Spot Report 1/2021: Members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage for almost five hours at the checkpoint near Olenivka, Donetsk region

On the morning of 1 March, an SMM patrol consisting of three vehicles and six people arrived at the checkpoint of the armed formations near Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) to cross to government-controlled areas. At 11:02, while at the checkpoint, a member of the armed formations approached the patrol and said that the SMM would need to open the doors and trunks of its vehicles for a visual inspection before being allowed to proceed further towards government-controlled areas. The patrol refused the request and was subsequently asked to wait.

During the next hours, the SMM undertook efforts to facilitate the patrol’s crossing but the vehicles were not allowed to pass. During that time, the checkpoint was open for civilian crossings.

Between 15:15 and 15:43, the Mission recorded 33 undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 2-5km west, north-west and north. At 15:40, a member of the armed formations told the SMM the checkpoint was closed due to ceasefire violations in the area.

The patrol, after waiting for nearly five hours, was hence unable to proceed. It left the checkpoint at 15:43 and returned to non-government-controlled Donetsk city.