Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30 (Kyiv time), 6 May 2015

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by third parties and security considerations.* The SMM continued to observe ceasefire violations in and around the area of Donetsk airport and Shyrokyne. In Odessa the SMM observed approximately 100 protesters threatening to storm the office of the Department of Internal Security.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions on SMM access and freedom of movement” for further information

This report is for the media and general public.

While stationary at the Donetsk Railway Station observation post (“Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled, 8km north-west of Donetsk), between 13:00 and 17:30hrs the SMM heard a total of 125 explosions[1], as well as sporadic bursts of heavy machine gun and small fire arms and anti-aircraft rounds as well as automatic grenade launchers at a distance of 2 to 8km north-north-east, north-west and west of its location. The SMM estimated that approximately 20% of these were caused by 82mm mortar rounds. The vast majority of the explosions took place between government-controlled Pisky (15km west-north-west of Donetsk) and the area of the “DPR”-controlled “Volvo” centre (13km west-north-west of Donetsk). The SMM could not determine most of the weapons used nor whether the rounds were incoming or outgoing.

In government-controlled Pokrovske (60km north-north-east of Donetsk) a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer told the SMM that on 5 May a shootout had occurred in Svitlodarsk  between “DPR” members and Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers (see SMM Daily Report 6 May, //www.osce.org/ukraine-smm/155346) resulting in the deaths of two Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers and a further six injured. When contacted by the SMM, the commander of the Artemivsk Medical Unit of the National Guard stated that the injured personnel were being treated in Kharkiv. In Pokrovske the SMM spoke to a group of local inhabitants, who described good civil-military relations, but expressed concern of a raise in tension levels  during 9 May ‘Victory Day’ celebrations.

At an observation point on the eastern outskirts of government-controlled Berdianske (1.5km west of Shyrokyne, 20km east of Mariupol) the SMM heard outgoing mortar fire 0.3km east of the SMM position and 1.5km north-north-east of the SMM position, and estimated that approximately twelve shells impacted in Shyrokyne village. JCCC offices in Mariupol and “DPR”-controlled Bezimenne (30km east of Mariupol) reported overnight artillery use by both sides near Shyrokyne. This fire was heard by SMM in Mariupol and by residents of nearby villages.

The SMM visited “Lugansk People’s Republic” (“LPR”)-controlled Krystove (18km north of Luhansk) where four local residents– all women in their fifties - stated that 60 people, including 10 children, are currently living in the village. They said that since August 2014 they have been without electricity and water and that the village only received humanitarian aid in December and April.

On 4, 5 and 6 May the SMM revisited an area in Luhansk city where heavy weapons are being prepared for a parade, to be held on 9 May in Luhansk. On all occasions, the SMM recorded no changes in the number and type of heavy weapons observed. On 5 May the SMM observed that “LPR” members operating equipment were on site preparing for another rehearsal to be held during the morning of 6 May.

Despite claims that withdrawal of heavy weapons was complete, the SMM observed the following weapons in areas non-compliant with the withdrawal lines. On 5 May, in “LPR”-controlled areas the SMM observed a towed self-propelled 122mm howitzer. On 6 May, in a government-controlled area the SMM observed a T-64 tank dug into the ground with its barrel pointing in a southern direction towards the contact line. In addition, an SMM Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) – despite being jammed for 10 minutes around a “DPR”-controlled village – spotted four tanks in “DPR”-controlled territory and one tank in government-controlled territory, all in or around villages close to the contact line, north-east of Mariupol.

On 5 May the SMM monitored in Kharkiv city centre an event organized for the anniversary of the Azov volunteer battalion’s creation. The event was attended by 200-250 people -mainly men, aged between 18 and 40 years - including 50 Azov volunteer battalion members and Kharkiv Euro-Maidan activists. Members of other volunteer battalions were also present. The area was cordoned by Azov volunteer battalion members armed with AK-47 assault rifles. The SMM observed five police officers at the scene. The event was peaceful and no incidents were reported.

In Odessa the SMM monitored a demonstration in front of the office of the Department of Internal Security of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which gathered some 100 activists from Pravyy Sektor (Right Sector), pro-Maidan self-defense groups and other civil society organizations. The crowd was young - over half of the activists were in their twenties - and most of the protestors were men, with some 30 – 40 activists in camouflage. The activists wheeled a trash bin in front of the building. Approximately 10-15 police officers blocked the entrance to the police station.  A Pravyy Sektor activist demanded that the lieutenant colonel who they intended to “lustrate”, and whom they believed had falsified documents to show that he had fought in the “Anti-terrorist Operation” (“ATO”), come out within 20 minutes, or they would storm the building. Shortly thereafter, the police invited heads of two self-defence groups and other civil society activists into the police station to discuss. When the activists came out of the building, the crowd began to disperse without incident.

The SMM attended a press briefing in Kyiv of five representatives of the non-governmental organization (NGO) Ukrainian Rescue Service who claimed to have been illegally imprisoned for 5 days by the “Intelligence Service” of the Pravyy Sektor (Right Sector) volunteer battalion. They stated they were detained on 28 April at the rotation base camp in Dmytrivka village (Dnipropetrovsk region) and demanded a proper investigation. They also said that they were released after their relatives and friends made this case public in social media. The briefing was attended by 4 media representatives, a group of about 15 relatives of the victims and 8 uniformed police officers.

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

* 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.

-In the vicinity of “LPR”-controlled border crossing point Sievernyi (50km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM was prevented by “LPR” “border guards” from proceeding further towards the border crossing point. No explanation was given.

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations observed by the SMM, please see the annexed table