OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) Daily Report 118/2020 issued on 19 May 2020

Summary

• Compared with the previous 24 hours, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• In non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, an explosion occurred near the SMM in Yasynuvata while facilitating adherence to the localised ceasefire to enable operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station and small-arms fire was assessed as aimed at an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flying in Petrivske.
• The SMM followed up on reports of a woman injured in a fire caused by shelling in Staromykhailivka, Donetsk region, on 12 May.
• A church building damaged by shrapnel during shelling in Avdiivka, Donetsk region.
• Members of the armed formations continued to deny the Mission passage at checkpoints along official crossing routes in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.*
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. SMM UAVs spotted people inside the disengagement areas near Zolote and Petrivske.
• The SMM spotted for the first time about 500 anti-tank mines (not recently laid) in fields between Dolomitne and Travneve, Donetsk region.
• The SMM continued following up on measures taken amid the COVID-19 outbreak, including at entry-exit checkpoints and their corresponding checkpoints in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including close to a border crossing point near Izvaryne, Luhansk region.*