Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 5 July 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 region and more in Luhansk region.
- The SMM saw fresh gunfire damage to two houses in Yasynuvata.
- Small-arms fire is assessed as directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near Marinka; a mini-UAV was lost near Verkhnoshyrokivske after experiencing signal interference.
- Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM observed workers removing vegetationalong the road north of the bridge.
- The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the disengagement area near Zolote
- Small arms fire in close vicinity of SMM patrol members near the Zolote disengagement area.
- The Mission concluded the search for the long-range UAV without recovering it.
- The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs and the operations of critical civilian infrastructure.
- Seven children injured due to unexploded ordnance in Dnipropetrovsk region.
- Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including in government-controlled Marinka and in non-government-controlled Novoazovsk, Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, Verkhnoshyrokivske and Yasne.*
Ceasefire violations[1]
In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including fewer explosions (about 60), compared with the previous reporting period (about 450 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded at south-easterly directions of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol), at southerly directions of Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) and at southerly directions of the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk).
In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions (165), compared with the previous reporting period (115 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including about 160 explosions, were recorded in areas south-east of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk).
Gunfire damage to two houses in Yasynuvata
At 27 Sevastopolska Street at the northern edge of Yasynuvata(non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk) the SMM observed a hole (30cm x 60cm) in the north-facing side of the roof of a single-storey house, as well as two holes (10cm in diameter) in the south-facing side of the roof. It assessed the damage as fresh and caused by a 30mm projectile from an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) from a westerly direction, fragments of which had caused the two exit holes. At the same address, two siblings told the SMM that in the evening of 4 July, they had been at home and their parents had been in the kitchen when they heard the sound of a projectile impacting the roof above the adjacent room.
At 14/41 Mikroraion Tsentralnyi, about 900m east of the aforementioned house, the SMM saw a hole (15cm in diameter) in a north-facing window of a first-floor apartment in a multi-storey house. It also saw fresh groove marks and a hole (20cm in diameter) in a wooden display case and a wardrobe inside the aforementioned apartment and a corresponding impact hole in the north-facing interior wall of the apartment. The Mission assessed that the damage was fresh and had been caused by an unexploded IFV (BMP-2, 30mm) projectile from a north-westerly direction. A resident of the apartment (a woman in her sixties) told the SMM that on the evening of 4 July her son had been at home, watching television, when the projectile had passed between him and the television screen and impacted the abovementioned wall.
Small-arms fire in the vicinity of SMM patrol members near the Zolote disengagement area
On 5 July, positioned at the southern edge of Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), about 600m east of the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk), SMM patrol members heard two bursts of small-arms fire at an assessed distance of 1km north-west. They also heard whistling sounds, assessed as originating from bullets flying about 5m above their heads, and bullets ricocheting off a hard structure at an assessed distance of 5m-10m south. The SMM immediately left the area (see below).
Small-arms fire assessed as directed at an SMM mini-UAV near Marinka; another SMM mini-UAV lost near Verkhnoshyrokivske
While conducting a mini-UAV flight in the center of Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard seven bursts of small–arms fire at an assessed range of 200m-250m north-east, assessed as aimed at the mini-UAV, which was flying 200-250m north-east of the SMM patrol’s location. The SMM safely landed the UAV and left the area.*
Positioned on the western edge of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM conducted a mini-UAV flight, which twice experienced GPS signal interference, assessed as probably caused by jamming. During the second flight, the SMM lost control of the UAV and was unable to recover it.*
Search for long-range UAV concluded without recovering it
The SMM concluded the search for the long-range UAV lost on 27 June near Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol) (see SMM Spot Report 27 June 2019) after conducting 25 mini-UAV flights, 22 of which experienced GPS signal interference assessed as probable jamming.
Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area
On 5 July, the SMM saw members of the State Emergency Services (SES) cutting grass and removing vegetation along the road north and south of the former forward position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska. It also saw three SES de-miners, equipped with metal detectors, stand next to the road about 350m north of the abovementioned position and an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (Kozak). In the area between the former forward position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the former forward position of the armed formations, two members of an international organisation told the SMM that they were ready to support civilians with medical problems who were crossing the bridge.
Near the checkpoint of the armed formations south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk), inside the disengagement area, the Mission saw at least five members of the armed formations, wearing a blue armband with “JCCC” written on it.[2]
At the entry-exit checkpoint north of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, outside the disengagement area, the SMM observed about 600 people queuing to exit and about 250 people queuing to enter government-controlled areas. At the checkpoint of the armed formations south of the bridge, the SMM observed no people queuing but a regular flow of people moving north and south through the checkpoint and about 100 cars in the adjacent parking lot.
Positioned inside the disengagement area, the SMM saw two UAVs flying at an assessed range of 3-10km east-south-east outside the disengagement area.
Other disengagement areas[3]
On 3 July, inside the disengagement near Zolote, an SMM mini-UAV spotted two soldiers near a position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and again anti-tank mines (TM-62) under a camouflaged net across road T-1316, all about 1km south of its northern edge (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 2 July 2019). About 500m north-east, the same UAV again spotted an IFV (BMP-1) covered with camouflage netting, assessed as belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
On 5 July, positioned 500m south of the disengagement area near Zolote, the SMM heard two undetermined explosions and six shots of small-arms fire, all at an assessed range of 1-2km north-west, all assessed as inside the disengagement area. On the same day, positioned 300m east of the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM heard three shots of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 1-2km west, assessed as inside the disengagement area, as well as ten bursts of small-arms fire, assessed as outside the disengagement area but within 5km of its periphery. On the same day, positioned at the southern edge of Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, the SMM heard two bursts of small-arms fire at an assessed distance of 1km north-west (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area) (see above).
During the evening of 5 July, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded eight projectiles in flight, all assessed as outside the disengagement area but within 5km of its periphery.
During the day on 5 July, positioned close to the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM observed a calm situation.[4]
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
Government-controlled areas
4 July
An SMM mini-UAV spotted two self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya,152mm) near Druzhba (76km west of Luhansk).
Non-government-controlled areas
4 July
An SMM long-range UAV spotted:
- 22 multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near Khrustalnyi (formerly Krasnyi Luch, 56km south-west of Luhansk) (for previous observations see SMM Daily Report 22 June 2019); and
- three towed howitzers (2A65Msta-B) near Vilkhivka (40km east of Donetsk).
Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites
Government-controlled areas
5 July
The SMM saw
- three towed mortars (2B9 Vasilek, 82mm) in Kostiantynivka(60km north of Donetsk) and
- two tanks (T-64) in Pokrovsk (55km north-west of Donetsk).
Non-government-controlled areas
On 3 July, aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of
- 24 tanks in a training area near Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk);
- six tanks in a training area near Shymshynivka (27km south-west of Luhansk);
- 14 tanks in a training area near Kruhlyk (65km south-west of Luhansk); and
- 35 tanks and 42 towed howitzers or mortars (types undetermined)in a training area near Myrne (41km south-east of Luhansk).
4 July
An SMM long-range UAV spotted:
- six self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), 11 towed howitzers (five 2A65 and six D-30Lyagushka) and four anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) near Khrustalnyi (see above);
- two self-propelled howitzers (2S1) in a residential area of Shyroke (34km south-east of Luhansk).
Other weapons observed[5]
On 3 July, aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed 18 self-propelled howitzers or mortars (types undetermined) and 29 towed howitzers or mortars (types undetermined) in a training area near Buhaivka (see above).
Weapons that the SMM could not verify as withdrawn
At heavy weapons holding areas in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region[6]
5 July
The SMM noted that seven towed howitzers (D-30) were present, while 21 towed mortars (PM-38, 120mm) and 28 towed howitzers (D-30) remained missing.
Indications of military and military-type in the security zone[7]
Government-controlled areas
4 July
An SMM-mini UAV spotted:
- an armoured combat vehicle (ACV) (type undetermined) near Novooleksandrivka (64km north of Luhansk);
- an ACV (type undetermined) under a camouflage net in a residential area of Popasna, about 10m from a civilian house;
- a newly constructed mortar pit near an abandoned and destroyed building in Stepanivka (62km west of Luhansk) (not seen in imagery of 2 June 2019);
- alow band surveillance and acquisition radar (P-19)near Druzhba.
An SMM long-range UAV spotted three IFVs (two BMP-2 and one undetermined) near Troitske (69km west of Luhansk)
5 July
The SMM saw
- an APC (BTR-70) north of Stanytsia Luhanska and
- an IFV (BTR-4) near Novobakhmutivka (28km north of Donetsk).
On 4 July, an SMM mini-UAV spotted a new 40m trench in a field running from east to west about 80m from an armed formations checkpoint near Molodizhne (non-government-controlled,63km north-west of Luhansk) (not seen in imagery from 2 June 2019).
On 5 July, the SMM saw about 40 new bullet casings on the ground near a checkpoint of the Ukrainian Armed Forces east of Popasna.
New mine hazard sign near Novoluhanske
The SMM observed for the first time an improvised mine hazard sign attached to a wooden pole with “Mine” written in Ukrainian, 1m south of a road in Novoluhanske (government-controlled, 53km north-east of Donetsk), 10m from a position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
SMM facilitation of repairs and the operations of civilian infrastructure
The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable an assessment of a water conduit in Obozne (non-government-controlled, 18km north of Luhansk) as well as repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk) and to a water pipeline between Zolote-3/Stakhanovets (government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk) and Popasna. The SMM also facilitated the operation of the DFS and continued to monitor the security situation in the area of the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).
Children injured by unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Dnipropetrovsk Region
On 2 July, the SMM followed up on media reports of children injured by the explosion of a piece of UXO in Pashena Balka (government-controlled, 25km south-west of Dnipro). Medical staff at a hospital in Dnipro told the SMM that six children (five boys aged between 5 and 16 years old and a 12-year-old girl) had been admitted to the hospital that same evening with multiple shrapnel injuries sustained while playing in a playground in Pashena Balka on 1 July due to the explosion of an UXO. The medical staff told the SMM that two of the boys were in a critical condition.
Medical staff also told the SMM that additionally, a 12-year-old boy had been admitted on 2 July with fragmentation injuries due to the explosion of an UXO that he had found in Dnipro on the same day.
On 4 July, a police officer in Dnipro told the SMM that a 12-year-old boy had found an UXOin a rubbish bin near a field in Pashena Balka where he had been playing together with five other children and that all had been injured while playing with the UXO. The police also confirmed to the SMM that another 12 year-old boy had been injured after a piece of UXO that he had found in Dnipro exploded. The police told the SMM that it had opened a criminal investigationfor the two incidents.
The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, 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, 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 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, SMM Daily Report 29 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:
- At a checkpoint at the northern entrance to Novoazovsk (non-government-controlled, 40km east of Mariupol) three armed members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage south into the town, citing a “special military operation in the area”.
- In Yasne (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk), an armed member of the armed formations denied the SMM access to Valova Street, where it intended to conduct an impact site assessment, citing shelling of the area.
Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:
- The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to 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.
- The SMM was again prevented from proceeding northward on road T-1316 inside the Zolote disengagement area due to the presence of a concertina wire stretched across the road about 350m north of the armed formations’ checkpoint on the southern edge of the disengagement area.
Other impediments:
- During two flights over Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km NE of Mariupol), an SMM mini-UAV twice experienced GPS signal interference, assessed as probably caused by jamming. During the second flight, the SMM lost control of the UAV and was unable to recover it (see above).[8]
- While conducting a mini-UAV flight near Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard seven bursts of small-arms fire about 200m-250m north-east, assessed as aimed at the UAV, which it landed safely (see above).
- A Ukrainian Armed Forces representative to the JCCC did not provide the SMM with security guarantees to conduct a mini-UAV flight south of Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), citing “air defence activities”.
- In the evening hours of 4 July and early morning hours of 5 July, an SMM long-range UAV experienced signal interference while flying over areas near Kostiantynivka (government-controlled, 60km north of Donetsk) and Hirne (non-government-controlled, 56km east of Donetsk), assessed as due to probable jamming, as well as near Zemlianky (non-government-controlled, 17km north-east of Donetsk), assessed as due to jamming.
[1]For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.
[2]The Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) was established in September 2014 by Ukraine and the Russian Federation. Each posted a representative to jointly head the Centre and a staff of officers from the Ukrainian and Russian Federation Armed Forces to be co-located in defined sectors of Luhansk and Donetsk regions. In December 2017, Russian Federation Armed Forces officers withdrew from the JCCC and departed Ukraine.
[3]Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardwareof 21 September 2016.
[4]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.
[5]The SMM was unable to assess whether these weapons were in violation of withdrawal lines in the absence of information on their calibre.
[6]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.
[7]The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.
[8]The interference could have originated from anywhere within a radius of kilometres from the UAVs’ positions.