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

This report is for media and the general public. 

The SMM recorded a decrease in ceasefire violations in Donetsk region (including 57 explosions) compared with 11 September. The Mission did not record any ceasefire violation in Luhansk region. In Marinka the SMM saw and heard an undetermined explosion 15-20m away of its position. The Mission followed up on two civilian casualties in Donetsk. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles in the security zone, including 11 infantry fighting vehicles near a hospital in Boikivske. The SMM monitored the situation of civilians crossing the contact line. It facilitated repair work of electricity and water infrastructure in Luhansk region. The SMM noted a calm situation along the administrative boundary line between the mainland and Crimea. It observed a public gathering in Kyiv. The Mission encountered impediments to its freedom of movement on six occasions.*

The SMM recorded a fewer number of ceasefire violations[1] in Donetsk region during the reporting period (including 57 explosions), compared with 11 September (including 116 explosions). More than half of the explosions were recorded in the area around Avdiivka-Yasynuvata.

On 12 September, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 28 undetermined explosions 2-8km west, west-north-west and north-north-west of its position and heard and saw one undetermined explosion 2-4km west of its position. The SMM also heard uncountable overlapping explosions, bursts and single shots of heavy machine-gun and small-arms fire during three periods of time lasting for two, three and four minutes 2-4km west-north-west of its position. During the previous night (11 to 12 September), the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded two explosions assessed as impacts 2-4km east-south-east of its location. On 12 September, positioned in Avdiivka, the SMM heard five undetermined explosions 2-5km south-east of its position and one explosion assessed as outgoing 120mm mortar fire 2-3km south-east of its position.

On the night of 11 September, while in government-controlled Mariupol (102km south of Donetsk), the SMM heard 11 undetermined explosions at an unknown distance north-east of its position. The same night, the SMM camera in government-controlled Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol), recorded five undetermined explosions at an unknown distance north-east and north-north-east of its location.

In the afternoon of 12 September, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 8-12km north-north-west of its position. Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km east-north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 2-3km north-north-east of its position.

The SMM recorded no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared to 13 ceasefire violations (including one explosion) recorded during 11 September.

The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties. Hospital staff in government-controlled Toretsk (formerly Dzerzhynsk, 43km north of Donetsk) told the SMM that after shelling on 7 September in government-controlled Verkhnotoretske (23km north-east of Donetsk), two injured people had been brought to the hospital by Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers. The interlocutor added that shrapnel of a grenade had been extracted from their bodies. The Chief of Police of Toretsk confirmed the incident to the SMM.

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

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM saw six anti-tank guns (2A29/MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) in government-controlled Zhelanne (36km north-west of Donetsk).

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside assigned areas, at a training area near “LPR”-controlled Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed nine stationary tanks (T-64).

The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage does not comply with the criteria set in the 16 October 2015 notification. The SMM revisited a Ukrainian Armed Forces area and noted four mortars (2B9 Vasilek, 82mm).

The SMM revisited a Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent storage site whose location corresponded with the respective withdrawal lines. The SMM noted four mortars (two 2B9M, 82mm and two M120, 120mm) and 11 tanks (T-64) missing as previously observed. In addition the SMM observed new weapons.

The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles and an unmanned flying vehicle (UAV) in the security zone. Aerial surveillance imagery available to the SMM revealed, on 8 September, the presence of two armoured vehicles near “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk). On 12 September, in “DPR”-controlled Boikivske (formerly Telmanove, 67km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM observed 11 infantry fighting vehicles (ten BMP-1 and one BMP-2) in a “DPR” compound located approximately 150m from a hospital. In “LPR”-controlled Zolote-5 (61km west of Luhansk), the SMM observed an unidentified UAV flying from north-westerly to westerly direction 1.5-2km west of the SMM’s position. The UAV was seen flying over two electrical repair workers and an “LPR” demining team in an area where the SMM was monitoring electrical repairs.

Outside the security zone, at a training area near “LPR”-controlled Uspenka (23km south-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed ten armed “LPR” members and approximately 30 civilian cars parked outside the compound, assessed as consistent with an exercise about to commence.

The SMM continued to observe the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). On 11 September, in the area between the government checkpoint in Maiorsk (45km north-east of Donetsk) and the “DPR” checkpoint in Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM observed two pieces of UXO: a 120mm mortar deeply stuck in the asphalt, approximately 150m before the government checkpoint in Maiorsk, and a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG-7) stuck in the middle of the road approximately 40m north of the “DPR” checkpoint in Horlivka. The SMM informed the JCCC about the UXO. On 12 September, in “DPR”-controlled Novolaspa (50km south of Donetsk), the SMM was escorted by four armed “DPR” members to an impact site of a rocket (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) embedded in the tarmac in the centre of the village. The SMM was unable to determine when the impact had occurred but assessed that it had been fired from a westerly direction.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to essential infrastructure to enable repair works to the water pump station in the area of “LPR”-controlled Slovianoserbsk (28km north-west of Luhansk), to the power plant in the area of government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), and to the “Mykhailivka-Yuvileina” electrical pylons in “LPR”-controlled Zolote-5 (61km west of Luhansk). 

The SMM continued to observe queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. In the afternoon of 11 September, at a “DPR” checkpoint in Horlivka, a group of civilians (men and women of different ages) stopped and told the SMM that they had already spent two, three and four days, waiting to cross the checkpoints while lacking access to food, water and money. Later, at the first government checkpoint in Maiorsk, the SMM observed 50 cars waiting to enter government-controlled areas and several persons physically fighting for a place in the queue. At a “DPR” checkpoint in Horlivka, the SMM was again stopped by a group of civilians (men and women of different ages) who complained that “DPR” members pushed them to go back towards non-government-controlled areas making them lose their place in the queue the next morning. The “DPR”-commander at the last “DPR” checkpoint in the direction of Horlivka, told the SMM that civilians were not allowed to stay between checkpoints overnight and had to go through the crossing procedure again the next day.

Shortly after noon on 12 September, while at the last government checkpoint on H-15 near government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk), before entering the non-government-controlled area, the SMM heard a loud and sudden noise 15-20m east of its position as well as saw smoke and three green flares going up in the air, approximately 3-5m from the side of the road, assessed as a possible shot from a signal flare. The civilians present at the checkpoint (approximately 200 cars and 50 pedestrians)  remained in line in an orderly fashion. Five minutes later, the SMM observed three Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers leaving the checkpoint and moving towards the location of the origin of the sound. The soldiers returned after five-seven minutes and sped up the movement of the line at the checkpoint. At 13:00 the SMM observed fire trucks heading towards where the noise had taken place and returning 30 minutes later. During the entire time the SMM saw smoke coming from the area where the flares had been observed.Later on the SMM observed that up to a 300m long by 50m wide area of land south of the road had been burned in a fire.

In the morning of 12 September, at the last government checkpoint north of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed 150 civilians waiting to exit and 400 people waiting to enter government-controlled areas. At the southernmost “LPR”-controlled checkpoint, the SMM observed approximately 800 people waiting to travel towards government-controlled areas and no queue in the opposite direction. In the afternoon, at the same government checkpoint at Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM observed approximately 300 people waiting to enter government-controlled areas and nobody queuing in the opposite direction. At the southernmost “LPR”-controlled checkpoint, the SMM observed approximately 200 people queuing to travel towards government-controlled areas and no queue in the opposite direction.

The SMM monitored two border areas controlled by the Government. The SMM observed that the border crossing point in government-controlled Novobila (134km north of Luhansk) remained closed, as observed since February 2015. A border guard told the SMM that the border crossing point would be open three days a year for special holidays. The SMM observed the situation to be calm in the border crossing point at government-controlled Taniushivka (136km north of Luhansk).

The SMM observed a public gathering of Azov Civilian Corps supporters in Kyiv. On 10 September, the SMM saw approximately 350 protesters (90 per cent men, 20-25 years old), waving four blue-and-yellow Azov Civilian Corps flags, many of them wearing Azov Civilian Corps shirts and covering their faces with scarves or balaclavas, demonstrating in front of the Pecherskyi district court in support of the head of the Kyiv branch of the Azov Civil Corps, detained the previous day during clashes in front of the office of a city construction company (see SMM Daily Report 10 September). The SMM observed two members of parliament, one of them a former Azov volunteer battalion commander, among the protesters. The court building, where a hearing on detention measures was underway, was surrounded by 40 National Guard officers equipped with helmets and protective vests. An additional 30 law enforcement officers and five firemen were visible nearby. When the branch leader was released, the SMM observed the supporters cheering and lighting two incendiary devices and at least two smoke canisters. The SMM observed that several minutes later the crowd moved to the location of the construction company, where clashes had happened previously, and deployed another smoke canister in close vicinity of this building. The crowd dispersed shortly after.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation along the administrative boundary line between the mainland and Crimea. At the crossing points near Kalanchak and Chaplynka (67 and 77 km south-east of Kherson, respectively), and near Radensk (25km east of Kherson), the SMM noted a generally calm situation.

*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.

Denial of access:

• On 12 September, near government-controlled Pryovrazhne (19km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM observed a wooden barricade on the road with a mine sign attached and was stopped by three armed Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers who stated they were not authorized to allow the SMM to pass. One soldier displayed signs of intoxication. The SMM heard the sound of a rifle being loaded before a seemingly intoxicated soldier approached the SMM. The SMM turned around and continued via another route.
• In “DPR”-controlled Boikivske (formerly Telmanove, 67km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM tried to revisit a military-type compound. When approaching the compound, armed “DPR” members at the site were dismissive of the SMM and waived it away.  The JCCC was informed.

Conditional access:

• On 12 September while approaching a “DPR”-controlled checkpoint at the western entrance to Novolaspa (50km south of Donetsk), armed “DPR” members told the SMM it could only enter the village on foot. After insisting, the SMM was allowed to enter the village by car with an escort consisting of four armed “DPR” members in a civilian vehicle. One “DPR” member had a camera mounted on his helmet and filmed the SMM while at the checkpoint. The JCCC was informed.
• At the Izvaryne border crossing point (53km south-east of Luhansk) the “LPR” armed personnel in charge recorded the names and identification card numbers from the SMM members.

Delay:

• A Ukrainian Armed Forces commander denied the SMM entrance to a permanent storage site and said the SMM identification badges might be fake. The JCCC was informed and the SMM was allowed to enter after 35 minutes.

Other impediments:

• A Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier approached the SMM in government-controlled Pavlopil (26km northeast of Mariupol),took notes and photos of the SMM vehicles,and asked for the name of the patrol leader. The SMM informed the Chief of Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces battalion in Pavlopil, who said the procedure was based on a new order received two weeks before.

[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.