Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 3 November 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 observed a significant increase in explosions and gunfire from its position at Donetsk railway station. In “DPR”-controlled Staromykhailivka, the SMM saw a private house that had been shelled. The security situation in Luhansk remained relatively calm. In Luhansk, the SMM facilitated repairs to different utility networks.

From the Donetsk railway station in “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled Donetsk (6km north-west of Donetsk), between 08:50 and 12:00hrs, the SMM heard 65 explosions and multiple bursts of small-arms fire and anti-aircraft machine–gun fire in areas 4km to 6.5km north-north-east of its position[1]. Between 12:45 and 16:30hrs, the SMM heard a total of 88 explosions in areas 2-5km to the north-north-east, north-north-west, west-north-west and south-west-west. During the same period, the SMM also heard several bursts of small-arms fire in areas 2-3km to the north, north-north-west and west.

The SMM visited “DPR”-controlled Staromykhailivka (19km west of Donetsk) following reports of shelling on 2 November. On Zhukovsky Street, the SMM saw a house with a sizeable hole in the roof and damage to an exterior wall, which the SMM assessed to be fresh impacts. Three elderly residents (two men, one woman) told the SMM that they heard explosions around 22:00-22:30hrs. According to the residents, no one was injured as the occupants were not in the house. The SMM found shrapnel assessed to have been from a Grad rocket (122mm calibre). The SMM assessed that the projectile was fired from the north-west.

At 11:33hrs, while stationary on the eastern outskirts of government-controlled Berdianske (18km east of Mariupol), the SMM heard an explosion coming from the area of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol). At 12:57hrs, the SMM saw smoke from Shyrokyne and a multi-storey building on the south-eastern outskirts of Shyrokyne engulfed in flames.

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Shyrokyne, currently living in Mariupol, told the SMM that on 23 October, two IDPs had been injured in a mine incident when they were checking on their homes. The head doctor at the hospital in “DPR”-controlled Novoazovsk (40km east of Mariupol) confirmed the incident to the SMM and said the two persons are in stable condition in hospital.

In government–controlled Starohnativka (53km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM met with the acting head, accountant and cashier of the village council who said that 674 out of 700 households in the village do not have access to the gas supply and that they need coal ahead of winter. According to the interlocutors, coal prices are too expensive for most residents.

In the “DPR”-controlled villages of Hrabove (65km south-east of Donetsk), Stryukove (78km east-north-east of Donetsk) and Orlovo-Ivanivka (95km east-north-east of Donetsk), residents told the SMM that the security situation had been calm. Residents of Hrabove and Orlovo-Ivanivka told the SMM that they received humanitarian aid from the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation.

On the outskirts of government-controlled Trokhizbenka (33km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard five detonations and eight bursts of small-arms fire in an area approximately 3-5km to the north-east, in a government-controlled area. Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel at a checkpoint near Trokhizbenka attributed this to live-fire exercises at a nearby shooting range known to the SMM.

The SMM facilitated dialogue that enabled the repair of a high-voltage power line in the area of government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk). The SMM monitored repair teams on opposite sides of the contact line successfully connect a power cable across the contact line.

Near “Lugansk People’s Republic” (“LPR”)-controlled Obozne (18km north of Luhansk), the SMM continued to facilitate dialogue between the sides so that power lines could be repaired by the Luhansk Electric Company Network. The SMM monitored the repair works, which will continue over the coming days.

In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of measures, the SMM revisited one Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent weapons storage site whose location corresponded with the respective withdrawal lines. The SMM noted the same discrepancies between serial numbers of weapons present and those listed in the inventory that had been observed in previous visits.

The SMM revisited four “DPR” permanent weapons storage sites whose locations corresponded with the respective withdrawal lines. At three sites, the SMM observed that all previously-recorded weapons were present. At the fourth site, the quantity of weapons observed matched the inventory but there were discrepancies between the serial numbers of weapons observed and those in the inventory.

The SMM visited one Ukrainian Armed Forces heavy weapons holding area for the first time, whose location corresponded with the respective withdrawal lines and recorded the serial numbers of weapons present.

The SMM revisited one “DPR” heavy weapons holding area, whose location corresponded with the respective withdrawal lines, and observed that all previously-recorded weapons were present.

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM observed: in the area of government-controlled Novotoshkivske (53km north-west of Luhansk) one stationary infantry fighting vehicle (BMP-2) equipped with one anti-tank guided missile system (9K111, Fagot); and three camouflaged MLRS (122mm calibre, Grad, BM-21) in the area of government-controlled Chabanivka (67km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) observed, in violation of respective withdrawal lines, in the area of “DPR”–controlled Rozdolne (67km north – east of Mariupol) five main battle tanks and other military equipment. The SMM UAV carried out an emergency landing following jamming of its GPS near the launch site shortly after take-off*.

In areas beyond respective withdrawal lines, at a known training area in “LPR”-controlled Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk) the SMM observed 20 MBTs (T-72 and T-64). At a known training area in “LPR”-controlled Uspenka (23km south-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed eight howitzers (122mm, Gvozdika), another howitzer (122mm, D30) and one tented military-type truck in a static position. No live-fire exercises were observed at these locations. The SMM was unable to check serial numbers at these locations to verify the withdrawal of weapons in accordance with the Minsk package.

Outside the parliament building in Kyiv, the SMM observed two protests. Some 1,800 people (men and women, of different ages) gathered in protest against the arrest of the Ukrop party leader. The protestors marched to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) detention facilities, where the Ukrop leader was reported to be held. The SMM also observed 200 protestors (men and women of varying ages) from the “financial maidan” (see SMM Daily Report 6 October 2015). The SMM observed up to 100 Radical Party supporters, holding Radical Party and Ukrainian flags join the “financial maidan” supporters. Approximately 1,500 police and National Guard and 40 buses belonging to the security forces were present in the area. Both protests ended peacefully. The SMM also observed 37 fixed tents in front of the Cabinet of Ministers building, set up by the “tariff maidan” initiative, that have been in place for approximately two weeks (see SMM Daily Report 27 October 2015).

Also in Kyiv, the SMM attended a press conference given by the Deputy Prosecutor General and Chief Military Prosecutor, who stated that three shots were fired at the window of the General Prosecutor’s office on 2 November at 22:52hrs, when the Prosecutor General was holding a meeting. According to him, no-one was injured and no arrests have been made.

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

*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:

• Ukrainian Armed Forces in government-controlled Chabanivka (67km north-west of Luhansk) prevented the SMM from proceeding through a checkpoint without the permission of their commander. Despite repeated attempts, checkpoint personnel could not reach the commander by phone and the SMM left the area.
• Armed men prevented the SMM from entering a training compound in “LPR”- controlled Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk), citing the absence of their commander as the reason.

Other impediments:

• The SMM UAV was jammed shortly after take-off and carried out an emergency landing following jamming of its GPS near the launch site.

[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”.