News and press releases

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...

• 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...

Between 13:27 and 13:38 hrs, 18 February, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) experienced dual GPS jamming while flying at an altitude of approximately 6,000ft in an area near Donetskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km west of Luhansk), in proximity of the contact line...

Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 15 and 16 February, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk regions. Compared with the previous 24 hours, between the evenings of 16 and 17 February, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. The SMM saw gunfire damage to residential properties in Yasynuvata and a destroyed house in Novoluhanske. It saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas of Luhansk region. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside and near the Zolote disengagement area, and military hardware and personnel inside the Petrivske disengagement area. It heard small-arms fire assessed as aimed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near non-government-controlled Zhovte, Luhansk region. The SMM saw an aircraft flying over non-government-controlled areas in the security zone. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential civilian infrastructure. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. It was also restricted near Zaichenko and near Izvaryne, an area close to the border with the Russian Federation. The Mission continued to observe hardship faced by civilians at checkpoints. The SMM observed a public gathering against parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church changing affiliation in Storozhynets, Chernivtsi region. It observed public gatherings in Kyiv, including commemorations of recent events in eastern Ukraine...

At about 08:00 on the morning of 18 February in non-government-controlled Donetsk city, while standing in front of the Mission’s residence on Pushkina Boulevard, two SMM staff members heard at least two explosions approximately 100-150 metres south-south-east. Other SMM personnel were in the residence. Nobody was injured...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. The SMM observed damage in Kruta Hora and Pikuzy as a result of shelling. The Mission saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines near non-government-controlled Khoroshe, Lobacheve and Pervomaisk. The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside and near the Zolote disengagement area. It observed damage as a result of shelling in residential areas near the Zolote disengagement area. Members of the armed formations fired 10m away from an SMM patrol at an SMM UAV flying over the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable the operation of essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk region. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and again near non-government-controlled Novoazovsk, Oleksandrivske and Verkhnoshyrokivske.

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. • The Mission saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines near government-controlled Krasnohorivka and Kapitanove. • The Mission recorded a ceasefire violation near the Zolote disengagement area. • The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to and operation of essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. • Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and again near non-government-controlled Verkhnoshyrokivske and Zaichenko...