Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 24 July 2017

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a similar number of ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Yasynuvata and in Marinka. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in Novotoshkivske, Slovianoserbsk and Debaltseve.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Bakhmut and Luhanske. Its unmanned aerial vehicle spotted the presence of 64 anti-tank mines along road M03 between Debaltseve and Svitlodarsk where the SMM had facilitated and monitored mine and unexploded ordnance clearance on 19 July. The Mission facilitated and monitored the completion of repairs to pylons near the Donetsk Filtration Station. In Odessa city the SMM followed up on a car explosion incident.

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including about 60 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (about 70 explosions).

On the night of 23-24 July, while in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard 15 undetermined explosions 8-10km west-north-west.

On the night of 23-24 July, the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, two illumination flares in flight from east to west, two projectiles in flight from north-west to south-east, 97 projectiles in flight from east to west and 24 projectiles in flight from west to east, all 4-6km east-south-east. The following day, positioned in Avdiivka for about five and a half hours, the SMM heard four undetermined explosions 1-3km south-east.

On the evening of 23 July, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), in about five minutes the SMM heard five undetermined explosions 7-10km west and north-west.

On the evening and night of 23-24 July, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), in about two hours the SMM heard six explosions assessed as impacts of artillery rounds (type undetermined) 8-9km east, and 20 explosions (two assessed as impacts of artillery rounds (type undetermined) and six assessed as outgoing rounds of  infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) cannon (73mm) fire and the remainder undetermined) and almost 80 bursts and shots of IFV (BMP-2) cannon (30mm), heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 2-6km south-east.

On the evening and night of 23-24 July, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, two rocket-assisted projectiles in flight from west to east, two rocket-assisted projectiles and 63 tracer rounds in flight from east to west, one rocket-assisted projectile in flight from west to east, one tracer round in vertical flight, followed by aggregated totals of six undetermined explosions, 16 illumination flares in vertical flight, nine rocket-assisted projectiles in flight (six from west to east and three from east to west) and 779 tracer rounds in flight (558 from west to east and 221 from east to west), all at unknown distances north.

In Luhansk region the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations, including, however, more explosions (about 60 explosions), compared with the previous 24 hours (two explosions).

On the night of 23-24 July, while in government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk), in about one hour and a half the SMM heard five undetermined explosions and three bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-5km south-south-east.

On 24 July, positioned 2km east of government-controlled Orikhove-Donetske (44km north-west of Luhansk), within 20 minutes the SMM heard 16 explosions assessed as impacts of mortar (82mm) rounds about 3km east, and nine explosions assessed as outgoing mortar (82mm) rounds about 2km east and their subsequent impacts about 2km south-east.

Positioned in government-controlled Trokhizbenka (32km north-west of Luhansk), within 15 minutes the SMM heard 14 undetermined explosions about 4km south-west.

The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties. On 22 July, the SMM spoke with medical staff at a hospital in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) who said that at around 10:30 on 21 July, a 70-year-old woman from 19 Kashtanova Street in Yasynuvata had been admitted to the hospital with shrapnel wounds to her leg and had been released later that day. The SMM was given the same information from a Russian Federation officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) earlier that day.

On 22 July, the SMM visited a hospital in government-controlled Kurakhove (40km west of Donetsk) to follow up on a report from a Ukrainian officer of the JCCC that five civilians had been injured by shelling on 21 July in government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk). Hospital staff, however, told the SMM that they were unable to share any information due to its confidential nature. A police officer in Kurakhove confirmed to the SMM that five civilians had been injured in Marinka and said that at 14 Molodizhna Street, a 19-year-old woman had sustained shrapnel injuries to her left forearm, a 14-year-old boy had been injured in his lower leg, and a three-year-old girl had suffered abdominal injuries. According to him, at 162 Heroiv Chornobylia Street a 63-year-old woman had suffered shrapnel injuries to her right hip and at 99 Blahodatna Street, a 70-year-old woman had also sustained shrapnel injuries to her right hip. Both the JCCC and the police officer separately informed the SMM that the shelling had taken place at about 21:30 on 21 July. 

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 22-23 July, the SMM camera in government-controlled Zolote recorded one undetermined explosion 3-5km east, followed by one projectile in flight from north-west to south-east 3-5km east-north-east, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On 24 July, while in the disengagement areas near Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM observed a calm situation. The SMM remained unable to access its camera in “DPR”-controlled Petrivske due to security considerations.

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 18 stationary self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) loaded on the flatcars of a train facing north at a railway station in Bakhmut (formerly Artemivsk, 67km north-east of Donetsk). On 21 July, an SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted one self-propelled howitzer (2S1) under camouflage netting some 3km east-south-east of Luhanske (59km north-east of Donetsk).

Beyond the respective withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw two howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) towed by trucks near a military compound in Koliadivka (58km north of Luhansk); and four surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10, 120mm) and at least one tank (T-72) loaded on the flatcars of two trains, and an additional two tanks (T-72) stationary on the ground at the Bakhmut railway station.

The SMM observed an armoured combat vehicle[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 21 July an SMM mid-range UAV spotted one IFV (BMP-variant) near Luhanske.

Positioned 3km north of government-controlled Kapitanove (49km north-west of Luhansk), while conducting its mid-range UAV flight, the SMM also saw an unmarked, dark-coloured fixed-wing UAV take off about 1km south-south-east of its position, circle around above the Mission’s position at an altitude of about 400m and fly away in a northerly direction. Due to the presence of this UAV, the SMM ended its UAV flight.

The SMM observed the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). On 21 July, in non-government-controlled areas, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted the presence of 64 anti-tank mines (TM-62) 20m north-north-west of an “LPR” checkpoint, 16 of which were laid across road M03 between Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk) and Svitlodarsk and 48 of which were piled nearby in the grass at two locations on one side of the road. On the ground, on 24 July the SMM saw two rows of 15 anti-tank mines (TM-62) and concrete barriers at the same location.* The SMM had previously facilitated and monitored mine and UXO clearance in this area. The clearance had allowed the Mission to travel the road from Svitlodarsk to Debaltseve for the first time since early 2015; the removed mines, however, had been placed back immediately after the SMM’s passage. (See SMM Daily Report 20 July 2017.)

Near government-controlled Staromarivka (62km south of Donetsk), in addition to the previously observed unexploded mortar round, the SMM saw, for the first time, the tailfins of four unexploded mortar rounds (one 120mm and three 82mm) embedded in the surface of an asphalt road 130m east of a “DPR” checkpoint 2.5km east of the village. (See SMM Daily Report 17 July 2017.)

On 24 July, near the Donetsk Filtration Station the SMM facilitated and monitored repairs, co-ordinated by the JCCC, to pylons by a power supply company. During 25 minutes at the site, the Mission observed about eight workers complete the repair works.

In Odessa, the SMM saw black smoke rising in the city centre at around 10:40 on 24 July. The Mission then visited 32 Zhukovskoho Street where it observed a destroyed car with scorch marks. The SMM saw that parts of the car were scattered on both sides of the street and the windows of a nearby café were broken. Two teams and two trucks from the State Emergency Services were present. A police officer onsite told the Mission that the damage had been caused by an explosion but no one had been injured. Later in the day, the spokesperson of police in the Odessa region told the SMM via telephone that an explosive device had caused the explosion and that an investigation had been launched under Article 194 of the Criminal Code (intentional destruction or endangerment of property).

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Lviv, 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:

• At a checkpoint 2km south-east of government-controlled Novotoshkivske (53km west of Luhansk), a Ukrainian officer of the JCCC told the SMM that the area was not safe due to heavy shelling that had taken place over the previous two days. The SMM, which had intended to visit the village, did not proceed further.
• At a checkpoint in “LPR”-controlled Slovianoserbsk (28km north-west of Luhansk), an armed “LPR” member demanded that the SMM immediately leave the area, claiming that “fighting” was taking place in “LPR”-controlled Znamianka (36km north-west of Luhansk). The Mission did not hear any ceasefire violations. The SMM, which had intended to visit Znamianka, did not proceed further.

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 government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) as Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel said there were mines on the road south of the bridge. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM could not travel on road M03 from Debaltseve to Svitlodarsk due to the presence of mines (see above).

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as a map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report.

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