Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 20 November 2016

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region during the period between the evenings of 18 and 19 November, and fewer ceasefire violations during the period between the evenings of 19 and 20 November, compared with the previous reporting period. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations during the period between the evenings of 18 and 19 November, and during the period between the evenings of 19 and 20 November, compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports of shelling in Lebedynske, Lobacheve, Bezimenne, Styla, and Sakhanka and of civilian casualties in Krasnohorivka and Zaitseve. The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and faced restrictions of its freedom of movement in all three areas.* The Mission followed up on reports about interrupted water supply from the Donetsk water filtration station due to shelling. The SMM monitored four border areas currently not under government control.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1] in Donetsk region during the period between the evenings of 18 and 19 November, including more than 850 explosions, and fewer ceasefire violations during the period between the evenings of 19 and 20 November, including more than 470 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (more than 600 explosions).

During the night of 18-19 November, while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre the SMM heard 334 undetermined explosions: 18 explosions 7-10km north, one explosion 7-10km north, 260 explosions 5-10km west-south-west, 50 explosions 5-8km north-west and five explosions 6-10km north-north-west. During the night of 19-20 November, while in the same location the SMM heard 199 undetermined explosions all 3-9km north-north-west. During almost the same time period the SMM camera at “DPR”-controlled Oktiabr mine (9km north-west of Donetsk city centre) recorded 33 undetermined explosions 3-5km north-north-east. The camera also recorded an exchange starting with 17 tracer rounds from east to west and 21 tracer rounds from west to east, followed by 118 undetermined projectiles (80 in flight from east to west and 38 from west to east) and 65 tracer rounds from east to west. During the day of 20 November positioned at the Donetsk railway station (“DPR”-controlled, 6km north-west of Donetsk) for more than six hours, the SMM did not record any ceasefire violations.

During the day of 19 November positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for seven hours, the SMM heard 60 undetermined explosions, mostly 2-7km south-west and west. Positioned in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) for nearly three and half hours, the SMM heard one explosion assessed as an outgoing round from an 82mm mortar 2-4km north-east, and 70 explosions at locations 2-7km ranging from east to south. In the early evening of 19 November the SMM camera in Avdiivka recorded four undetermined explosions 2-4km south-east and 21 undetermined explosions 3-5km north-east. During the night of 19-20 November the camera recorded 22 undetermined explosions all 4-5km south-south-west. During the day of 20 November positioned in Avdiivka for more than two hours, the SMM heard nine explosions: two were assessed as outgoing 82mm mortar rounds 3km south-east, and six were assessed as the impacts of 82mm mortar rounds 4-6km south-east. Positioned in Yasynuvata for nearly six hours the SMM did not record any ceasefire violations.

During the night of 18-19 November, while in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard 16 explosions assessed as outgoing mortar rounds 500-600m north. The SMM also heard 94 undetermined explosions 6-12km north-west. During the night of 19-20 November while in the same location the SMM heard 44 undetermined explosions 5-12km north-west, and four explosions assessed as outgoing rounds of unknown weapons 3-4km north-west.  

On the evening of 18 November, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 53 undetermined explosions, 5-12km north, west-south-west, south-west, and north-west.

During the night of 18 November while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM heard 68 undetermined explosions 5-8km east-south-east and south-east. During the day of 19 November while in the same location, the SMM heard 45 undetermined explosions and six explosions assessed as outgoing mortar rounds, all 4-6km south-east and south-south-east. During the night of 19 November while in the same location, the SMM heard 76 explosions, 37 of which were assessed as 120mm mortar rounds, all 2-5km east-south-east and south-east.

During the early hours and morning of 19 November, while in government-controlled Mariupol (102km south of Donetsk), the SMM heard 27 undetermined explosions at an undetermined distance east. During the day of 19 November positioned north of government-controlled Lebedynske (16km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM heard 13 undetermined explosions 5km north-north-east.

On the night of 19 November the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, within 35 minutes, 40 undetermined explosions at an undetermined distance north-north-east. During the day of 20 November positioned 2km north-east of government-controlled Chernenko (21km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM heard 25 undetermined explosions at an undetermined distance south.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations during the period between evenings of 18 and 19 November, including 20 explosions, and during the period between the evenings of 19 and 20 November, including 11 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (42 explosions). On 19 November positioned in “LPR”-controlled Kalynove (60km west of Luhansk) the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions 5km south.  On 20 November positioned in government-controlled Troitske (69km west of Luhansk) the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions and bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 5km south.

The SMM continued to follow up reports on shelling and civilian casualties. On 19 November in government-controlled Lebedynske (16km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM observed eleven fresh impacts in the northern part of the village and assessed:  six – located in a field – as caused by 122mm artillery rounds fired from a direction ranging from east-north-east to east-south-east; four – located in close proximity of houses – as caused by 82mm mortar rounds (two fired from an east-north-easterly direction and two from undetermined direction); and one – located in a road – as caused by 120mm mortar (direction of fire undetermined). The SMM saw that a tree had been cut, a metal fence of a house had been destroyed and, and shrapnel marks on the walls of a brick storage and three houses. Two residents (men aged 60) said they had heard about twelve explosions on the morning of 18 November. In government-controlled Lobacheve (17km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM saw a hole in diameter 20cm on the south-east facing wall of an inhabited house and two pieces of shrapnel consistent with rounds from recoilless gun (SPG). A resident (woman aged between 70 and 80) told the SMM that she had heard four explosions on the evening of 18 November, when she was outside.

On 19 November a police officer in government-controlled Kurakhove (40km west of Donetsk) and medical staff at a hospital in government-controlled Pokrovsk (formerly Krasnoarmiisk, 55km north-west of Donetsk) separately told the SMM that a woman (aged 50) had suffered injuries to her head and right arm by an explosion, which had occurred during the previous night in government-controlled Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk). At the hospital the SMM met the victim, who said that when she had been leaving her apartment building she had seen a flash, adding that the door to the apartment building and the surroundings had been damaged by the explosion.

On 19 November in “DPR”-controlled Bezimenne (30km east of Mariupol) the SMM, accompanied by the Russian Federation Armed Forces officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), conducted impact site assessment of a fresh crater in a driveway area 120m east of the JCCC, and assessed it as caused by a 122mm artillery round fired from a westerly direction. 

On 20 November just south of “DPR”-controlled Styla (34km south of Donetsk), the SMM saw two fresh craters in open fields. From the damage to the nearby trees and fragments on the ground, the SMM assessed the impacts as caused by 120mm mortar rounds fired from a westerly direction. In Styla the SMM, accompanied by armed “DPR” members and media, observed three impact sites, which residents said were caused by shelling in the early morning hours of that day. At the first site, the SMM saw that the shed of a house had been completely destroyed, leaving no walls and no roof, and another shed had damage to its roof, walls and three windows, all facing south-west and west. The SMM assessed the impact as caused by a rocket from a multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS; BM-21 Grad, 122mm) fired from a direction ranging from south-west to west. At the second site, the SMM observed an impact next to a garage at the main entrance (causing damage to the garage door, the vehicle parked inside, to the partition brick wall and an outdoor toilet) and another impact between a main house and its annex (causing structural damage to the walls and the roof of the house). The SMM was unable to determine the direction of fire or the ammunition used. At the third site, the SMM also observed a fresh crater on an asphalt road – 40-45m from two houses, and assessed it as caused by a 122mm MLRS (Grad) rocket, probably fired from a direction ranging from south-west to west.

In “DPR”-controlled Sakhanka (24km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM observed a fresh impact near the former cultural centre – few metres from a road – and assessed it as caused by a 122mm artillery round fired from a west-north-westerly direction. The SMM saw that surrounding electricity wires and tree branches had been cut. At a location less than 50m from the site, the SMM saw dozens of empty casings of 12.7mm heavy-machine-gun ammunition on the ground. In a field about 10m from a road, the SMM observed another fresh impact, which was assessed as caused by a 122mm artillery round (the SMM was not able to determine the direction of fire).

In Horlivka staff at a hospital told the SMM that the body of a dead man, who according to them had stepped on a mine the previous evening while walking in areas close to the contact line in Zaitseve (50km north-east of Donetsk), had been transported to the hospital morgue. They added that his age had not been determined yet due to severe injuries.  

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the areas near Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske (41km south of Donetsk), as foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three areas,* but the Mission was able to partially monitor them. Contrary to the requirement of the TCG’s decision, the SMM noted no demining or fencing off of mines in any of the three areas during the reporting period.

The SMM did not note any signs of disengagement in the Stanytsia Luhanska area. At 19:51 on 17 November the SMM camera in government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska near the disengagement area recorded two projectiles in flight from north-east to south-west 0.6-0.8km south-south-east (assessed as inside the disengagement area). At 21:02 the camera also recorded one illumination flare fired to south-west 0.4km south-east (assessed as inside the disengagement area). On 18 November south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge the SMM observed fresh damage to two trees at the southern bank of the Siverskyi Donets river – one 5m west of the bridge and another 5m east of the bridge. An armed “LPR” member told the SMM that the damage had been caused by shelling during the previous night; the SMM was not able to access to the areas due to the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO).*

Both on 19 and 20 November the SMM crossed on the Zolote-Pervomaisk crossing route (closed to civilians) in the disengagement area from south to north and back. During the day of 19 November positioned near an “LPR” checkpoint at the southern edge of the Zolote-Pervomaisk disengagement area the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 10km south-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area). Positioned north of the disengagement area, the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 500-800m south-east of its position and four undetermined explosions 500m north-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

In the Petrivske (41km south of Donetsk) disengagement area an armed “DPR” member did not guarantee safety and security of the SMM and the Russian Federation Armed Forces officer of the JCCC did not assist in ensuring security for the SMM. On 19 November position in Petrivske the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 3-5km west (the SMM was not able to determine whether it occurred inside the disengagement area) and two undetermined explosions 2-3km south (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

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

In violation of withdrawal lines the SMM observed four MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) in government-controlled Ivanivka (59km south-west of Donetsk) on 19 November.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside storage sites the SMM observed in government-controlled areas: three tanks (T-64) each loaded on a transporter heading south near Lyman (formerly Krasnyi Lyman,110km north of Donetsk) on 19 November; three tanks (T-64) each loaded on a transporter heading south-west near Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk) on 19 November; and three tanks (T-64) each loaded on a flatbed truck near Kramatorsk (83km north of Donetsk) on 19 November.

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. In government-controlled areas the SMM observed six MLRS (9A53 Uragan, 220mm).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft weapon in the security zone.[2] In government-controlled areas the SMM observed: one stationary armoured personnel carrier (APC; BTR) near Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk), one stationary APC (BTR) near Olhynka (40km south-west of Donetsk), one stationary APC (BTR) near Pobeda (west of Donetsk), one stationary APC (BRDM-2) near Vrubivka (72km west of Luhansk), and one stationary armoured artillery reconnaissance vehicle (SNAR-10) and two stationary IFVs (BMP-2) near Troitske,  all on 18 November; one stationary APC (BRDM-2) near Vrubivka, and one anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) towed by a military truck, three IFVs (BMP-2) and one APC (MT-LB), all stationary near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk), all on 19 November; one stationary APC (BRDM-2) near Raihorodka (34 km north-west of Luhansk), and one IFV (BMP-1) near Stanytsia Luhanska (outside the disengagement area), one APC (BRDM-2) near Vrubivka all on 20 November. In “DPR”-controlled areas the SMM saw two stationary armoured vehicles, one of them assessed as an IFV (BMP) near Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk) on 18 November,  three stationary IFVs (BMP-2) near Sakhanka, and one stationary IFV (BMP-1) near Styla on 19 November.

On 19 November in DPR”-controlled Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol) the SMM observed 30 men dressed in military-style clothes – some of them armed – walking on various streets, in addition to armed men at three checkpoints in the village.

On 20 November in government-controlled Vyskryva (76km west of Luhansk) the SMM observed a wooden box containing four 122mm artillery shells without fuses on the roadside 50-100m away from houses. A resident (a man aged 60) told the SMM that the Ukrainian Armed Forces previously located in the village had left the box.

The SMM followed up on reports about interrupted water supply from the Donetsk water filtration station due to damage to its power line allegedly caused by shelling on 19 November. On 20 November an employee of the Yasynuvata railway station told the SMM that the water filtration station had been damaged by shelling on the previous night and the water supply had been interrupted. A Russian Federation Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that the severed part of the power cable had been repaired around noon.

The SMM continued to observe mines, a mine hazard sign, booby-traps and unexploded ordnance (UXO).  On 19 November at the eastern outskirts of Popasna the SMM saw an anti-tank mine lying on the tarmac road leading to “LPR”-controlled Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk).  On 20 November at a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint near government-controlled Katerynivka (64km west of Luhansk), the SMM observed about a dozen mines laid on both sides of the asphalt road leading to Zolote, with no mine hazard signs around. The Ukrainian Armed Forces commander present told the SMM that about 2,500 anti-tank mines had been laid in the area. On 19 November, at the railway station in an “LPR”-controlled part of Zolote (61km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM observed for the first time a mine hazard sign (red board with white letters stating “MINES” in Russian)  in the middle of the road leading to a building, which is used for armed “LPR” members.   

On 19 November at the southern edge of Novooleksandrivka (65km west of Luhansk) one metre from a road the SMM observed a signal flare attached to a tree and connected with white wire and assessed it to be a booby trap. The SMM also saw another signal flare 5m from a road in a forest. On 20 November, on the road between “DPR”-controlled Piatykhatky and Fedorivka (32 and 34km north-east of Donetsk, respectively) the SMM saw two UXO of MLRS (BM-30 Smerch, 300mm) stuck in agricultural fields on either side of the road. The SMM assessed them as not fresh. The SMM noted that the land had been cultivated directly around the UXO. On the road between a checkpoint in Berezove and a checkpoint in “DPR”-controlled Olenivka (23km south-west of Donetsk) the SMM noted that the previously observed anti-personnel mine (MON-100) (see SMM Daily Report on 14 November 2016) had been removed. A Ukrainian Armed Forces solider at a checkpoint in Berezove told the SMM that the mine had been removed on 18 November.

On 20 November, at a checkpoint in “LPR”-controlled Krasnyi Lyman (30km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed two armed men with demining equipment working on the side of the road. They told the SMM that for the last two days they had been checking the road to enable a crane to access to the checkpoint to remove the remains of the tractor that had been wrecked by the detonation of an anti-tank mine on 16 November (see SMM Daily Report 18 November 2016).

The SMM monitored the situation of civilians living close to the contact line. On 19 November in Novooleksandrivka (65km west of Luhansk) a resident (a man aged 60) told the SMM that he could not transport his sick wife with walking difficulties by car to a hospital in “LPR”-controlled Pervomaisk as “LPR” members had prohibited residents from leaving the village to travel to other areas (see SMM Daily Report 17 November 2016). An armed man at a checkpoint in nearby “LPR”-controlled Molodizhne (63km north-west of Luhansk) said he needed an order from his “superior” to allow the residents to leave Novooleksandrivka.

The SMM monitored four border areas currently not under government control. While present at the border crossing points in Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk) for an hour, Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk) for an hour and Dovzhanskyi (84km south-east of Luhansk) for 65 minutes and Novoazovsk (40km east of Mariupol) for 20 minutes, the SMM noted a calm situation. Among the visited border crossing points, the highest vehicular traffic was noted in Izvaryne, where on 19 November the SMM observed 37 civilian cars (six with Russian Federation licence plates, two with Belarusian licence plates and the rest with Ukrainian licence plates), six buses (all with Ukrainian licence plates) and 100 people queuing to exit Ukraine. Two civilians at the front of the queue waiting in their car (men aged 25) told the SMM that they had been waiting for more than three hours to exit Ukraine.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi, and Kyiv.

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

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance, 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 18 November south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge the SMM was not able to access the two areas at the southern bank of the Siverskyi Donets river – west and east of the bridge – due to the presence of mines and UXO.
• Both on 19 and 20 November, while south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (inside the disengagement area), the SMM was not able to proceed west on the road leading from Prince Ihor monument south of the bridge due to a steel barrier on the road. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• On 20 November the SMM was not able to proceed further to the railway bridge south of Stanytsia Luhanska from the parking lot east of an “LPR” checkpoint south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, as it saw mine hazard signs. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• Both on 19 and 20 November at an “LPR” checkpoint at the southern edge of the Zolote-Pervomaisk disengagement area, an armed man told the SMM that fields and areas other than roads located in the disengagement area had not been cleared of mines. The SMM was therefore denied full access to the area. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• On 20 November at the government checkpoint north of Zolote-Pervomaisk crossing route a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier did not allow the SMM to proceed further citing the absence of their commander. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• Both on 19 and 20 November, the SMM was not able to travel further west from “DPR”-controlled Petrivske (41km south of Donetsk) as an armed “DPR” member present did not guarantee the security of the SMM and the Russian Federation Armed Forces officer of the JCCC did not assist in ensuring security for the SMM. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• Both on 19 and 20 November the SMM could not travel on the road leading from government-controlled Popasna to Katerynivka (69 and 64km west of Luhansk, respectively), as Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint personnel said the road was mined. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• On 20 November the SMM was not able to proceed further to Popasna from Katerynivka as Ukrainian Armed Forces at a checkpoint told the SMM that no demining activities had taken place in the areas. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• On 19 and 20 November on three separate occasions (two from government-controlled areas on 19 and 20 November and one from “LPR”-controlled areas on 20 November) the SMM could not proceed across the bridge south of government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) from either side to the other. Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel present at a checkpoint told the SMM that the bridge was still mined. Armed men at the “LPR” checkpoint south of the bridge said the same. The SMM also saw that the road was blocked by barbed wire and concrete obstacles. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• On 20 November on the way to “LPR”-controlled Veselohorivka (64km west of Luhansk) armed men standing in the middle of the road with a military-type truck stopped the SMM and prevented it from proceeding further to the village, citing ongoing fire in the area. The SMM moved back some 100m. Positioned at the location for 30 minutes, the SMM did not observe any ceasefire violation. The SMM returned to the location, where armed men had stopped the SMM and observed neither the military-type truck nor armed men at the scene any longer. The SMM proceeded further.

Conditional access:

• On 20 November at a checkpoint near government-controlled Taramchuk (29km south-west of Donetsk) an armed man wearing military uniform with no insignia (only the Ukrainian national flag) stopped the SMM and allowed the SMM proceed further to the village on condition of being escorted. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• On 20 November at a checkpoint in “DPR”-controlled Olenivka (23km south-west of Donetsk) a “DPR” member did not allow the SMM to stay within 300m from the checkpoint.

[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.  

[2] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.