Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 15 April 2019

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM saw fresh damage caused by gunfire to two apartments in Dokuchaievsk.
• The Mission recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area and again saw mines inside the Petrivske disengagement area.
• The SMM observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both side of the contact line.
• The Mission saw upgrades at the entry-exit checkpoints in Hnutove and Maiorsk.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including close to the pumping station near Vasylivka, which reportedly resumed its operations.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The Mission was also restricted at checkpoints in non-government-controlled Zaichenko, Lukove, Tavrycheske and Bezimenne, as well as at a railway station in and a border crossing point outside government control near Voznesenivka.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including 33 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 190 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south-east of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol) and in areas between of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) and Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including five explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 70 explosions).

Two houses damaged due to gunfire in Dokuchaievsk

The SMM followed up on reports of damage to two apartments in the western part of Dokuchaievsk (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk), about 3km from the contact line. At 78 Lenina Street, in an apartment located on the first floor of a six-storey building, the Mission saw a hole in the pane of a north-west-facing window; another hole in the metal case of a microwave standing opposite the window; and a hole in the wall behind the microwave. It assessed the damage as fresh and caused by small-arms fire. A woman (in her sixties) and a man (in his forties) who introduced themselves as the residents of the apartment told the SMM that a bullet had gone through the window in the late afternoon of 14 April.

In an apartment located on the second floor of a six-storey building at 86 Lenina Street, the SMM observed a hole in the windowsill of a north-west-facing window, a burn mark on the windowsill, as well as another hole in a concrete wall perpendicular to the window. The Mission assessed the damage as fresh and caused by small-arms fire. A woman (in her eighties) who introduced herself as the resident of the apartment told the SMM that a bullet had hit the window in the late afternoon of 14 April.

Disengagement areas[2]

On 15 April, positioned at two locations in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard ten shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On 12 April, an SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) again spotted 12 anti-tank mines laid out in one row inside the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), about 450m south of its northern edge and about 100m west of its eastern edge, near previously reported positions of armed formations. Outside the disengagement area, the same UAV spotted for the first time 55 anti-tank mines, laid out in two curved rows in a field about 200m east of its eastern edge and about 500m south of Petrivske.[3]

On 15 April, 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.

Weapons in violation of withdrawal lines

Government-controlled areas

12 April

An SMM mid-range UAV spotted:

• a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) near residential houses in Novoselivka (31km north of Donetsk) and
• a mortar (probable 2B14 Podnos, 82mm) east of Novoselivka.

13 April

An SMM mini-UAV spotted four self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Roty (66km north-east of Donetsk).

15 April

The SMM saw:

• two self-propelled anti-aircraft systems (2K22 Tunguska) being transported from east to west near Maksymilianivka (30km west of Donetsk) and
• four multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-27 Uragan, 220mm) near Proizhdzhe (95km north of Luhansk).

Non-government-controlled areas

12 April

An SMM mid-range UAV spotted two mortars (2B14 Podnos, 82mm; one of them probable) near Shyroka Balka (34km north-east of Donetsk).

13 April

An SMM mini-UAV spotted two tanks (T-72) in a residential area of Sosnivske (78km south of Donetsk).

15 April

The SMM saw

• seven MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm), seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and ten towed howitzers (five 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm and five D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) at the former Luhansk international airport about 10km south of Luhansk city (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 11 April 2019).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

15 April

The SMM saw three self-propelled anti-aircraft systems (2K22 Tunguska) near Stritenka (formerly Oktiabrske, 62km south-west of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

13 April

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• 14 towed howitzers (eight 2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm and six D-30) near Khrustalnyi (formerly Krasnyi Luch, 56km south-west of Luhansk) and
• 24 tanks (19 probable T-72 and five probable T-64) in a training area near Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk).

15 April

The SMM saw:

• seven tanks (T-72) and six surface-to-air missile systems (9K35) at the former Luhansk international airport (see above) and
• four tanks (T-72) 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.

Weapons that the SMM could not verify as withdrawn[4]

At heavy weapons holding areas in government-controlled areas of Luhansk region

15 April

The SMM noted that six MLRS (six BM-21) were present.

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

Government-controlled areas

12 April           

An SMM mid-range UAV spotted:

• two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-1) near Troitske (30km north of Donetsk) and
• an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRM-1K) and an armoured combat vehicle (ACV) (type undetermined) near Novoselivka.

13 April

An SMM mini-UAV spotted two armoured personnel carriers (APC) (MT-LB) near Klynove (68km north-east of Donetsk).

An SMM long-range UAV spotted 25 IFVs (BMP variants) near Bila Hora (54km north of Donetsk).

14 April

An SMM mini-UAV spotted an ACV (probable BMD or BTR-D) close to residential houses in Heivka (27km north-west of Luhansk).

15 April

The Mission saw an IFV (BMP-1) in Trokhizbenka (32km north-west of Luhansk).

Non-government-controlled areas

13 April

An SMM mini-UAV spotted five IFVs (three BMP-2, a BMP-1 and a BMD-2) and an APC (MT-LB) in Sosnivske, as well as 14 members of the armed formations, three of whom were aiming their weapons at the UAV which was flying over Prymorske (39km north-east of Mariupol) (where the SMM had heard small-arms fire assessed as aimed at the UAV on the same day; see SMM Daily Report 15 April 2019). The same UAV also spotted about 25 fresh craters nearby, assessed as impacts of 122mm artillery rounds fired from a north-westerly direction.

13 April

An SMM long-range UAV spotted an artillery target acquisition radar system (1L259) near Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk).

Mines near Novoselivka and Shyroka Balka, unexploded ordnance (UXO) near Tavrycheske

On 12 April, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted at least 200 anti-tank mines in a field about 4km north-east of Novoselivka. The same UAV spotted at least 77 anti-tank mines about 3.7km south-south-west of Shyroka Balka (about 800m east of the above-mentioned mines). (For previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 14 March 2019.)

On 15 April, the Mission saw two objects in the field 2m north of a local road leading from Tavrycheske (non-government-controlled, 35km north-east of Mariupol) to Kaplany (non-government-controlled, 36km north-east of Mariupol). It assessed the objects as 73mm rounds from a recoilless-gun (SPG-9, Kopye) or an IFV (BMP-1) cannon.

Mine hazard sign near Sarabash, demining activities near Volnovakha

On 14 April, an SMM mini-UAV spotted a mine hazard sign (a red square with “Danger Mine” written in Russian and English) near positions of the armed formations south-west of Sarabash (formerly Komunarivka, non-government-controlled, 26km south of Donetsk).

On 15 April, the Mission saw two people in protective gear bearing the logo of an international organization in a field on the eastern side of road H20 about 4km north-east of Volnovakha (government-controlled, 53km south of Donetsk).

Upgrades at entry-exit checkpoints in Hnutove and Maiorsk

On 13 April, the Mission observed that two new overhead structures had been set up and six new metal booths had been placed at the entry-exit checkpoint (EECP) in Hnutove (government-controlled, 20km north-east of Mariupol). It also saw that a new layer of tarmac had been laid within the area of the EECP (the EECP had been closed for repairs on 5-8 April; see SMM Daily Report 10 April 2019).

On 12 April, the SMM spotted that two new overhead structures were being set up and that the access road was being widened at the EECP in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk).

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 a water pipe near Kruta Balka, which connects to the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk), and to power transmission lines near Holubivka (formerly Kirovsk, non-government-controlled, 51km west of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) and monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka. Representatives of Voda Donbassa water company told the Mission that the pumping station had resumed its operations and would reach its full working capacity in the next two days. During the day on 15 April, positioned near Avdiivka, Kamianka (government-controlled, 23km north of Donetsk) and Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 25 undetermined explosions as well as shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire.

Border areas outside government control

On 15 April, while at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw 55 cars (41 with Ukrainian, three with Russian Federation and one with Lithuanian licence plates, and ten with “LPR” plates) and a truck with Ukrainian licence plates queueing to exit Ukraine. After about five minutes, two members of the armed formation told the Mission to leave the area.

While at the Chervona Mohyla railway station in Voznesenivka, the SMM saw a queue of cargo cars and a tank car. After five minutes, two members of the armed formations told the Mission to leave the area.*

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, 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:

• Members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage north through the checkpoint on the southern edge of the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk).
• On two different occasions, at a checkpoint of the armed formations near Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage to Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol), citing “sniper fire” and “demining activities” in the area.
• At a checkpoint near Lukove (non-government-controlled, 72km south of Donetsk), a member of the armed formations denied the SMM passage after the Mission refused to show its patrol plan.
• At a checkpoint 2.5km west of Bezimenne (non-government-controlled, 30km east of Mariupol), two members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage west, citing “ongoing operations in the area.”
• A member of the armed formations denied the SMM passage as it was travelling on a road near Tavrycheske (non-government-controlled, 35km north-east of Mariupol), saying there was a mine on it. The SMM saw the road ahead was blocked by three branches.
• At a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, non-government-controlled, 65km south-east of Luhansk), two members of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.
• At the Chervona Mohyla railway station near Voznesenivka, two members of the armed formations told the SMM that it had 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.

Other impediments:

• Medical staff at a hospital in Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district (non-government-controlled, 15km south-west of Donetsk city centre) refused to provide the SMM information about a civilian reportedly injured due to shelling without permission from those in control.
• On the evening of 13 April, an SMM long-range UAV temporarily lost its GPS signal, assessed as due to jamming, while flying over government-controlled areas of northern Donetsk region.[6]

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, fog limited the observation capabilities of some of the SMM cameras.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate”.

[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 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.

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

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