Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 18:00 (Kyiv time), 26 March 2015

This report is for media and the general public.

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. The SMM facilitated a local ceasefire and the delivery of humanitarian aid in Shyrokyne, east of Mariupol. The SMM, based on its monitoring – which was restricted by third parties and by security considerations* – observed that fighting continued in areas around Donetsk airport.

For the second consecutive day (see Daily Report 26 March), on 26 March the SMM facilitated a ceasefire in Shyrokyne (“Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled, 100km south of Donetsk, 20km west of Mariupol) and the neighbouring villages with the Donbas volunteer battalion stationed east of Mariupol (102km south of Donetsk) on one side, and with “DPR” controlling the eastern part and north-eastern entrance to Shyrokyne on the other. The SMM entered the village from the north*. Walking through it, the SMM spoke with four women, five men, and a 14-year-old boy who had not been to school since September due to the shelling. Some of them told the SMM about relatives killed and injured from shelling, and family members who had left. An 80-year-old woman wanted to show the SMM her destroyed house at the village’s eastern end, but the escorting “DPR” members did not allow it.* The SMM’s unarmed/unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) had previously spotted two T64 tanks in that area. All adult interlocutors expressed frustration with the continued shelling of their village and the dire living conditions, such as no electricity for six weeks and no water for more than one month. The SMM also facilitated access for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which delivered blankets, candles, food and hygiene items to 50 families. The SMM saw that 50-60% of all houses in Shyrokyne were destroyed, with the remainder, including the kindergarten, damaged. The relatives of a resident who had stayed in Shyrokyne to take care of livestock had informed the SMM in Mariupol that he had been killed. The SMM recovered the body from the house, which was located in the stretch of land between the “DPR” und Ukraine armed positions to the west of the village, and handed the body over to the ICRC who took the remains to the morgue in Mariupol. The deceased’s family were informed and identified their relative.

In the afternoon the SMM heard intermittent small arms and light weapons (SALW) fire from the south-west and mortar rounds (likely 82mm) outgoing from the north-north-east of Shyrokyne. The SMM could not ascertain the direction of the fire. All along the main road the SMM saw craters, unexploded ordnance (UXO), a burnt-out tank, and infantry fighting vehicles. The SMM assessed that the majority of the impacts had been caused by shelling, originating from a westerly direction. Throughout the foot patrol, the SMM’s UAV was flying over and taking images of destroyed houses and other civilian infrastructure, destroyed military vehicles on the main road, a twin barrelled anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23mm), as well as armed units in the south of the village.

In government-controlled Artemivsk (66km north of Donetsk), the SMM enquired with the police chief about a deadly incident that occurred in the evening of 25 March near Maiorsk (government-controlled, 41km north of Donetsk) when a passenger bus hit a landmine. He said that a private bus travelling from Artemivsk to Horlivka (“DPR”-controlled, 36km north of Donetsk) had been prevented from crossing the last checkpoint before the line of contact on the grounds of travel restrictions stipulated in the temporary order on controlling the movement of people, vehicles and goods (T144) that prohibit passage after 18:00hrs. According to the police chief, the driver had decided to bypass the checkpoint on the side to continue the trip instead of complying with an instruction by checkpoint personnel to wait until the next morning. The police chief further said that a rear wheel of the bus had struck a mine, killing four women and injuring several other people. The SMM visited the area of the incident, where Ukrainian Armed Forces and police were present. The SMM saw mine-warning signs by the road, close to the incident site.

At Donetsk airport* (“DPR”-controlled, 11km north-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw what were described by a “DPR” member as the remains of two Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers, recovered the previous night from the ruins of the new terminal. He said the bodies would be transported to Donetsk morgue. The SMM saw the arrival of three vehicles. One of the visitors, a woman, who introduced herself as a member of the “DPR” “ministry of foreign affairs”, told the SMM that “Abkhaz emergency services” intend to provide “DPR” with material and consultancy for demolishing the ruins and rebuilding the airport. The group left after 30 minutes. Whilst at the airport, between 10:00 and 13:35hrs, the SMM heard 133 explosions south, west and north of its position. The SMM could not ascertain the distance, the type of ammunition used, or if it was incoming or outgoing fire. Between 10:00 and 10:30hrs the SMM heard 15 outgoing 120mm mortar rounds from a southerly direction, and 15 incoming artillery rounds in a westerly direction; both incoming and outgoing fire occurred at 1-3km distance from the SMM’s position. Between 10:30 and 11:15hrs the SMM heard 13 incoming explosions, 1-2km north of its position. The SMM could not ascertain the type of ammunition, the weapon used or the origin of fire. At 12:07hrs the SMM saw an explosion 200m north-west of its position, caused by an incoming 40mm grenade from an automatic grenade launcher; the SMM could not ascertain the direction. Between 13:00 and 13:30hrs the SMM witnessed 12 incoming airbursts caused apparently by high explosive shells, 1-3km west of its position, but could not ascertain the direction. At 13:35hrs the SMM left the airport due to outgoing heavy-machine-gun fire 300-400m west of its position.

From 9:19 to 10:00hrs, whilst in its office in Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard 35 explosions of undetermined type of weapon or calibre, 10-15km north-west of its location. Whilst in Pisky (government-controlled, 11km north-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard five incoming 120mm mortar rounds.

From 12:30 to 12:55hrs in Yelyzaveto-Mykolayivka* (“DPR”-controlled, 45km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 16 explosions, consistent with artillery rounds, 10-15km south-west of its position. The SMM could not determine the calibre or whether the explosions were caused by incoming or outgoing rounds.

Around a “DPR”-checkpoint between Bezimenne* (“DPR”-controlled, 100km south of Donetsk, 30km east of Mariupol) and Rozdolne (“DPR”-controlled, 47km south of Donetsk), the SMM saw a civilian tractor digging trenches.

In Avdiivka (government-controlled, 14km north-west of Donetsk), the SMM and the Ukrainian Major-General, Head of the Ukrainian side to the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), and the Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander of the 93rd Brigade visited a new JCCC observation point near Donetsk airport, which has been operational since 22 March with two officers from the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Russian Federation Armed Forces respectively. According to the JCCC members though, the observation point is a potential sniper target from the direction of Spartak (“DPR”-controlled, 8km north-west of Donetsk).

Near Sopyne (government-controlled, 99km south of Donetsk, 15km east of Mariupol), from 7:53 to 9:00hrs, the SMM heard intermittent SALW fire and three mortar rounds. At 11:30hrs, the SMM heard ten rounds of heavy-machine-gun fire north-west of its position. In both instances, the SMM could not ascertain directions or distances due to strong wind.

Near government-controlled Berdianske (102km south of Donetsk, 18km east of Mariupol), the SMM observed that its UAV was being targeted by SALW fire from three Ukrainian Armed Forces positions situated 350m, 400m and 500m north of the SMM’s position, on the western edge of Shyrokyne. 

In “DPR”-controlled Makiivka* (12km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw trucks with banners reading “Humanitarian Aid from the Russian Federation” on them. Later the SMM observed the offloading of three of these trucks into a warehouse. According to the manager of the “DPR” centre for rehabilitation, who was on site, the convoy contained 600 tons of barley seeds, peas and fertilizers for agricultural use. The SMM saw a dozen trucks parked within the warehouse compound, loaded with seeds packed in bags.

The “DPR” informed the SMM that from 25 March to 4 April the “DPR” would conduct exercises with live artillery fire. The location was not specified. According to the “DPR”, weapons which were withdrawn beyond the respective line will be used for the exercise, and they will be returned to their holding areas upon the completion of the exercise.

Near Smile (“Lugansk People’s Republic” (“LPR”)-controlled, 32km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard SALW fire from the north, in the direction of Ukrainian Armed Forces positions south of government-controlled Krymske (43km north-west of Luhansk), as well as heavy impacts south-west of Smile. The SMM could not ascertain the cause of the impacts, the distance, or if the fire was incoming or outgoing.

In Troitske (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk) the SMM heard four explosions 7km south of its position and saw smoke in the distance. The SMM could not ascertain the cause of the explosions.

In “LPR”-controlled Vesela Hora (16km north of Luhansk), two “LPR” members from the Sverdlovsk brigade and local residents told the SMM that there is a large concentration of mines in the area between the last “LPR” checkpoint in Vesela Hora and the bridge over the Siverskyi Donets river, which leads to government controlled territory.

The SMM revisited three “DPR” heavy weapons holding areas and found all previously registered items to be in situ. The SMM visited for the first time another “DPR” heavy weapons holding area. All the areas were compliant with the respective withdrawal lines.

At a Ukrainian Armed Forces heavy weapons storage site in the Luhansk region, located within the 15km exclusion zone, the SMM saw three T64 tanks, two of them being repaired by a team of four people. The officer in charge told the SMM that all three tanks will be withdrawn once repaired.

In the area of Michurine* (“DPR”-controlled, 89km south of Donetsk) the SMM saw four tanks (T72). Near Olenivka* (“DPR”-controlled, 22km south-west of Donetsk) the SMM saw one tank (T64). In the area of Sopyne, the SMM observed three tanks (T-64). Near government-controlled Kurakhove (50km west of Donetsk), the SMM saw three infantry fighting vehicles, one with an anti-tank guided missile mounted on it. All the above were in the zone from which they need to be withdrawn.

On 26 March the SMM visited the area of the Kyiv headquarters of Ukrnafta, one of Ukraine’s leading oil companies. One police patrol was stationed near the office, as has been the case during the past days. (See Daily Report 24 March.) Two security officers were at the building’s entrance, and people entered normally. Some men were painting the recently-constructed security fence. No armed personnel or armoured trucks were noted in the compound or near the building.

On 26 March the SMM visited the site of an explosion that had occurred the previous day on a railroad track near Mezhova (127km south-east of Dnepropetrovsk). The chief of police of  Mezhova told the SMM that an explosive device had detonated as a train transporting coal from Donetsk region to Dnepropetrovsk region was passing. The explosion had damaged one train car and three railway sleepers, but the train had not been derailed. The SMM saw that the tracks had already been repaired, and the removed damaged parts were nearby. The police chief said that 2kg of TNT were used.

On 25 March in Lviv the SMM observed the inauguration of the city’s first mosque and religious centre, supported by the Association of the Crimean Tatar Community (IHSAN) and the European Association of Muslims (HASINE). The mosque is located in private premises, rented by the two abovementioned associations, in the city centre.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Kherson, Odessa, Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Kharkiv.

* Restrictions on SMM access and freedom of movement:

The SMM is restrained in fulfilling its monitoring functions by restrictions imposed by third parties and security considerations including the lack of information on whereabouts of landmines.

The security situation in Donbas is fluid and unpredictable and the ceasefire does not hold everywhere. For this reason, the SMM requires security guarantees from “DPR” and “LPR” which are not always provided. Where such guarantees are limited to escorted movements, and escorts are not provided for all planned patrols or are delayed, this also represents a restriction of SMM freedom of movement.

In particular during the reporting period:

-  On 26 March, in government-controlled Troitske (69km west of Luhansk), the SMM was not allowed to proceed past a newly-established Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint to check a 122mm self-propelled howitzer spotted earlier (see Daily Update 26 March). From a distance, the SMM could only confirm that the weapon on a hill was of the abovementioned type. The Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel claimed that the piece was out of order.

-  On 26 March in Shyrokyne, when an 80-year-old woman wanted to show the SMM her destroyed house at the village’s eastern end, the escorting “DPR” members did not allow it. The SMM’s unarmed/unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) had previously spotted two T64 tanks in that area.