News and press releases

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere.* The SMM visited five border areas outside of government control and was restricted in Luhansk region for the fourth day in five days.* The SMM observed continued interruption of mobile phone networks in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor repair work at a water pumping station in Artema. In Kharkiv region, the SMM followed up on media reports that commercial vehicles were unable to proceed after exiting Ukraine at the international border crossing point near Hoptivka. In Kyiv, the SMM continued to follow up on the incident at the Russia Centre for Science and Culture. In Kyiv and Odessa, the SMM monitored public gatherings.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region between the evenings of 16 and 17 February, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 17 and 18 February, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM observed fresh damage, caused by gunfire and shelling, to civilian properties in residential areas of Horlivka and Pikuzy as well as to a building where a television station in Luhansk city is located. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including at checkpoints near Betmanove and Kreminets as well as near Leonove and Izvaryne, in border areas close to the Russian Federation.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Novooleksandrivka. The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians living near the contact line in Betmanove and Pivdenne. The SMM visited five border areas outside of government control. In Kyiv, the SMM followed up on reports of an incident at the Russia Centre for Science and Culture on 17 February and saw a group of people throwing eggs and stones at the building of the Centre as well as at a Sberbank branch office the following day. The SMM also monitored two gatherings in Kyiv and one in Kharkiv.

On 17 February 2018, the SMM followed up on media reports of an incident at the building where the Russian Centre for Science and Culture “Rossotrudnichestvo" is located, at 2A Borysohlibska Street in Kyiv. At 13:15, the SMM saw multiple phrases (such as "Death to Russia") in Ukrainian language freshly spray-painted on the interior walls of the building on the ground floor and in the staircase leading to the second floor. The SMM also saw scattered chairs and furniture, broken information boards, and the flag of the Russian Federation which had been torn apart.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. Small-arms fire hit an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle near Sentianivka. In Dnipro, the Mission followed up on the condition of a three-year-old girl who had been injured by the explosion of unexploded ordnance in Krasnohorivka on 6 February. The SMM observed fresh damage to civilian properties in residential areas of Dokuchaievsk caused by gunfire.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM observed fresh damage to civilian properties, including schools, in residential areas of Dokuchaievsk caused by gunfire. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area and near the Zolote disengagement area.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission observed fresh damage caused by gunfire to a house in Hranitne and to a wall at the Donetsk Filtration Station. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including in Mineralne and Nova Tavriia.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Bila Hora. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to essential infrastructure near Marinka and Yasynuvata. The Mission visited a border area not under government control. The SMM followed up on reports of alleged arson in Lviv.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a similar number in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty from Hranitne. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Petrivske and Zolote disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including in Siedove, an area near the border with the Russian Federation, in Manhush and near Donetsk city’s Kirovskyi district.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Donetsk city’s Kirovskyi district. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance works to a pumping station near Artema and a dam near Nelipivka. The Mission visited a border area not under government control.