Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 30 October 2015*

This Report is for the media and the general public

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”, including the Addendum. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations**. The SMM recorded much fewer explosions in Donetsk region as compared with previous days. The situation in Luhansk region remained relatively calm. An explosion at the home of the mayor of Lviv is being investigated as an act of terrorism.

From the “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled Donetsk railway station (6km north-west of Donetsk city), the SMM heard two explosions and two bursts of small arms during the day[1].

On 31  October, the SMM went to government-controlled Pisky (11km north-west of Donetsk) to follow up on reports of an alleged firing incident between 14:30 and 15:00hrs the previous day, but could not reach the area of the alleged incident due to security concerns. According to the Ukrainian Armed Forces commander in Pisky, they had come under attack from small arms and automatic grenade launchers, which killed one soldier and wounded another. The SMM saw the wounded soldier, who had suffered minor shrapnel wounds. According to the commander, the deceased was sent to the morgue in government-controlled Krasnoarmiisk (55km north-west of Donetsk). In Krasnoarmiisk, the SMM was told by staff at the morgue that the body had been sent to Dnepropetrovsk.

The head doctor of the District Hospital in government-controlled Volnovakha (55km north of Mariupol) told the SMM that a male civilian suffered non-life threatening wounds on 23 October when a mine exploded close to a checkpoint in government-controlled Novotroitske (38km south-west of Donetsk). The commander at the checkpoint confirmed that the man accidently triggered a tripwire after stepping off the road.

In “DPR”-controlled Naberezhne (33km north-east of Mariupol), seven residents told the SMM that a number of people had returned to the village since the end of August. The residents said they had received aid that consisted of food and some building material for roof repair on an irregular basis from the Russian Federation. According to them, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and another international humanitarian organization had visited the village three weeks ago.

The SMM visited two “DPR”-controlled crossing points at the Ukraine-Russian Federation border, Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) and Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk), and assessed that the situation in both areas was calm.

In Luhansk region the situation remained relatively calm; the SMM observed no explosions or small arms fire.

The SMM followed up on reports of an explosion at an ammunition depot in government-controlled Svatove (127km north-west of Luhansk). The SMM was stopped 5km from Svatove by Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel and prevented from reaching the location due to security concerns. According to a representative of the Anti-Terrorist Operation, a fire had caused over 3,000 tons of ammunition to explode. Two persons (one civilian woman and one male soldier) had been killed and eight injured, the interlocutor said, adding that buildings had been destroyed and utility supplies severely disrupted. The SMM also spoke with a representative of the Civil-Military Administration of the Luhansk region, based in government-controlled Sievierodonetsk (74km north-west of Luhansk), who said that civilians and military personnel had been evacuated from the area while the authorities attempted to bring the situation under control. According to the interlocutor, 58 pieces of unexploded ordnance had been located by 15:00hrs on 30 October. The cause of the fire is being investigated, he added.

The SMM observed hundreds of civilians waiting to cross between “Lugansk People’s Republic” (“LPR”)-controlled and government-controlled areas over the bridge in Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk). According to both Ukrainian Border Guards and “LPR” members (on opposite sides of the bridge), the number of people crossing has increased nearly three-fold since the bridge reopened on 27 October to well over 1,000 people on 29 October.

The “head” of the village “council” in “LPR”-controlled Metalist (6km north of Luhansk) told the SMM that they do not have mains water supply as the transformer at the water pump in “LPR”-controlled Raivka (16km north-west of Luhansk) - damaged by shelling on 27 August 2015 - has been removed for repair. Residents rely on water supplied by tankers, according to him.

In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of measures, the SMM revisited three Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent weapons storage sites whose location corresponded with the withdrawal lines. At two sites, all previously-recorded weapons were present. At the second site, the discrepancy seen on 20 October (between the quantity of weapons observed and what was listed in the inventory) had been corrected. At the third site, the serial numbers of two weapons observed were different from those listed on the inventory. At this site, two weapons listed in the inventory were absent; however, they have been accounted for by SMM at another site.

The SMM revisited one “DPR” permanent weapons storage site whose location corresponded with withdrawal lines and observed that all previously-recorded weapons were present. There were some discrepancies in the serial numbers observed and those in the inventory. The SMM was unable to find another two “DPR” permanent weapons storage sites at the co-ordinates provided with the inventory.

The SMM revisited one “LPR” permanent weapons storage site, whose location corresponded with respective withdrawal lines, and found all weapons previously recorded present.

The SMM revisited two “DPR” heavy weapons holding areas whose locations corresponded with respective withdrawal lines. In the first area, the SMM observed that all previously- recorded weapons were present. At the second area, two towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm calibre) were absent.

On 30 October, the SMM went to the house of the mayor of Lviv, which had reportedly been the scene of an explosion the previous evening at 22:50hrs. The SMM observed explosive blast marks on a wall of the house and 10-12 police officers at the location. According to the regional branch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, one man has been detained by police, who are investigating the incident as a terrorist act. The house of the mayor had previously been hit with a portable anti-tank rocket launcher (see SMM Daily Report 28 July 2014) and a rocket-propelled grenade (see SMM Daily Report 28 December 2014).

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

*With the exception of the follow up of one incident on 31 October.

**Restrictions to SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to the fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM is restrained in fulfilling its monitoring functions by restrictions imposed by the parties and security considerations, including mine threats, damaged infrastructure, and the unpredictability of the situation in Donbas. Armed individuals continue to prevent the SMM from monitoring most areas close to the border with the Russian Federation in parts of Luhansk region not controlled by the Government.

Denied access:

The SMM followed fresh tank tracks on the road to a farm building near “DPR”-controlled Krasnopillia (58km south-east of Donetsk), where armed “DPR” members did not allow the SMM to proceed further.

Delay:

• Armed individuals stopped the SMM at a checkpoint in “DPR”-controlled Starobesheve (32km south-south-east of Donetsk) and asked to show the SMM patrol plan. After 15 minutes the SMM was allowed to proceed.

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

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions to SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to the fulfilment of its mandate”.