Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 12 April 2019

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM followed up on reports of a woman injured due to shelling in Staromykhailivka on 8 April and the death of a member of State Emergency Services near Maiorsk on 9 April.
• The Mission saw fresh damage from shelling in Zolote-3/Stakhanovets and fresh impact craters near populated areas in Orlivka.
• Shots were fired close to the Mission near a compound of the armed formations in Smile on 11 April.
• The SMM recorded a ceasefire violation inside the Zolote disengagement area.
• The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas near Zernove, Michurine, Smile and Starolaspa.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure on both sides of the contact line. It heard ceasefire violations while monitoring adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to a water pipe near Kruta Balka.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere. The Mission was also denied access at two heavy weapons holding areas in non-government areas of Donetsk region, at a compound near Smile and near Izvaryne close to the border with the Russian Federation.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 315 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 500 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including the majority of explosions, were recorded in areas south and south-west of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk), west and north of the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk), south-east of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 77km south of Donetsk) and south of Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol).

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including fewer explosions (23), compared with the previous reporting period (about 260 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, were recorded in areas north-east, east and south-east of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk) and south-south-west of Muratove (government-controlled, 51km north-west of Luhansk).

Shots fired close to the SMM near a compound of the armed formations in Smile

On 11 April, positioned outside of a locked compound of the armed formations in Smile (non-government-controlled, 31km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM saw a tank (T-72) inside the compound. While speaking with a member of the armed formations who told the SMM that it could not access the compound, the SMM heard six shots of small-arms fire at a distance of approximately 20m. The Mission left the area.

Woman injured due to shelling in Staromykhailivka

On 11 April at a traumatology hospital in Donetsk city (non-government-controlled), the Mission saw a woman (in her eighties) lying in bed. She told the Mission that on the morning of 8 April she had been working in the garden of her summer kitchen on Artema Street in Staromykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 15km west of Donetsk) (a settlement located less than 2km from the contact line) when she had heard explosions. She added she had felt something hit her and seen that her right arm was injured as she was running back to the summer kitchen to take cover there. Medical staff at the traumatology hospital told the SMM that the woman had been transferred from a hospital in Staromykhailivka on 8 April with a fractured left leg and shrapnel injuries to the left leg and left arm.

Death of a member of State Emergency Services

The SMM followed up on the death of a member of the State Emergency Services of Ukraine after the detonation of an explosive device near Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) (two other members of the State Emergency Services of Ukraine suffered injuries from the same detonation, see SMM Daily Report 10 April 2019). Medical staff at the morgue in Toretsk (formerly Dzerzhynsk, government-controlled, 43km north of Donetsk) told the Mission over the phone that the body of the man (in his thirties) with injuries from a mine explosion had been brought to the morgue on 9 April.

Fresh damage from shelling in Zolote-3/Stakhanovets

On 12 April at 2 Nyzhno Dachna Street in Zolote-3/Stakhanovets (government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk), the Mission saw that all window panes on the north- east-, and west-facing walls of an inhabited house were shattered and that shards of glass were scattered on the ground. It observed shrapnel damage to the wooden frames of the windows as well as to the north- and west-facing wall. The SMM saw that five south- and west-facing windows of a summer kitchen located about 2m north of the house were broken and observed shrapnel damage to its south- and west-facing walls, as well as to the top part of a root cellar that is attached to the kitchen’s east side. West of the house, it observed a shed whose windows and roof were destroyed. The Mission saw at least 15 holes in the ground (5-20cm in diameter), most of them in the area between the house and the summer kitchen. It also observed that branches on the south-eastern side of a tree growing west of the shed were broken and that parts of the bark had been torn off. The SMM assessed all damage as fresh and caused by a mortar round fired from a south-south-easterly direction which impacted in the upper branches of the tree. A man and a woman (in their seventies) who introduced themselves as the residents of the property told the SMM that the damage had been caused during shelling on the morning of 11 April when they were at the property.

Fresh impact craters in Orlivka

The SMM saw five fresh impact craters in fields near populated areas in Orlivka (government-controlled, 22km north-west of Donetsk). The closest crater was located about 40m from an inhabited house. The Mission assessed that three craters, one of which contained an unexploded projectile, were probably caused by artillery rounds coming from a north-easterly direction; two craters also as probably caused by artillery rounds but the direction of fire could not be determined.

Disengagement areas[2]

On the evening of 11 April, the SMM camera in Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk), recorded a projectile in flight at an assessed range of 2-3km south-east (assessed as inside the disengagement area). During the day on 12 April, positioned in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard ten bursts of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 1-2km north-north-west (it was unable to assess whether they occurred inside or outside the disengagement area).

Positioned about 2km north of Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the Mission heard and saw 16 undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 5-7km south-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).[3]

Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed on 10 April the presence of two new trench extensions (not seen in imagery from 25 March 2019) totalling about 160 meters, about 1.2km south of Petrivske and about 950m east and 1.5km east-north-east, respectively, of the eastern edge of the Petrivske disengagement area.

Positioned inside 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.

In violation of withdrawal lines

Non-government-controlled areas

11 April

An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted:

• four self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Zernove (70km south of Donetsk);
• nine tanks (probable T-72) near Michurine (61km south of Donetsk), in a zone within which deployment of heavy armament and military equipment is further proscribed according to Point 5 of the Memorandum of 19 September 2014; and
• eight self-propelled howitzers (2S1) near Starolaspa (51km south of Donetsk).

The SMM saw a tank (T-72) inside a compound in Smile (31km north-west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

11 April

An SMM mini-UAV spotted two tanks (types undetermined), two towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) and nine self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) near Manhush (25km south-west of Mariupol).

Non-government-controlled areas

11 April

An SMM long-range UAV spotted ten tanks (T-72) in a training are near Pokrovka (36km east of Donetsk).

Weapons permanent storage sites[4]

At permanent storage sites in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region

12 April

The SMM noted that 23 tanks (14 T-72 and nine T-64), nine mortars (2B14 Podnos, 82mm) and 15 anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) were missing.

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[5]

Non-government-controlled areas

9 April

Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of 11 armoured combat vehicles (ACVs) (types undetermined) in a training area near Svobodne (73km south of Donetsk), in a zone within which deployment of heavy armament and military equipment is proscribed according to Point 5 of the Memorandum of 19 September 2014.

11 April 

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• two ACVs (types undetermined) in a compound in Bezimenne (30km east of Mariupol);
• nine infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-1) in a training area near Zernove and five ACVs (types undetermined) near Boikivske (formerly Telmanove, 67km south-east of Donetsk), all in a zone within which deployment of heavy armament and military equipment is proscribed according to Point 5 of the Memorandum of 19 September 2014; and
• four armoured personnel carriers (APC) (MT-LB) and an IFV (BMD variant) in Kalmiuske (formerly Komsomolske, 42km south-east of Donetsk).

An SMM mini-UAV spotted an IFV (BMP-1) near Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, 44km west of Luhansk).

Government-controlled areas

11 April

An SMM long-range UAV spotted an IFV (BMP-1) near Novhorodske (35km north of Donetsk).

12 April

The SMM saw

• an APC (BTR-70) near Novobakhmutivka (28km north of Donetsk);

• two anti-aircraft guns (ZU-23, 23mm) in Oleksandropillia (71km west of Luhansk); and
• seven IFVs (four BMP-1 and three BMP variants) and an APC (MT-LB-S) in Popasna.

The Mission saw an unidentified UAV flying at a height of around 100m above its position approximately 2.7km west of Novoselivka (31km north of Donetsk).

Demining activities

The SMM saw five people in civilian clothing, each holding a mine detector, in a field about 300m west of road P66, about 2km east-south-east of Myrna Dolyna (government-controlled, 67km north-west of Luhansk).

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), to power lines in Zolote-2/Karbonit (government-controlled, 62km west of Luhansk) and in Zolote-4/Rodina (government-controlled, 59km west of Luhansk) and to water conduits near Obozne (non-government-controlled, 18km north of Luhansk).

During the monitoring of adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to a water pipe near Kruta Balka (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Donetsk), a representative of Voda Donbassa water company told the Mission over the phone that the works had to be cancelled due to shelling in the area. The SMM was not able to follow up due to security considerations. Positioned near Kruta Balka, the Mission heard 21 undetermined explosions as well as shots and burst of small-arms fire in the area (for all ceasefire violations recorded in the area, see the attached table).

The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS.

Border areas outside government control

While at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw two cars (one with Ukrainian and one with Lithuanian licence plates) and two covered cargo  trucks (one with Ukrainian and one with Belarusian licence plates) entering Ukraine. During the same time, the Mission saw 44 cars (22 with Ukrainian, 14 with Russian Federation, one with Lithuanian and one with Belarusian licence plates, and six with “LPR” plates), 25 covered cargo trucks (nine with Ukrainian, six with Russian Federation, four with Belarusian and one with Uzbek licence plates, and five with “LPR” plates) and 35 pedestrians waiting in a queue to exit Ukraine. After about ten minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

While at a pedestrian border crossing point near Verkhnoharasymivka (57km south-east of Luhansk) for about 30 minutes, the SMM saw seven pedestrians entering Ukraine and 11 pedestrians exiting Ukraine.

On 11 April, while at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) for about 40 minutes, the SMM saw a car with “DPR” plates, a tanker truck with Ukrainian licence plates, a covered cargo truck with “DPR” plates, a bus with “DPR” plates and seven pedestrians entering Ukraine. During the same time, the Mission saw 21 cars (three with Ukrainian, seven with Russian Federation and one with Lithuanian licence plates, and ten with “DPR” plates), 20 covered cargo trucks (ten with Ukrainian, two with Russian Federation, two with Georgian and two Lithuanian licence plates, and four with “DPR” plates) and a pedestrian exiting Ukraine.

On 11 April, while at a border crossing point near Ulianivske (61km south-east of Donetsk) for about 30 minutes, the Mission did not see any cross-border traffic.

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

*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 below). 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.

Denials of access:

• On 11 April, at a compound of the armed formations in Smile (non-government-controlled, 31km north-west of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations refused to let the SMM enter, stating that he did not have the authority to grant access (see above).
• Members of the armed formations denied the SMM access to two heavy weapons holding areas in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region, citing “lack of permission.”
• At a border crossing point near Izvaryne (non-government-controlled, 52km south-east of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.

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.
• North of the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk), a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that he was not aware of any demining activities having taken place in the past 24 hours.

Delay:

• At a checkpoint 600m west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), two members of the armed formations stopped the SMM on two occasions. They allowed it to pass through the checkpoint respectively after about 20 and 50 minutes.

Conditional access:

• At a checkpoint near Staromykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 15km west of Donetsk), a member of the armed formations allowed the SMM to pass only upon being escorted by a car of the armed formations during its patrol of the settlement.

Other impediments:

• On the evening and night of 10-11 April, an SMM long-range UAV experienced signal interference, assessed as jamming, while flying over government- and non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region.[6]

[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] 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 last sentence in the weapons permanent storage sites section of SMM Daily Report 12 April 2019 should have read “The SMM noted that seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and one towed howitzer (D-30) were missing.”

[5] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons

[6] The interference could have originated from anywhere within the radius of several kilometres of the UAV’s position.