Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 22 August 2016

This report is for media and the general public.

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region (531 compared to 540 the day before) and an increase in the number recorded in Luhansk region (60 as compared with 30). The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties. Armed “DPR” members aggressively demanded to search the SMM vehicles and pointed a machine-gun at the SMM in Lukove. The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. It observed the presence of mines in areas near the contact line. The Mission monitored two border areas not under government control. The SMM continued to monitor the situation along the administrative boundary line between the mainland and Crimea.

The SMM observed a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region with 531 explosions recorded compared with 540 the day before[1].

While in Donetsk city centre on the night of 21-22 August, the SMM heard 31 undetermined explosions 7-9km north-west of its location. During the same night, the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded (in sequence) three explosions, one outgoing artillery explosion from west to east, 17 explosions assessed as impacts, two explosions outgoing from west to east, an outgoing artillery explosion from the west and its impact in the east, 23 explosions assessed as impacts and three airbursts, all 4-7km east and east-south-east of its position. Four bursts of anti-aircraft tracer fire from east to west were recorded during the exchange.

While in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) on the evening of 21 August the SMM heard eight explosions assessed as impacts of mortar (82mm) rounds, 17 explosions of recoilless gun (SPG-9, 73mm) rounds, 27 explosions of BMP-1 cannon (73mm) rounds and heavy-machine-gun-fire, all 0.5-4km east and south of its position.

Positioned in government-controlled Lebedynske (99km south of Donetsk) on the evening of 21 August, the SMM heard 12 undetermined explosions, ten explosions assessed as impacts of artillery rounds (calibre not determined), heard two outgoing explosions from the west and their impacts in the east, 20 bursts of infantry-fighting-vehicle cannon fire (BMP-2, 30mm) and saw and heard two airbursts all in areas north-east of its position.

During the night of 21 August the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) facing north and north-west recorded two projectiles fired from west-south-west to north-north-east, followed by two undetermined explosions and one burst of direct tracer fire from west to east.

Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) during the day, the SMM heard five undetermined explosions 5-7km west, north-west, and west-south-west of its location. Positioned in Avdiivka in the morning, the SMM heard one undetermined explosion and seven explosions assessed as outgoing mortar (82mm) rounds 1-2km south-west of its position. In the afternoon, the SMM heard 140 explosions assessed as impacts of mortar (120mm) rounds, 22 explosions assessed as outgoing rounds of artillery (122mm), two explosions assessed as outgoing tank fire and 80 undetermined explosions, all 2-4km south-east of its position.

Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard over 70 undetermined explosions, more than 12 undetermined explosions from automatic-grenade-launcher rounds and bursts of small-arms-fire 3km south-east.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded 60 explosions, an increase compared with the number recorded the day before (30). On the night of 21 August, whilst in government-controlled Sievierodonetsk (75km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard approximately 30 undetermined explosions more than 10km south.

While in government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk) on the night of 21 August the SMM heard two undetermined explosions, six explosions (both outgoing and impacts) assessed as either under-barrel grenade launcher or RPG-7 rounds, and small-arms and machine-gun fire in the vicinity of the railway bridge and footbridge 3.5-4km south-south-west.

Whilst in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), the SMM heard 15 undetermined explosions (possibly 82mm mortar) approximately 4km east, during the same night.

The SMM, positioned in an area near “LPR”-controlled Znamianka (36km north-west of Luhansk) during the day, heard seven explosions assessed as impacts (four assessed as mortar and three as automatic-grenade-launcher rounds) approximately 5km south-south-west of its position.

Positioned in Novooleksandrivka (65km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard bursts of small-arms fire 1.5km east of its position.

The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties and observed the results of shelling. At the Donetsk regional clinical hospital morgue, the SMM observed the body of a man in his forties with shrapnel wounds. Medical personnel told the SMM that the body had been brought to the morgue on 20 August. According to the morgue logbook, the body was found in a field on the outskirts of Donetsk city’s Kirovskyi district on 20 August following reports of shelling on 18 August. According to medical personnel, the autopsy report revealed that the man’s death was a result of multiple shrapnel wounds. Medical personnel of the surgery department at hospital number 14 in Donetsk told the SMM that a male resident of Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district had received treatment for shrapnel wounds to his chest on 20 August, after which he had been discharged.

In “DPR”-controlled Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove), the SMM, accompanied by Russian Federation Armed Forces officers from the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), observed damage to a house, including broken windows and shrapnel marks, that residents said had been caused during shelling on 20 August. The SMM saw an impact to a fence and assessed it as caused by a recoilless gun round (SPG-9, 73mm) but could not determine the direction of fire. The female owner of the house said that her husband had been injured and brought to hospital. At the hospital in “DPR”-controlled Novoazovsk (102km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM met with the injured man and saw that he had bandages on his left shoulder and upper arm. He told the SMM that shelling had started at around 16:30 on 20 August and that “this was early, as it normally starts at 20:00”. Medical personnel told the SMM that the man still had shrapnel in his left arm because the hospital did not have the instruments to remove it.

The SMM observed an impact to the wall of a house in “DPR”-controlled Sakhanka (97km south of Donetsk) that the owner said was the result of a projectile hitting it on 21 August. Although the round did not pierce the wall, the blast from the impact damaged an interior wall in one room. The SMM assessed it was caused by a round (73mm SPG-9 or BMP-1) fired from a north-north-westerly direction.

In Lukove (72km south of Donetsk) armed “DPR” members aggressively demanded to search the SMM vehicles (see Spot Report 23 August 2016). While one armed “DPR” member was searching the vehicles, another pointed a light machine-gun (RPK) at the SMM. After 18 minutes the SMM was allowed to proceed.* The JCCC was informed. It was at the same checkpoint where armed men had threatened the SMM at gunpoint on 29 July. (See Spot report 29 July 2016.) In Donetsk the SMM met the leader of the armed formations, Mr. Zakharchenko. Asked about the incident of 29 July in Lukove, Mr. Zakharchenko said that he would order an investigation.

In government-controlled Avdiivka the SMM observed the Ukrainian Armed Forces occupying a school building and another that housed an orphanage. The SMM observed military personnel and vehicles at the orphanage and military transport trucks at the school. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer at the orphanage building told the SMM that they had been there since 2014 and that the children had been moved to other facilities.

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 a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa, 120mm) was observed in a residential area west of government-controlled Hirske (63km west of Luhansk).

The SMM revisited an “LPR” heavy weapons permanent storage site and observed that seven towed howitzers (D-30, 122mm) continued to be missing, as they have been since 11 March.

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. In a government-controlled area beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM observed 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) and 21 anti-tank guns (2A29/MT-12 Rapira, 100mm). One anti-tank gun (2A29/MT-12, Rapira, 100mm) was missing as it has been since 24 April 2016. Two handmade signs warning of the presence of mines (“STOP” and “MINES” written in Ukrainian) prevented the SMM from reaching one Ukrainian Armed Forces area.* From approximately 500m away, the SMM saw three self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) in the area.

The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles (ACV) in the security zone: an armoured personnel carrier (BTR-70) near government-controlled Shchastia.

The SMM observed the presence of mines in areas near the contact line. At an “LPR” checkpoint between the “LPR”-controlled towns of Pryshyb (34km north-west of Luhansk) and Krasnyi Lyman (30km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed anti-tank mines (TM-62) blocking the road. In government-controlled Zolote (60km west of Luhansk) the SMM observed new mine warning signs and tape. On the bridge at Stanytsia Luhanska the SMM observed that unexploded ordnance (RPO-A, Shmel) observed on 21 August had been removed; “LPR” members told the SMM that they had removed it.

The SMM monitored border areas not controlled by the Government. Over 25 minutes at the border crossing point near “LPR”-controlled Dovzhanskyi (84km south-east of Luhansk) the SMM observed a smaller queue of vehicles compared with recent weeks with three cars (two with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates), six buses (with Ukrainian plates) and one covered freight lorry (with Ukrainian plates). At the pedestrian border crossing point in “LPR”-controlled Novoborovytsi (79km south of Luhansk), the SMM observed a man and a woman cross out of Ukraine during 20 minutes of monitoring. 

The SMM continued to monitor the situation along the administrative boundary line between the mainland and Crimea. At the Chonhar crossing point (167km south-east of Kherson) and at the joint border guard and paratrooper (80th brigade) post on the Chonhar Peninsula, the SMM observed a calm situation. Near the Valok tourist resort (205km south-east of Kherson) the SMM observed the digging of new trenches at two locations and ongoing reinforcement of defensive positions. The SMM noted that – in contrast to previous visits – personnel wore bullet-proof vests and held guns in alert position. At Cape Kutara (125km south-east of Kherson) a border guard commander told the SMM that they were reinforcing their defensive capabilities.

*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:

• On 21 August, an armed “DPR” member told the SMM to stop monitoring in the vicinity of a checkpoint in Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk) and leave. The SMM left the area.
• Armed men denied the SMM access to “DPR”-controlled Hryhorivka (68km south of Donetsk) citing security reasons. The JCCC was informed.
• Two handmade signs warning of the presence of mines (“STOP” and “MINES” written in Ukrainian) prevented the SMM from reaching one Ukrainian Armed Forces area known to be holding heavy weapons.

Conditional access:

• An armed man acting aggressively in “DPR”-controlled Lukove searched SMM vehicles while another pointed a light machine-gun at SMM monitors. After 18 minutes the SMM was allowed to proceed. The JCCC was informed.
• Armed men in “DPR”-controlled Maiorove (formerly Krasnyi Oktiabr, 57km south-east of Donetsk), allowed the SMM to enter the village only under escort by “DPR” members. The JCCC was informed.

[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.