Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 17 September 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. On the night of 16-17 September, the Mission heard small-arms fire 30-50m from its position. The SMM recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote and the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement areas. Inside the Petrivske disengagement area, the SMM saw Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers and a recent extension of a trench assessed as belonging to the armed formations. The Mission’s access remained restricted in the disengagement areas, as well as in Bohdanivka and again near Verkhnoshyrokivske.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of the respective withdrawal lines near Ocheretyne, Shyroke, Novoamvrosiivske and Khrustalnyi. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. It also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs and maintenance works to critical water infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as demining and repairs at the Krasnohorivka gas distribution station between Marinka and Oleksandrivka and repairs to houses in Avdiivka. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a protest in front of the General Prosecutor’s Office, where it saw protestors clash with police officers.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations,[1] including, however, more explosions (about 80), compared with the previous 24 hours (75 explosions).

Between 22:25 and 00:18 on the night of 16-17 September, while in Debaltseve (non-government-controlled, 58km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 17 shots of small-arms fire near its position. The Mission assessed the shots as having originated from a residential area approximately 30-50m west.

On the evening and night of 16-17 September, the SMM camera in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk) recorded 41 projectiles in flight (mostly from west-south-west to north-north-east), 11 bursts and three muzzle flashes, all 2-4km east and east-south-east. During the day on 17 September, while in Svitlodarsk, the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions 5-6km east-south-east and south-south-east.

On the evening of 16 September, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 16 undetermined explosions and 11 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 6-9km north-north-west. On 17 September, at the same location, the SMM heard 35 shots of small-arms fire 2-3km south-west.

On the evening and night of 16-17 September, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded 18 undetermined explosions, two explosions assessed as airbursts, 75 projectiles in flight (mostly from west to east), three muzzle flashes, two illumination flares in vertical flight and a burst, all 0.2-4km at directions ranging from south-south-east to south-west.

On the same evening and night, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) recorded seven undetermined explosions, 66 projectiles in flight (the majority from east-south-east to west-north-west) and four illumination flares in vertical flight, all 2-4km north and north-north-east.

On the same evening and night, the SMM camera 1km south-west of Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) recorded three explosions assessed as impacts of rounds of undetermined weapons, about 115 projectiles in flight (mostly from south-south-west to north-north-east and from west-north-west to east-south-east), two bursts and four muzzle flashes, all 2-4km east-north-east, east and south.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including seven explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (about 215 explosions).

The SMM continued to monitor and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske[2] (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), as foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted, but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.*

On the morning of 17 September, the SMM camera near the Prince Ihor Monument south-east of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk) recorded an undetermined explosion 2-4km north. On the same day, positioned south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 2-3km east. The SMM assessed both explosions as having occurred outside the disengagement area.

On 17 September, positioned on the southern edge of Zolote-4/Rodina (government-controlled, 59km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard an explosion assessed as an outgoing round of an undetermined weapon 1-1.5km west-south-west. Positioned on the western edge of Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 2-3km north. The SMM assessed both explosions as having occurred outside the disengagement area.

On 16 September, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP variant) 100m north of the northern edge of the Zolote disengagement area.

On 15 September, an SMM long-range UAV spotted two Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers near a bunker inside the Petrivske disengagement area, about 200m from its northern edge and 550m from its western edge. On the same day, the same long-range UAV spotted an 8m extension of a previously observed trench (see SMM Daily Report 16 August 2018) protruding into the disengagement area through its northern edge, about 350m from its eastern edge, assessed as belonging to the armed formations.

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

In violation of withdrawal lines in a government-controlled area, on 15 September, an SMM long-range UAV spotted a self-propelled howitzer (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) near Ocheretyne (31km north-west of Donetsk).

In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, on 16 September, an SMM long-range UAV spotted 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) on the western outskirts of Shyroke (33km east of Donetsk). On 17 September, the SMM saw four multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near Novoamvrosiivske (56km east of Donetsk) and 16 MLRS (BM-21) near Khrustalnyi (formerly Krasnyi Luch, 56km south-west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, on 15 September, an SMM long-range UAV spotted two surface-to-air missile systems (9K37): one near Hnativka (39km north of Donetsk) and one near Klishchiivka (60km north of Donetsk), and two surface-to-air missile systems (9K33 Osa) near Stupochky (60km north of Donetsk). On 17 September, the SMM saw seven anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) loaded on a train at the train station in Khlibodarivka (65km south-west of Donetsk).

The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage did not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification from the SMM to the signatories of the Package of Measures on effective monitoring and verification of the withdrawal of heavy weapons. At two such sites in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, the SMM observed five self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and six towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm), and noted that two self-propelled howitzers (2S1) remained missing.

The SMM revisited a permanent storage site, the location of which was beyond the respective withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, and noted that 11 tanks (seven T-72 and four T-64) remained missing.

The SMM revisited a heavy weapons permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region and noted that four MLRS (BM-21), three self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and six towed howitzers (one 2A65 and five D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) remained missing. The Mission also saw new weapons present.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft gun[3] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 15 September, an SMM long-range UAV spotted three armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23-2, 23mm) mounted on a truck near Dyliivka (52km north of Donetsk), as well as four armoured combat vehicles (type unknown) near Pivnichne (formerly Kirove, 44km north-east of Donetsk). On 16 September, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an IFV (BMP-1) and an armoured personnel carrier (MT-LB) near Bila Hora (54km north of Donetsk). On 17 September, an SMM mini-UAV spotted two IFVs (BMP-1) near Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk). On the same day, the SMM saw four IFVs (two BMP-1 and two BMP-2) near Luhanske (59km north-east of Donetsk).

In a non-government-controlled area, on 17 September, the SMM saw an IFV (BMP-1) near Ivanivka (33km east of Luhansk).

The SMM visited a border area not under government control. On 17 September, while at a border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) for about one hour, the SMM saw 18 cars (four with Ukrainian and seven with Russian Federation licence plates, and seven with “DPR” plates), a covered cargo truck with “DPR” plates and a bus with Polish licence plates exiting Ukraine. During the same time, the SMM saw 11 cars (two with Ukrainian and five with Russian Federation licence plates, and four with “DPR” plates) and a bus with “DPR” plates and about 30 people on board entering Ukraine.

The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS, including through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire.

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair and maintenance works to a water pipeline between Zolote and Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), a water channel junction in Stanytsia Luhanska, water wells in Krasnyi Lyman (non-government-controlled, 30km north-west of Luhansk) and the South Donbas water pipeline between Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) and Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk).

The Mission also facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs at the Krasnohorivka gas distribution station between Marinka and Oleksandrivka (non-government-controlled, 20km south-west of Donetsk), and to houses on Lermontova Street in Avdiivka

In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a public protest in front of the building of the General Prosecutor’s Office at 13/15 Riznytska Street, purportedly organized following reports of the extradition of a Russian citizen from Ukraine. The Mission saw about 400 people (mostly men, mixed ages), some of them holding flags of Svoboda, Pravyi Sektor and Rukh Novykh Syl and wearing T-shirts with National Corps insignia. About 100 police and National Guard officers were present. The SMM saw protesters burn tires, throw smoke flares, paint and eggs; break windows, damage the entrance door to the building and destroy the building’s plaque. At one point, the Mission saw protesters throw pieces of pavement towards the building and at the police and clash with police officers, who responded by spraying them with water from a fire hose and diffusing pepper spray. During the clashes, the SMM saw a female journalist being escorted out of the crowd by three police officers, after she had reportedly been physically assaulted by a protester and had eggs thrown at her.

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

*Restrictions of 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 (UXO) 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. They have also agreed that the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, see SMM Daily Report 17 September) The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• At a checkpoint west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage, citing risks to “the SMM’s security”. The SMM saw civilian cars crossing.
• Armed members of the armed formations denied the SMM access to a military-type facility in Bohdanivka (non-government-controlled, 44km west of Luhansk), citing “a lack of authorization from their commander”.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The SMM was prevented from accessing parts of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, with the exception of the main road, due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.[4]
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM by telephone that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.5
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A member of the armed formations positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.

Other impediments:

• Staff at two schools in Oleksandrivsk (non-government-controlled, 10km west of Luhansk) and in Metalist (non-government-controlled, 7km north-west of Luhansk) said they could not provide the SMM with information without permission from senior members of the armed formations.
• Staff at a nursery in Vesela Hora (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Luhansk) said they could not provide the SMM with information without permission from senior members of the armed formations.

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

[2] Due to the presence of mines, including on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remains limited, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.

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

[4] The SMM informed Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC. Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the JCCC withdrew from the JCCC as of 18 December 2017.