire 3km south-east. The SMM camera in Avdiivka recorded four undetermined explosions 6-8km west-south-west, ten undetermined explosions and one airburst 6-7km south-south-west and 19 explosions 4-5km south-east of its position.

While in Donetsk city centre on the night of 14-15 August, the SMM heard 67 undetermined explosions 5-15km north-west of its location.

While in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk) on the night of 14 August the SMM heard 17 undetermined explosions and heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 4-8km north-west of its location.

While in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north of Donetsk) on the night of 14 August the SMM heard seven mortar impacts (120mm), seven bursts of automatic-grenade-launcher fire and bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 2-4km north and north-west of its position.

On the late evening of 14 August the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded two undetermined projectiles fired west to east. Later, the camera recorded tracer fire from north-east to east, followed almost immediately by tracer fire from east to north-east.

Positioned at “DPR”-controlled Donetsk central railway station (6km north-west of Donetsk city) throughout the day the SMM recorded 55 undetermined explosions, one airburst and small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire 3-7km north-west; 50 undetermined explosions 2-8km north-east; one undetermined explosion and one airburst 1-2km north-west.

In Luhansk region, positioned in government-controlled Troitske (69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard four undetermined explosions 10-20km south-south-west of its position.

The SMM carried out crater analysis on both sides of the contact line. Accompanied by “DPR” members and a Russian Federation Armed Forces officer from the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), the SMM assessed craters in Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km east of Mariupol) that they said were the result of shelling that occurred between 06:00-06:30 on 15 August. According to them, no one was injured. The SMM analysed two fresh craters in the gardens of two houses and assessed that they had been caused by 120mm mortars fired from a west-north-westerly direction. One mortar was unexploded. The SMM observed impact holes on the western sides of roofs of a barn and a house. A third fresh crater nearby located between a road and a garden was assessed as caused by a 152mm artillery shell (which remained unexploded) fired from a westerly direction. The SMM assessed that the fuse had been primed to explode in the air (air burst fuse). The SMM observed three fresh craters on the western edge of government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) in an area 300m from a Ukrainian checkpoint, 350m from a residential area and less than 600m from a hospital. According to a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer from the JCCC present at the site, the craters were caused by shelling that had taken place at 12:00 on 14 August and caused no injuries. Only one crater was suitable for analysis which the SMM assessed as caused by a round fired from a south-easterly direction. No damage was caused to nearby buildings.

The SMM observed craters in government-controlled Novoselivka (55km south of Donetsk) following information from the JCCC that the village was shelled during the night of 14-15 August. The commander at a Ukrainian Armed Forces position reported ten mortar impacts to their position that wounded two soldiers who were brought to hospital in Mariupol. At the north-eastern side of the village the SMM observed 14 fresh craters (six in the vicinity of the Ukrainian Armed Forces position and eight in a residential area) and assessed them as caused by 122mm artillery shells fired from a north-easterly direction. The SMM saw one house destroyed by a direct impact and eight other houses with damage to windows, roofs and walls. Residents said that the shelling had occurred between 23:35 and 00:40 and that nobody was injured. According to them, electricity has been cut since the shelling. A repair team told the SMM power would be restored on 16 August.

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons, in implementation of the Package of Measures and its Addendum, as well as the Minsk Memorandum.

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines aerial surveillance imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of 47 multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) together with 16 towed howitzers, ten tanks, 74 armoured vehicles and 40 military-type trucks in three separate locations in “LPR”-controlled Miusynsk (62km south-west of Luhansk) on 12 August. The SMM also observed an anti-aircraft artillery system (2S6M Tunguska, 220mm) between government-controlled Kalynove (31km north-west of Donetsk) and Ptyche (32km north-west of Donetsk). The SMM saw three towed howitzers (D-20, 152mm) near “DPR”-controlled Kulykove (87km south of Donetsk).

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside assigned areas the SMM observed 18 tanks (T-64) and six towed howitzers (D-30 122mm, static) at a known training area near “LPR”-controlled Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk). The SMM observed a tank (T-64) near “LPR”-controlled Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk), following which three armed “LPR” members told the SMM to leave the area.* Aerial surveillance imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of two tanks near “DPR”-controlled Zelene (46km south-east of Donetsk) on 11 August.

The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage does not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification. The SMM observed that four Ukrainian Armed Forces areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines continued to be abandoned as they have been since 22 July, with the following weapons missing: 12 MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm), 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) and four anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm).

The SMM revisited permanent storage sites, whose locations corresponded with the withdrawal lines. The SMM visited a Ukrainian Armed Forces site and observed nine tanks (T-64) missing, eight since 18 July and one since 4 April. The SMM observed the presence of additional weapons previously not recorded at these sites.

The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles (ACV) in the security zone. In government-controlled areas the SMM observed one armoured personnel carrier (APC; BRDM) in Lobacheve (17km north-west of Luhansk); two APCs (MT-LB) near Pervomaiske (17km north-west of Donetsk); an MT-LB near Avdiivka; aerial surveillance imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of three armoured vehicles near Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) on 12 August. Aerial surveillance imagery available to the SMM revealed one armoured vehicle near “DPR”-controlled Kalmiuske (formerly Komsomolske, 42km south-east of Donetsk) on 11 August.

The SMM monitored two border areas not controlled by the Government, facing a restriction of its freedom of movement at one of them.* Over 45 minutes of monitoring at the “LPR”-controlled Dovzhanskyi border crossing point (85km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed 79 vehicles queued on the Ukrainian side with the breakdown of registration plates as follows: 50 Ukrainian (including a bus and a covered freight lorry), 26 Russian, one Belarussian, one Georgian, and one Polish. The SMM observed nine vehicles cross into Ukraine. The breakdown of registration plates was as follows: seven Ukrainian (including a bus travelling Moscow-Krasnyi Luch) and one Russian. Additionally, a vehicle with a “DPR” plate was also observed. Over 22 minutes monitoring at Novoborovytsi pedestrian border crossing point (79km south of Luhansk) the SMM observed one person (a 50 year-old woman) exiting Ukraine.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure. In government-controlled areas the SMM facilitated adherence to the ceasefire and monitored the ongoing repair works of the water pipeline in Zolote-4 (60km north-west of Luhansk), as well as the repair work at the power plant in Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to monitor the situation along the administrative boundary line between the mainland and Crimea and assessed the situation as calm and quiet. The SMM observed a calm situation at both the Chaplynka and Chonhar crossing points (167 and 72km south-east of Kherson). Little traffic (vehicles and pedestrians) was observed travelling in both directions at Chaplynka. Border guards at Chonhar told the SMM that there were anti-tank mines in the vicinity on the government-controlled side. Travelers at Chonhar complained to the SMM that it took approximately eight hours to cross to Crimea and about five to six hours to cross in the other direction. On 14 August Ukrainian border guards at an outpost in the vicinity of the Valok tourist resort (205km south-east of Kherson) said that no unusual activity had been observed. The SMM observed a fortification system 30 metres long and five metres tall approximately 700m south of the administrative boundary line. On 15 August Ukrainian Armed Forces prevented the SMM from entering the military and border guard position on the southern edge of Syvash (162km south-east of Kherson).* A soldier told the SMM that the situation was calm and quiet. The SMM observed one APC (BTR-80) with communication antennas covered by a camouflaged net in a government-controlled area to the south-west of Syvash. At the Ukrainian border guard post at Cape Kutara (125km south-east of Kherson) the SMM observed a calm situation with no evidence of increased alert.

The SMM observed the Odessa Pride parade on 13 August. Approximately 60 people (men and women, most aged between 18 and 30 years of age) took part, with the event monitored by about 300 police and 100 National Guard officers. Police officers had blocked two ends of the parade route and cordoned off part of the city centre as, according to them, there had been a bomb alert. The SMM observed the police prevent about 30 young men from entering the area where the parade was taking place, after which scuffles broke out. The SMM then observed 25 of these youths, whom the police said were members of the group “Sokol”, being detained. At this point the parade participants hurriedly boarded two buses supplied by the city council and left the area under police escort.

*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 to 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 to the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations.

Denial of access:

• Three armed “LPR” members got out of an APC (MT-LB) and demanded the SMM leave an area near “LPR”-controlled Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk) where they had observed a tank. The JCCC was informed.
• Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel prevented the SMM from entering the military and border guard position on the southern edge of Syvash (162km south-east of Kherson).

Conditional access:

• Armed “LPR” members took the names of the SMM monitors at the Dovzhanskyi border crossing point (84km south-east of Luhansk), and insisted that in the future the SMM inform them of their arrival and departure from the area.
• Armed “LPR” members at the checkpoint south of the bridge at government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk), recorded the names of SMM monitors before letting them proceed onto the bridge.
• A Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier at the southernmost Ukrainian Armed Forces position at the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge recorded the names of SMM monitors before allowing them to proceed into government-controlled areas.

[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.