Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 31 March 2019

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 29 and 30 March, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Compared with the previous 24 hours, between the evenings of 30 and 31 March, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and fewer in Luhansk regions.
• The SMM followed up on reports of an injured man in Verkhnotoretske.
•  It observed fresh damage near and in residential areas in Dokuchaievsk and Hlybokyi.
• The Mission saw military presence inside the Petrivske disengagement area and recorded ceasefire violations in the Zolote disengagement area.
• The SMM observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas of Donetsk region.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. In addition, the Mission was denied access at a checkpoint near Zaichenko.*
• The SMM observed a calm situation in several regions in Ukraine during the Presidential Elections.

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 29 and 30 March, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, a similar number of explosions (about 75), compared with the previous reporting period (70 explosions). More than half of the ceasefire violations were recorded south and south-south-east of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol). On the evening of 29 March, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded about 25 ceasefire violations including an undetermined explosion at an assessed range of 200-500m south from the camera.

Between the evenings of 30 and 31 March, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations, including, however, a similar number of explosions (about 75), compared with the previous 24 hours. The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded at southerly directions of Chermalyk and at south-westerly and northerly directions of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 29 and 30 March, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 215 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 500 explosions). About two thirds of the ceasefire violations were recorded west and north-west of Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, non-government-controlled, 50km west of Luhansk).

Between the evenings of 30 and 31 March, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including nine explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded near the disengagement area close to Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and in areas east-north-east of Berezivske (non-government-controlled, 53km north-west of Luhansk).

During the day on 31 March, while conducting a mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight near Kalynove-Borshchuvate (non-government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 12 shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire at an assessed range of 2-4km south-west, assessed as aimed at the UAV which was flying about 1.5km south-west of the SMM’s position.

On the same day, while conducting a mini-UAV flight near Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 20 shots of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 1-1.5km south-west, assessed as aimed at the UAV which was flying about 1km south-west of its  position.

Also on the same day, while conducting a mini-UAV flight near Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard four shots of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 1-1.5km north-west, assessed as aimed at the UAV which was flying about 1km north-west of its  position. The Mission landed all UAVs safely.*

Man injured reportedly due to gunfire in Verkhnotoretske

On 31 March, the SMM followed up on reports of a man injured by shrapnel on 29 March in Verkhnotoretske (government-controlled, 23km north-east of Donetsk). At a hospital in Toretsk (formerly Dzerzhynsk, government-controlled, 43km north of Donetsk), the SMM saw a man (aged 30) with five bandaged wounds: to his face, neck, right thigh and abdominal area. Medical staff told the Mission that the man had been admitted to the hospital on 29 March with five shrapnel wounds. The man told the SMM that in the afternoon hours of 29 March while outside his house at 25 Vyshneva Street in Verkhnotoretske, he had heard gunfire and an explosion and had subsequently seen blood on his face.

Fresh damage to a residential building in Dokuchaievsk

On 31 March, at 104 Lenina Street in Dokuchaievsk (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw a fresh hole in the lower section of the west-south-west-facing window pane of a flat on the third floor of a four-storey residential building. The SMM assessed the damage as caused by a bullet from an undetermined weapon. The SMM also saw a flower pot with damage to its side, assessed as caused by an impact from a bullet. The owner of the flat (woman, aged 30-40) said that she and her family had been at home when the damage had occurred in the afternoon of 25 March.

Fresh damage to residential buildings in Hlybokyi

The SMM observed damage to three residential buildings in Hlybokyi (non-government-controlled, 55km west of Luhansk).

On 28 March, at 5 Krylova Street, the SMM saw 25 shattered west-facing windows, 27 shattered north-facing windows and 27 shattered south-facing windows, with shattered glass found up to a meter south from the building. The SMM also saw more than 40 holes in the middle of the south-facing side of the second floor and ten holes in the middle of the north-facing side of the second floor, assessed as caused by small-arms fire (7.62mm). It also saw 13 fresh craters at a distance of 50-150m south-east, north and north-north-east of the building. The SMM also observed a smashed windshield assessed to be from a possible heavy utility truck (KamAZ variant) in the yard west-south-west of the building. Two residents of the building (a man and a woman, aged 45 years old) told the SMM they had been present inside the building when shelling took place.

About 15m east from the above-mentioned location, at 6 Krylova Street, the SMM saw four freshly broken windows and more than ten fresh holes in the north-facing side of the building, assessed as caused by a small-arms fire (7.62mm). The SMM also observed 12 fresh craters at a distance of 70-150m north-west of the building and an additional five fresh craters 150-150m north-east.

About 150m north-east from the above-mentioned second location, at 8 Krylova Street, the SMM saw four freshly broken east-facing windows.

On 29 March, in Hlybokyi, an SMM mini-UAV spotted three heavily damaged buildings at 5, 6 and 8 Krylova Street. In a field about 150m west-north-west of the damaged buildings, the same UAV spotted 13 fresh craters assessed as impacts of artillery (122mm) rounds fired from a north-westerly direction and seven fresh impact craters (weapon(s) and direction of fire undetermined), all at a distance of 50m of the closest residential houses. In a field about 150m east-south-east of the damaged houses, the same UAV spotted five recent impact craters (weapon(s) and direction of fire undetermined), at a distance of 70m of the closest residential houses. 

Disengagement areas[2]

On 29 March, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded two muzzle flashes at an assessed range of 1-2km south-south-east (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area). While in Kadiivka, the SMM heard about 90 undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 10-15km north-west, near the Zolote disengagement area. On 29 March, while in Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), the SMM saw five bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire at an assessed range of 5-9km east (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area). On 30 March, positioned in three locations near the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM heard about 50 bursts and shots of small-arms fire, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On 31 March, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded 130 projectiles in flight at an assessed range of 2-4km east and east-south-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).  Positioned 1km north of Pervomaisk (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard a burst of heavy-machine-gun fire 600m west-north-west (assessed as inside the disengagement area). Positioned in two locations near the disengagement area, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion and five shots and bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On 29 March, inside the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), an SMM long-range UAV spotted an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-80) near previously reported positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces about 1.2km east of the area’s western edge and about 900m north of its southern edge.[3] On 31 March, positioned near the Petrivske disengagement area, the SMM observed a calm situation.

On 30 and 31 March, positioned near the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed a calm situation.

Withdrawal of weapons

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

Weapons in violation

Government-controlled areas

30 March

The SMM saw two surface-to-air missile systems (9K33 Osa) (one stationary and one moving from west to east) about 4km south-west of Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk).

31 March

The SMM saw two anti-tank guided missile systems (9P148 Konkurs, 135mm) next to the entry-exit checkpoint near Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk).

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[4]

Government-controlled areas

29 March

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• two armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2) near Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk);
• two IFV (BMP-1) near Slavne (26km south-west of Donetsk);
• two APCs (BTR-60 and BTR-70) near Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk); and
• an APC (MT-LB-S ambulance variant) near Novohnativka (40km south of Donetsk).

30 March

The SMM saw:

• a trench digger (undetermined variant) near Vesele (21km north of Donetsk) and
• an APC (MT-LB ambulance variant) and five IFVs (three BMP-1 and two BMP variants)  near Popasna.

31 March

The SMM saw:

• an APC (MT-LB ambulance variant) and four IFVs (three BMP-1 and a BMP variant) near Popasna (see above);
• an IFV (BMP variant) and an APC (MT-LB) near residential houses in Novozvanivka (70km west of Luhansk); and
• an APC (BTR variant) near Novotroitske.

Non-government-controlled-areas

29 March

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• three IFVs (BMP-1), an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) and an artillery reconnaissance vehicle (PRP-4 Nard) near Petrivske (21km south of Donetsk), and
• two IFVs (BMP-1) near Bila Kamianka (51km south of Donetsk).

Presence of mine hazard signs 

On 30 March, the SMM saw for the first time a wooden square sign (grey with “Mines” written in Cyrillic) located about 4m east of a local road on the southern edge of Kalynove-Borshchuvate.

SMM facilitation of operation of civilian infrastructure

On 30 and 31 March, the Mission continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate the operation of the DFS and monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).

Border areas outside government control

On 29 March, while at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) for 30 minutes, the SMM saw seven cars (two with Ukrainian and four with Russian Federation licence plates, as well as one with “DPR” plates) and four trucks with covered cargos (one with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates, as well as two with “DPR” plates) exiting Ukraine. The SMM also saw a bus (with Russian Federation licence plates), 23 cars (two with Ukrainian, 11 with Russian Federation and one with Georgian licence plates, as well as nine with “DPR” plates) and seven trucks with covered cargos (three with Ukrainian and two with Belarusian licence plates, as well as two with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

On 30 March, while at a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (40km east of Mariupol) for 30 minutes, the SMM saw eight cars (one with Ukrainian and five with Russian Federation licence plates, as well as two with “DPR” plates) and two trucks with covered cargos (with Ukrainian licence plates) exiting Ukraine. The SMM also saw six cars (three with Ukrainian and three with Russian Federation licence plates) and a covered cargo truck (with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

The SMM monitored a calm situation in several regions of Ukraine during the Presidential Elections

On 31 March, on the occasion of the Presidential Elections in Ukraine, the SMM observed calm situations in Kyiv, Kherson,Mykolaiv, Odessa,  Lviv, Rivne, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zakarpattia, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia and Chernivtsi, as well as government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM observed an increased presence of law enforcement officers in urban areas in most of the abovementioned regions. The Mission also observed a calm situation and at entry-exit checkpoints in government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

In Kyiv, the SMM observed a calm situation outside the Parliament and in front of the Central Election Commission (CEC) at 1 Lesi Ukrainky Square, where it also saw a group of 350 people (mostly men, aged 18-50) standing in front of the CEC building throughout the day.

On 30 March and 31 March, the Mission observed calm situations at the crossing points between Chonhar (163km south-east of Kherson), Kalanchak (67km south-east of Kherson), Chaplynka (77km south-east of Kherson) and Crimea.

*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 30 March 2019 ). 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:

• On 30 March, at a checkpoint about 1km north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), two armed members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage south to Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol).

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.

Delay:

• On two occasions on 29 March, at a checkpoint west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), members of the armed formations again stopped the SMM on two occasions and allowed it to pass, without providing any reason, only after about 23 and 16 minutes of waiting at the checkpoint.

Conditional access:

• On 31 March, at a checkpoint 5km north-east of Horlivka (non-government-controlled 39km north-east of Donetsk), three members of armed formations again allowed the SMM to proceed only after inspecting the trailer of its vehicle.

Other impediments:

• On 31 March, while conducting a mini-UAV flight near Kalynove-Borshchuvate (non-government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 12 shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, assessed as aimed at the UAV (see above).
• On 31 March, while conducting a mini-UAV flight near Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km north-west of Luhansk), the Mission heard five shots of small-arms fire, assessed as aimed at the UAV (see above).
• On 31 March, while conducting a mini-UAV flight near Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard five shots of small-arms fire, assessed as aimed at the UAV (see above).

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, the SMM camera in Krasnohorivka was not operational.

[2]Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

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

[4] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons, unless otherwise specified.