Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 18:00hrs, 1 March 2015

This report is for the media and public

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Movement of heavy weapons was monitored by the SMM in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The SMM monitored four separate “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”) convoys in the Donetsk region. On 28 February, at a location five kilometres east of Donetsk city, the SMM met a “DPR” convoy consisting of four tracked Howitzers, one military-style jeep and one support truck (Ural). The SMM saw another convoy on 28 February close to “DPR”-controlled Bezimenne, (101km south of Donetsk). The convoy consisted of one Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), four tracked Howitzers, self-propelled cannons and two military-type support vans. On 28 February, the SMM saw a “DPR” convoy in the “DPR”-controlled Torez area (61km east of Donetsk) consisting of one empty Kamaz truck, one empty Ural truck, and six BM-21 Grad Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS). The SMM saw a “DPR” convoy on 1 March in “DPR”-controlled Bezimenne (101km south of Donetsk), consisting of one Ural support vehicle and six Grad MLRS (each one loaded with 40 240x122mm rockets). The SMM followed each “DPR” convoy on routes leading from the contact line, to locations described by the respective “DPR” convoy commanders as being the final destination for this equipment, behind the relevant withdrawal line. The SMM intends to monitor these locations on a daily basis.

Between 13:45 and 14.05hrs on 28 February, while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk, the SMM heard 16 incoming and outgoing mortars from a location between eight and 10 kilometres north-west of its position, assessed to have been in or around the Donetsk airport.

In the “DPR”-controlled Kuibyshevskyi district of Donetsk (8km west of Donetsk city-centre), the SMM on 1 March heard several bursts of small arms and heavy machine gun fire, and both incoming and outgoing mortar/artillery fire, in an area approximately three kilometres north-north-west of its position. The SMM assessed it as an exchange between the “DPR” at the “DPR”-controlled airport (9km north-west of Donetsk) and government military forces in government-controlled Pisky (12km north-west of Donetsk). 

On 28 February, the SMM was escorted by members of the “Lugansk People’s Republic (“LPR”) from Luhansk to three artillery positions in “LPR”-controlled Brianka (50km west of Luhansk), two of them empty of heavy weapons but with empty shelters, positions and piles of empty 152mm howitzer shell cases. At the third position, the SMM observed five towed howitzers, and monitored them as they were moved to a position 10km south of “LPR-controlled Volnukhyne (24km south of Luhansk), 43km south of the contact line. The “LPR” refused to allow the SMM to proceed any further with the convoy.

On 28 February, having been informed by the “LPR”, and with an “LPR” escort, the SMM observed the movement of another convoy, consisting of four towed howitzers and one truck, already pre-assembled at a position near “LPR”-controlled Zorinsk (56km west of Luhansk). The SMM monitored the convoy moving south to “LPR”-controlled Ivanivka, (51km south-west of Luhansk), 58km south of the contact line. The “LPR” refused to allow the SMM to proceed any further with the convoy.

On 1 March, the SMM was escorted to a position just outside “LPR”-controlled Stakhanov (50km west of Luhansk) where it met a pre-assembled convoy of five BM-21 Grad MLRS. The SMM followed the convoy south-east as far as a position 20km south of “LPR”-controlled Volnukhyne (24km south of Luhansk), 43km south of contact line. The “LPR” refused to allow the SMM to proceed any further with the convoy.

The SMM met a pre-assembled convoy, consisting of four BM-21 Grad MLRS and one Ural truck, near “LPR”-controlled Yuzhnaia Lomovotka (68km west of Luhansk). The SMM followed the convoy south to a position close to “LPR”-controlled Antratsyt (51km south of Luhansk), 69km south of the contact line. The “LPR” refused to allow the SMM to proceed any further with the convoy.

On 28 February, the SMM observed five military trucks moving east in the vicinity of “LPR”-controlled Samsonivka (31km south-east of Luhansk,). Four of them were towing 120mm howitzers. On the outskirts of “LPR”-controlled Krasnodon (43km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed 18 military-type trucks (no weapons on board) with no markings, flags, or license plates, heading in the direction of Luhansk.

On 1 March the SMM observed the movement of five MLRS Grad trucks, close to “LPR”-controlled Rebrikovo (40km south of Luhansk) moving towards “LPR”-controlled Rovenky (55km south of Luhansk).

On 28 February, five kilometres south-east of the government-controlled village of Hrechyshkyne (72km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard the sound of outgoing and incoming artillery and mortar rounds, assessed to have emanated from a location between five and 10 kilometres south-east of its position.

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