News and press releases

At around 12:40 on 23 February, while moving south past the forward position of the armed formations along the contact line on road H-20 near Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), about 200m south of the above-mentioned position of the armed formations, the SMM saw the burning wreckage of an overturned minivan on the soft ground of a median strip between the road lanes. Within a radius of 15m of the wreckage, the Mission saw debris from the vehicle scattered around, including three tyres and two doors, all scorched. The SMM saw a fresh crater in the median strip about 3m from the wreckage as well as three mine hazard signs: one lying on the ground less than 10m from the crater and the other two attached to a post and a barrier nearby. The SMM assessed that the vehicle had detonated an explosive device (probably an anti-tank mine) in the median strip.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. The Mission saw fresh damage caused by shelling in a residential area of non-government-controlled Holmivskyi. The SMM recorded ceasefire violations inside and near the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission saw multiple launch rocket systems in violation of the withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region. Its long-range unmanned aerial vehicle spotted four military jet aircrafts flying over government-controlled Lastochkyne, near the contact line. The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in Luhansk region and demining activities in Donetsk region. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas as well as at a checkpoint near non-government-controlled Styla.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. Houses sustained damage caused by gunfire in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area and near the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region. The Mission monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential civilian infrastructure in Luhansk region and demining activities in Donetsk region. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM saw fresh damage caused by shelling in Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable inspection and repair works to essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas, as well as at a checkpoint near non-government-controlled Kovske, Donetsk region...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM recovered the wreckage of its long-range unmanned aerial vehicle near Krynychanske. It followed up on reports of a woman injured by a bullet in Dokuchaievsk and saw fresh damage to an apartment building in Yasynuvata. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement areas. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable inspection and repair works to essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas, as well as at checkpoints in Betmanove and near Verkhnoshyrokivske and Novoazovsk...

The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week...

• Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. • The SMM lost a long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region. • The SMM heard explosions and saw two craters caused by the detonation of explosive devices near its residence in Donetsk city. • It saw small-arms fire damage to an apartment building in Dokuchaievsk and to a former kindergarten in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka. • The Mission saw military hardware inside the Zolote disengagement area; an SMM UAV also spotted probable anti-tank mines laid across the road inside the area. • It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential civilian infrastructure on both sides of the contact line in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. • Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere. It was also restricted at a checkpoint near Verkhnoshyrokivske and at a compound near Donske.* • A gathering in Kyiv commemorated those who lost their lives during Maidan-related events in 2014...