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Home Newsroom News and press releases Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 19:30 (Kyiv time), 29 May 2015
Newsroom

Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 19:30 (Kyiv time), 29 May 2015

KYIV 30 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 observed a continuing increase in the number of ceasefire violations in and around Donetsk airport. The SMM remained unable to travel to Shyrokyne due to security considerations. The SMM observed discrepancies of recorded heavy weapons at a number of Ukrainian Armed Forces, “DPR” and “LPR” holding areas.

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

The number of ceasefire violations observed by the SMM in and around “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled Donetsk airport (10km north-west of Donetsk city centre) remained at the same level as the previous day, following a brief two-day decrease in observed ceasefire violations earlier in the week. Over a seven-hour period from an observation point at the city’s central railway station (8km north-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM heard a total of 179 explosions on 29 May (compared to 150 on 28 May, 13 on 27 May, and 73 on 26 May and 170 on 25 May).

While at the railway observation point, operated by the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), the SMM was informed that 12 JCCC representatives – six from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and six from the Russian Federation Armed Forces – who had been monitoring ceasefire violations in the airport area for the previous three days, had since returned to JCCC Headquarters in Soledar (government-controlled, 77km north-north-east of Donetsk). The SMM had previously been told by the Ukrainian Armed Forces representative at the JCCC observation point that the presence of the JCCC monitors on the ground was expected to result in a temporary decrease in ceasefire violations (see SMM Daily Report 27 May).

The 179 explosions1 that the SMM heard during the reporting period were consistent with munitions including mortar (82mm and 120mm) and automatic grenade launcher fire. The explosions were heard mainly in the direction of government-controlled areas to the west and north-west of the SMM’s position, including Pisky and Vodyane, and in the direction of “DPR”-controlled areas to the north-east, south and south-west of the SMM’s position, including Spartak and the Kyivskyi district of Donetsk city.

The SMM observed that the overall security situation in Luhansk region remained calm. The SMM heard one explosion in the morning around Kapitanove (government-controlled, 50km north-west of Luhansk) and heard several bursts of small-arms and light-weapons fire in the late afternoon around Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north-west of Luhansk). The SMM also heard reports by civilians about fighting, including by staff at a power plant in Shchastia who said heavy-machine gun fire on 28 May had damaged equipment and caused a temporary blackout in the area.

The SMM visited a total of 14 heavy weapons holding areas. These included five “DPR” sites – three where the SMM observed weapons to be missing and two where the SMM was denied access. The 14 holding areas also included seven Ukrainian Armed Forces sites, where the SMM also observed some weapons to be missing at three sites. The 14 holding areas also included two “LPR” sites – including one where the SMM observed all the weapons to be missing.

The SMM experienced a variety of challenges trying to monitor the five “DPR” heavy weapons holding areas. At one revisited “DPR” site, the SMM observed four self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), as had previously been recorded – but because their serial numbers were in poor condition and unreadable, the SMM was not able to conclude if they were the same weapons previously recorded. The SMM found another revisited “DPR” area, unguarded. There, the SMM observed that while two previously recorded anti-tank guns (Rapira, 100mm) were in situ, six previously recorded self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) were missing. The SMM found yet another revisited “DPR” area also unguarded and observed that two previously recorded D-30 towed howitzers (122mm) were missing. “DPR” members nearby told the SMM that the weapons had temporarily been moved to a training area south of Ternove (“DPR”-controlled, 54km east of Donetsk), which does not comply with the Minsk withdrawal lines. The SMM was denied entry to another “DPR” holding area – and the SMM was denied close-up access and was thus unable to record details at another “DPR” holding area.*

The SMM visited seven Ukrainian Armed Forces heavy weapons holding areas – revisiting five sites and visiting two others for the first time. Of the five revisited sites, the SMM observed previously recorded weapons to be missing at three sites – specifically, seven 2A65 towed howitzers (MSTA-B, 152mm) from one site, five multiple launch rocket systems MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) from another site, and one MLRS (BM 21-1 Grad, 122mm) from another site. Of the two sites the SMM visited for the first time, the SMM observed and recorded six towed artillery (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) at one site and eight MLRS (BM21-1 Grad) at the other site. The SMM concluded that the distances of the site locations comply with the respective withdrawal lines.

The SMM visited two “LPR” heavy weapons holding areas. At one site, the SMM observed that all nine previously recorded MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) were missing. “LPR” members present at the site said the weapons had all been redeployed to a training area, close to the contact line, near Debaltseve (“DPR”-controlled, 71km south-west of Luhansk and 57km north-east of Donetsk). The SMM visited the other “LPR” heavy weapons holding area for the first time – observing six MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) and concluding they were the same weapons the SMM had observed being withdrawn from the contact line in March. The SMM concluded that the distances of the site locations comply with the respective withdrawal lines.

Despite the claims that the withdrawal of heavy weapons was completed, the SMM observed the following movement or presence of weapons in areas that are non-compliant with the Minsk withdrawal lines. In “DPR”-controlled areas, the SMM observed approximately 20 main battle tanks (MBTs, mainly T-72 and several T-64) at a known “DPR”-training base near Ternove (“DPR”-controlled, 54km east of Donetsk) and one MBT (T-64) being transported on a flatbed truck heading east on highway H-21 between Zuhres and Shakhtarsk (“DPR”-controlled, 33km and 50km east of Donetsk, respectively). In terms of other military movements, in “DPR”-controlled areas the SMM observed one infantry fighting vehicle (BMP-2) near Donetsk airport and eight military-type trucks near Makiivka (10km east of Donetsk). Two infantry fighting vehicles (a BMP-1 and a BMP-2) were also stationary in the same area. In government-controlled Donetsk region, the SMM observed two self-propelled anti-aircraft guns (ZSU-23-4 Shilka) moving south-south-east.

The SMM in Kyiv attended the Second All-Ukrainian Congress of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Crimea, organised by the Coordination Council of Organizations of IDPs from Crimea. The Congress was attended by approximately 100 people, including public servants, representatives of non-governmental organizations and activists, as well as IDPs from Crimea, both men and women between approximately 25 and 60 years old. Issues discussed included restrictions on the transport of goods from mainland Ukraine to Crimea, and restrictions on civilians’ freedom of movement to and from Crimea. Some participants welcomed the recent establishment of the Ukraine State Service on Crimean Issues, which started work 18 May.

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

The security situation in Donbas is fluid and unpredictable and the cease-fire does not hold everywhere.

  • A local “DPR” military commander in the Kirovskyi district of “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city (10km south-west of Donetsk city centre) said the SMM had no authorization to be in the area or to speak to residents, and he requested that the SMM leave the area immediately. The SMM left the area.

  • The SMM was denied entry to a “DPR” heavy weapons holding area by a “DPR” member who said the site commander was not present and the SMM had not been expected.

  • The SMM was denied access at another “DPR” heavy weapons holding area. The SMM observed six D-30 howitzers (122mm) and two MT-12 anti-tank guns (100mm), but was not able to record details, including serial numbers.

  • At three Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoints in the government-controlled towns of Krasne (47km west of Donetsk), Kramatorsk (80km north-north-west of Donetsk) and Volnovakha (50km south-south-west of Donetsk), personnel requested to check SMM monitors’ IDs and nationalities. The SMM was allowed to proceed after 15-20 minutes.

1 For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.