Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 26 June 2019

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• The Mission observed the beginning of the disengagement process at the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area.
• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region.
• The SMM saw fresh damage from gunfire to a civilian house in Dokuchaievsk and to a pig farm near Novoluhanske.
• It saw anti-tank mines near Petrivske, some for the first time.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to critical civilian infrastructure, including to water pipelines and powerlines. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere.*

Disengagement in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area

At 12:00 on 26 June, positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw the launch of white flares by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and members of the armed formations, from their most forward positions respectively north and south of the wooden ramps on the broken part of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, reportedly signaling the readiness to disengage. At 12:02 and 12:14, respectively, the SMM saw one green flare fired by Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel and one fired by the armed formations from their most forward positions, signaling the beginning of disengagement.

At 12:10, the SMM saw 14 Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel in a vehicle (UAZ variant), leaving their positions inside the disengagement area and driving north outside of the area. From 12:15 to 15:00, the SMM observed 12 members of the armed formations, as well as a truck and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm), withdrawing from the disengagement area and relocating close to the Prince Ihor Monument, south-east of the disengagement area.

During the same day, at the entry-exit checkpoint (EECP) north of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM saw that, from 11:45 to 12:20, the crossing of civilian pedestrians through the EECP had been suspended and that 200-300 people were waiting to cross. Crossing resumed at 12:20, when the SMM observed a steady flow of civilians crossing in both directions.   

By 15:00, the SMM observed no presence of Ukrainian Armed Personnel and members of the armed formations or hardware at their most forward positions.

During the day, on four occasions, the SMM saw two unidentified unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), one black and one white delta-shaped, flying over the disengagement area.

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including fewer explosions (about 110), compared with the previous reporting period (about 240 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded at southerly directions of Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol), at easterly directions of Hnutove (government-controlled, 20km north-east of Mariupol), and in areas south-south-east of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol), including 40 explosions.  

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions (about 30), compared with the previous reporting period (17 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas east-south-east of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk).

Fresh damage to a house in Dokuchaievsk and to a pig farm near Novoluhanske

At 44 Myru Street, in a residential area on the eastern edge of Dokuchaievsk (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw a 2x2cm impact hole on the west-facing part of the roof of a single-storey house, an impact hole (3cm in diameter) and shrapnel damage (fragmented pieces of wood and torn wallpaper) to a west-facing door frame and wall, as well as splinters from the door frame and shrapnel on the floor inside the house. The SMM also saw two shattered south-facing window panes. The SMM assessed the damage as fresh and caused by a round from an undetermined weapon fired from a north-westerly direction. A man and a woman (aged 70-80), who introduced themselves as residents of the house, told the SMM that they had been in the garden of the house on the afternoon of 25 June when they heard three explosions.

On 25 June, an SMM mini-UAV spotted a hole (not seen in imagery from 5 June 2019) in the roof of the Bakhmut Agrarian Union’s pig farm near Novoluhanske (government-controlled, 53km north-east of Donetsk), assessed as caused by small-arms fire (for previous observations in the area, see SMM Daily Report of 7 June 2019). About 1km east of the farm, the same UAV spotted 16 fresh craters in a field, assessed as caused by 120mm mortar rounds (the SMM was unable to assess the direction of fire).

Disengagement areas[2]

On 25 June, inside the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk), an SMM mini-UAV spotted four Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel and a camouflage net stretching across the road forming an approximate 2m wide strip with distinct cylindrical shaped discs underneath. The net corresponded to a location where the SMM had previously observed anti-tank mines laid across the road.    

During the night and early morning hours of 26 June, while in Popasna, the SMM heard 15 explosions, and about 100 shots and bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all at an assessed range of 3-6km east-south-east, assessed as outside the Zolote disengagement area but within its 5km periphery. During the day of 26 June, positioned 1km north of Pervomaisk (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion and seven bursts of small-arms fire, assessed as inside the Zolote disengagement area.     

Positioned close to the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM observed a calm situation.[3]

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.

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

Government-controlled areas

25 June

An SMM long-range UAV spotted an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP variant) near Pervomaiske (17km north-west of Donetsk). 

An SMM mini-UAV spotted an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-80), an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2), a probable IFV (BMP variant) and two armoured combat vehicles (ACV) in Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk).

26 June

The SMM saw:

• an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) near Novoselivka (31km north of Donetsk) and
• an IFV (BTR-4) near Novobakhmutivka (28km north of Donetsk).

The SMM saw a helicopter (MI-8/17 variant) flying in a west-north-west direction at an altitude of 100-200m about 6km north-east of Nyzhnoteple (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk).

Presence of anti-tank mines near Petrivske and Shchastia

On 25 June, about 170m north of the disengagement area near Petrivske, an SMM mini-UAV spotted for the first time  two anti-tank mines (TM-62) next to 35 previously observed anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid out on a road between Bohdanivka and Viktorivka (non-government-controlled, 42km south-west of Donetsk).

On 26 June, the SMM saw four men (aged 20-50) in civilian clothing, carrying seven anti-tank mines (TM-62) and two shovels on the northern edge of Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk), leaving a white truck with civilian licence plates and moving east-north-east on foot.

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to water pipelines between Zolote-3/Stakhanovets (government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk) and Popasna, to powerlines near Betmanove (formerly Krasnyi Partizan, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Donetsk) and to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne (government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk). During the repair works to powerlines near Betmanove, the SMM heard and saw ceasefire violations, assessed as approximately 500m from the repair works site. The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.

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

*Restrictions of the 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 on Control and Co-ordination 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, SMM Daily Report 12 June 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:

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 26 June, at a checkpoint near Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), four armed members of the armed formations allowed the SMM to proceed only after 40 minutes of waiting.

Other impediments:

• On 25 June, an SMM long-range UAV experienced signal interference while flying over government-controlled areas near Pervomaiske (government-controlled, 17km north-west of Donetsk) and Staromykhailivka (non-government controlled, 15km west of Donetsk), assessed as due to jamming. The same UAV also experienced signal interference while flying over areas near Zoria (government-controlled, 40km north-west of Donetsk), assessed as due to probable jamming.[5]     

For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. The SMM camera in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk) was not operational during the reporting period.

* 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 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.

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

[5] The interference could have originated from anywhere within a radius of kilometres from the UAVs’ positions.