Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 23 September 2015

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The SMM noted a large concentration of tanks in a “DPR”-controlled area along the contact line. The SMM recorded some ceasefire violations, demining and training in Donbas, and an incident in Kharkiv.

The situation remained relatively calm in the Donetsk region. Between 08:30 and 15:15hrs, from its position at the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) observation point at the “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled Donetsk railway station (8km north-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM observed a total of 39 explosions.[1] Twenty four heard north-east of the SMM position were, according to JCCC representatives, demining activities near “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata and Mykhailivka (16km and 29km north-east of Donetsk, respectively). The SMM observed the remaining 15 explosions at a “DPR” training range.

Between 09:30 and 13:00hrs, while in “DPR”-controlled Oleksandrivka (20km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard 27 undetermined explosions north-east of its position.

At a “DPR” checkpoint 3k east of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) 25 residents of Shyrokyne, currently living in “DPR”-controlled areas, told the SMM that they were on their way to Shyrokyne. They said they intended to collect personal belongings. The SMM informed them about the risk of unexploded ordnance. At 14:30hrs, the group left the scene, returning to their current places of residence.

In government controlled Pisky and Opytne (11km and 12km north-west of Donetsk respectively), the SMM spoke with residents still living there. A 77-year-old woman told the SMM that her home in Pisky was heavily damaged in shelling. The SMM saw an abandoned house where she lives with her severely disabled son. An elderly couple told the SMM they had not received pensions since August 2014. They rely on sporadic humanitarian assistance provided by the military. In Opytne, the SMM met 20 people who said they and the other 50 remaining residents of the village live in one basement.  

The SMM continued to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance  by the International Committee of the Red Cross to residents of government-controlled Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk), “DPR”-controlled Staromykhailivka (16km north-west of Donetsk) and Oleksandrivka (20km south-west of Donetsk).

The SMM observed a relatively calm situation in the Luhansk region with some ceasefire violations. While at a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint near government-controlled Staryi Aidar (20km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM heard five explosions approximately 10km to the south. The Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel at the checkpoint attributed the explosions to ongoing exercises at a training ground in “Lugansk People’s Republic” (“LPR”)-controlled Oleksandrivsk (9km west of Luhansk).

In “LPR”-controlled Slovianoserbsk (28km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard continuous explosions assessed as heavy artillery from the direction of government-controlled Trokhizbenka (33km north-west of Luhansk). While also in government-controlled Novotoshkivske (53km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 25 explosions (both incoming and outgoing) approximately 10-20km north-east of the SMM position. A Ukrainian Armed Forces commander stated that the firing was a scheduled training near Trokhizbenka.

The SMM continued (see Daily Report 23 September 2015)  to facilitate “windows of silence” and monitor repair work on high voltage lines by the Luhansk electric company on the road between an "LPR"-controlled checkpoint immediately south of government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) and “LPR”-controlled Obozne (18km north of Luhansk). The SMM also facilitated repair work on the electric power station in "LPR"-controlled Raivka (16km north-west of Luhansk) and observed gas pipe repairs in government-controlled Krymske (43km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM re-visited one “DPR” heavy weapons holding area whose location corresponded with respective withdrawal lines and found all previously recorded weapons present.

The SMM observed the following weapons in areas that are in violation of the respective withdrawal lines: In the area of Novotoshkivske, the SMM observed one stationary main battle tank (MBT) (T-64) next to a road, facing north and six tracked infantry fighting vehicles (X BMP-2). In the area of government-controlled Krymske (43km north-west of Luhansk) and the road leading south towards road P66, the SMM observed one entrenched self-propelled howitzer (122mm) and two infantry fighting vehicles (BMP-2). An SMM unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) observed 23 MBTs, four heavy artillery pieces (possible 152mm 2A65) and four anti-tank guns (100mm, MT-12) in the area of “DPR”-controlled Sontseve (58km north-east of Mariupol) and one MBT in the area of “DPR”-controlled Petrivske (63km north-east of Mariupol). In the area of government-controlled Hranitne (48km north-east of Mariupol) one MBT was spotted.

In areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM observed a Ukrainian Armed Forces convoy of seven MBTs (including T64s) in the area of Malynivka (80km north of Donetsk), traveling in the direction of Sloviansk (95km north of Donetsk). In the vicinity of government-controlled Minkivka (80km north of Donetsk), the SMM observed two Ukrainian Armed Forces convoys going north-west: one consisting of 26 vehicles transporting 12 pieces of artillery (D30 122mm howitzer), and the second of trucks transporting a minimum of two MBTs (T64). In the area of government-controlled Pokrovske (152km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed eight MBTs (T-64) loaded on trailers moving in a north-western direction. In the area of government-controlled Sloviansk, the SMM observed a convoy of nine tracked infantry fighting vehicles (eight BMP1s and one BMP2) and one command post armoured fighting vehicle (BMP-1Ksh) towed on trailers heading north-east.

The SMM visited a Ukrainian Armed Forces training area north of Trokhizbenka. The officer in charge said that daily exercises utilize light machine guns, sniper rifles, and individual small arms, grenade launchers, infantry fighting vehicles (BMP-1 and BMP-2) and heavy machine gun (DShK). The SMM observed live-fire training.

The SMM also visited an “LPR” training area outside the exclusion zone in Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk). There the SMM observed 28 MBTs (T64 and T72) and live firing flags raised.

In Kharkiv, the SMM observed an incident during a session of the Kharkiv city council. During the session, the mayor was accused of corruption and the debate escalated into mutual insults culminating in the mayor not allowing a member of the city council to speak. Following the mayor’s announcement that a group of 100 masked people had reached the second floor of the council building; the SMM went to the second floor. The SMM found no intruders inside the building, but the second and the first floors were full of tear gas. Outside the building, the SMM observed 30-50 masked activists tussling with the police and spraying tear gas on them. The demonstrators were pushed back by the police and then they dispersed.

At the three crossing points to Crimea – Kalanchak, Chaplynka and Chonhar (95, 90 and 162km south-east of Kherson, respectively) – the SMM observed a calm situation. The SMM observed fewer cargo trucks queuing at Kalanchak and Chaplynka than on previous days. At Kalanchak, the SMM also observed that about 20 protesters, including Right Sector and Avtomaidan members, Crimean Tatars and a man bearing Chechen insignia, were stopping and searching private vehicles.

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

*Restrictions on SMM monitoring, access and freedom of movement:

The SMM is restrained in fulfilling its monitoring functions by restrictions imposed by the parties and security considerations, including mine threats, and damaged infrastructure. The security situation in Donbas is fluid and unpredictable and the ceasefire does not hold everywhere. Self-imposed restrictions on movement into high-risk areas have impinged on SMM patrolling activities, particularly in some areas not controlled by the government. Members of the “LPR” continue to prevent the SMM from monitoring in some areas close to the border with the Russian Federation.

Denied access:

• On 22 September, an “LPR” checkpoint “commander” denied the SMM access to “LPR”-controlled Sokilnyky (38km north-west of Luhansk), citing on-going demining operations in the area.
• Armed “LPR” members stopped the SMM at a checkpoint in “LPR”-controlled Slovianoserbsk, citing security concerns. They stated that they would arrange an escort to the checkpoint at the entrance to "LPR"-controlled Sokilnyky and asked the SMM to hand over cameras, mobile phones, and radios saying that those would be returned when the SMM left the area. The SMM refused and was not allowed to proceed.
• An SMM UAV was jammed while flying over “DPR”-controlled areas north-east of Mariupol.   

Delayed access:

• At a “DPR” checkpoint on Leninskyi Avenue/H15 in Shirokyi (6.5km south-west of Donetsk), a “traffic police patrol” stopped the SMM. They wrote down the vehicles’ registration numbers, asked about the number of passengers, the names of the drivers and the destination. After calling their supervisors, after a 14-minute delay, the “police” allowed the SMM to pass.

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

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