Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 21 July 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. On two occasions the Mission interrupted unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flights due to ceasefire violations near them, assessed at least on one occasion as aimed at the UAV.* The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties and damage to civilian properties caused by shelling in Kashtanove and in Donetsk city. The Mission facilitated the transportation of a civilian who died at Stanytsia Luhanska bridge in the morning of 21 July. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in Yasynuvata. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Kalynove. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Mykhailivka-Shchastia Thermal Power Plant high-voltage power lines and to the Mykhailivka-Lysychansk high-voltage power lines. It also facilitated and monitored repair works to water wells in Krasnyi Lyman and to the 1200mm water pipeline in Zolote-2.The SMM visited one border area not under government control in Luhansk region.

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1], including about 70 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 140 explosions).

On the night of 20-21 July, while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 5-8km north-west.

On the evening and night of 20-21 July the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded in sequence 20 explosions assessed as impacts and a projectile in flight from south to north within 30 minutes at locations ranging from 2km to 5km east-south-east, south-east and south-south-east; followed by aggregated totals of 18 explosions assessed as impacts at locations ranging from 3km to 5km east-south-east, south-east and south-south-east, 65 projectiles in flight (36 west to east, 12 north-west to south-east, eight south-west to north-east, five north to south and four south to north) and 16 tracer rounds in flight from north to south, all at locations ranging from 2km to 5km east-south-east, south-east, south-south-east and south-south-west. The camera also recorded about 20 illumination round airbursts and about 60 ground fires 4-5km east-south-east. The following day, positioned in Avdiivka for about seven hours, the SMM heard four undetermined explosions, 3-6km south-east.

On the evening of 20 July, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard and saw three explosions assessed as impacts of 122mm artillery rounds 7km south-west, and heard two undetermined explosions  (one 8-10km north, one 5-6km south-west) and bursts and shots of small-arms fire. On the evening and night of 20-21 July, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard five undetermined explosions and about 100 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-5km south-east.

On the evening and night of 20-21 July the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded in sequence 72 tracer rounds in flight from east to west and four tracer rounds in flight from west to east in about 20 minutes, followed by aggregated totals of three undetermined explosions and 207 tracer rounds in flight (133 from east to west and 74 from west to east), all at unknown distances north.

Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for eight hours, the SMM heard 15 undetermined explosions at locations ranging from 2km to 5km south-west, west, north-west and north-north-west. The SMM launched a mini UAV in Yasynuvata and about five minutes into the flight heard 25 bursts of small-arms fire 1-2km south-south-west, in the area where the UAV was flying. The SMM immediately ended the flight, landing the UAV without damage. The Mission informed a Russian Federation officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) who was present at the site.

On 21 July, immediately after the SMM had launched its mini UAV in the area of the Vasylivka water pumping station, it heard a loud undetermined explosion 100-200m north. The SMM immediately interrupted the flight, landing the UAV without damage. The Mission saw two “DPR” members present in the area. The Mission informed a Russian Federation officer of the JCCC who was present at the site.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including 17 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (over 60 explosions).

On 21 July, positioned in “LPR”-controlled Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, 44km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion, 11 shots of small-arms fire, all 4-5km north-north-west and one explosion assessed as an impact of a mortar round 10km west.

Positioned 2.5km south of government-controlled Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM heard 15 undetermined explosions 5-10km south-south-west. Positioned 3.5km south of “LPR”-controlled Holubivske (51km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 17 single shots of an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) 5-7km north.

The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty. In “DPR”-controlled Oleksandrivka (20km south-west of Donetsk) a Russian Federation officer of the JCCC told the SMM that a woman had been injured in the Trudovskyi area of Petrovskyi district in Donetsk city on the evening of 19 July. At Hospital number 14 in Donetsk city, medical personnel told the SMM a woman had been treated but did not provide further details, referring the SMM to “DPR” members. The woman, contacted by phone by the SMM, confirmed she had been injured in the left shin on 19 July and that her address was 41 Pavlunovskoho Street in the Trudovskyi area.

In government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk), approximately 5m north of the broken part of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge the SMM saw a man (early sixties) on the ground. An SMM paramedic confirmed that the man was dead and assessed that it was likely due to natural causes. The SMM then facilitated the transportation of the deceased man to “LPR”-controlled areas.

The SMM followed up on reports of damage to civilian properties in residential areas caused by shelling. On 21 July, the SMM visited impact sites in “DPR”-controlled Kashtanove (13km north of Donetsk). At a T-junction on Vorovskoho Street, the SMM saw a fresh crater, assessed as caused by a 120mm mortar round fired from a south-south-westerly direction. According to a Russian Federation officer of the JCCC present the impact had occurred at 21:20 on 20 July.

At 69 Kurortna Street, the SMM saw a collapsed structure (part of a house), that appeared to have been a vestibule. Inside the house, the SMM saw shrapnel scarring to the walls and a fridge, assessed as caused by a pressure wave and shrapnel. The SMM noted that a west-facing door and adjacent windows were broken. The SMM assessed the damage had been caused by an artillery round (120 or 122mm), but could not determine the direction of fire. The owner of the house told the SMM that the shelling had occurred around 21:00 on 20 July.

At 52 Kurortna Street, the SMM saw a destroyed brick and wood structure attached to a house. The SMM also saw a collapsed iron deck, which appeared to be remnants of the roof. The SMM saw a hole in the iron deck. The Mission assessed that the damage had been caused by a 120mm mortar round fired from a south-south-westerly direction. A male resident (30 years old) told the SMM that the shelling had occurred on the evening of 20 July.

At 57 Kurortna Street, the SMM saw fresh shrapnel scarring and broken windows on a west-facing wall of a house, two doors and a substantively dislodged small fence adjacent to the area. The SMM assessed the damage as caused by an airburst; the SMM was unable to determine the type of weapon or direction of fire.

At 46 Kurortna Street, the SMM saw holes in the walls and a partially collapsed roof of a wooden shed adjacent to a house. The SMM assessed the damage as caused by an unknown weapon fired from a south-south-westerly direction. A resident (man, about 60years old) told the SMM that the shelling had occurred around 21:30 on 20 July.

At 73A Vorovskoho Street, the SMM saw fresh shrapnel damage to a wooden fence and a south-east facing wall and two shattered windows in that wall. The SMM noted the branches of three nearby trees had been broken. The SMM assessed the damage as likely caused by an airburst but was unable to assess the type of weapon used or the direction of fire.

At 76A Vorovskoho Street, the SMM saw fresh shrapnel scarring on a south-west-facing wall of a house. The SMM was unable to determine the type of weapon used or the direction of fire.

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas of Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske (41km south of Donetsk), as foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.*

On the night of 19-20 July, the SMM camera in government-controlled Zolote recorded two undetermined explosions about 3km east-north-east and two undetermined explosions about 5km south-south-west, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On 21 July, at 11:53, positioned 10m south of the “LPR” checkpoint south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM observed a white flare fired from 10m north of the checkpoint, within the “LPR”-controlled area south of the bridge. Three armed “LPR” members together with three Russian Federation officers of the JCCC were present at the bridge. Positioned on the government-controlled side of the bridge, the SMM noted no reaction on the government-controlled side.

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons, in implementation of the Memorandum, the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

In violation of withdrawal lines, in government-controlled areas the SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa, 210mm) near Kalynove (31km north-west of Donetsk), moving south-east along the road E50/M04.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, in government-controlled areas the SMM saw a tank (T-72) on a stationary flatbed truck facing south-west on the side of the T13-02 road in Bakhmut (formerly Artemivsk, 67km north of Donetsk), a tank (T-64) on a flat-bed truck moving south through the city, three stationary towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) at a railway station in Rubizhne (84km north-west of Luhansk) and six stationary tanks (T-72) being carried by flatbed trucks moving north in the north-eastern edge of Soledar (79km north of Donetsk).

In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM saw a tank (type unknown) near Markyne (94km south of Donetsk).

The SMM attempted to monitor weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage does not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification. In government-controlled areas the SMM noted that five Ukrainian Armed Forces holding areas remained abandoned and all 51 towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) were missing, as previously observed.

The SMM revisited an “LPR” permanent storage site, whose location corresponded with the respective withdrawal lines, and continued to note that seven towed howitzers (D-30, Lyagushka, 122mm) were missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] in the security zone. On 20 July, in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw one armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-80) near Komyshuvakha (68km west of Luhansk), one armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRMD-2) and one APC (MT-LB) in Popasna (69km west of Luhansk). On 21 July, the SMM saw three infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-2) near Toshkivka (60km north-west of Luhansk), one APC (MT-LB) being carried by a flatbed truck in Viktorivka (74km west of Luhansk), and four IFVs (BMP-variant).

Outside the security zone, near government-controlled Rubizhne (84km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM saw a military convoy consisting of 11 flatbed trucks transporting eight pontoon bridges, two boats, one crane, and two military cargo trucks  (contents covered by tarpaulin covers) heading south-east.

The SMM observed the presence of improvised mine hazard signs. On 20 July, 1km north of government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) the SMM saw one small sign with the word "mines" in red writing in Ukrainian, on a white background; one wooden construction in the shape of a crucifix with the words "mines" in Ukrainian painted in red on one arm of the crucifix; and one ammunition tin lid nailed to a 50cm high wooden stake (with no visible writing) along a road.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs, co-ordinated by the JCCC, to the Mykhailivka-Shchastia Thermal Power Plant high-voltage power lines near “LPR”-controlled Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, 44km west of Luhansk) by the Luhansk Main Power Transmission Lines (See SMM Daily Report 20 July 2017) and the Mykhailivka-Lysychansk high-voltage power lines near government-controlled Zolote (60km west of Luhansk) by the Bakhmut Main Power Transmission Lines. The SMM also continued to facilitate maintenance works on water wells in “LPR”-controlled Krasnyi Lyman (30km north-west of Luhansk) by the Luhansk Water Company (See SMM Daily Report 19 July 2017) and the repair works to a 1200mm water pipeline in government-controlled Zolote-2 (60km west of Luhansk) by the Popasna Vodakanal.

The SMM monitored a border area currently not under government control. At the border crossing point in Diakove (70km south-west of Luhansk) an “LPR” member told the SMM that the border with the Russian Federation remained closed. The SMM did not observe signs of any traffic.

The SMM saw two trucks loaded with coal near “LPR”-controlled Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, 44km west of Luhansk) heading south-west in the direction of “LPR”-controlled Holubivka (formerly Kirovsk, 51km west of Luhansk).

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, UXO and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the JCCC should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remained restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations, including at the disengagement area near Petrivske.

Denial of access:

• Armed “DPR” members at a checkpoint on the eastern edge of Yasynuvata demanded to impose an escort on the SMM referring to the high number of SMM vehicles present in the patrol (six). The SMM left the area (see below, section on conditional access). The SMM informed the JCCC.

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• A Ukrainian officer of the JCCC told the SMM that no demining activities had taken place during the previous 24 hours in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and that, with the exception of the main road, the SMM’s safety could not be guaranteed in the surrounding areas due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.
• At a checkpoint on the northern edge of the Zolote disengagement area a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that no de-mining had taken place over the previous 24 hours and that, due to the possible presence of mines and/or UXO, they could not guarantee the SMM’s safety. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.
• Armed “LPR” members positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area (3km north of Pervomaisk) told the SMM that they could not guarantee the safety of the Mission on side roads due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.
• The SMM could not travel across the bridge in Shchastia as Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel said there were mines on the road south of the bridge. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Conditional:

• Armed “DPR” members at the same checkpoint on the eastern edge of Yasynuvata (see above section on denial of access) stopped the SMM again. Following the previous restriction, the SMM had decided to split in two three-vehicle convoys. One SMM convoy was allowed to proceed. The armed “DPR” members, however, stopped the second one and told it that it must wait for an escort. The escort, in the form of a green, military-type van arrived and accompanied the SMM to Yasynuvata. The SMM informed the JCCC. 

Other impediments:

• The SMM was not able to continue flying a mini UAV in Yasynuvata as it heard 25 bursts of small-arms fire nearby, assessed as aimed at the UAV. The SMM informed the JCCC (see above).
• The SMM was not able to continue flying a mini UAV in Vasylivka as it heard a loud explosion close to its position. The SMM informed the JCCC (see above).
• At Hospital number 14 in Donetsk city, medical personnel told the SMM a woman had been treated but did not provide further details, referring the SMM to “DPR” members.

 

[1] Please see the annexed table for complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report.* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate”.

[2] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.