Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 4 August 2017
This report is for the media and the general public.
The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere*, including again at an entry-exit checkpoint in Verkhnoshyrokivske, where armed men impeded the SMM from crossing the contact line into areas east of Mariupol for the eighth consecutive day. The SMM observed weapons in violation of the respective withdrawal lines in Kostiantynivka, Muratove and Sofiivka. It observed tanks outside the designated storage sites in Mykolaivka and Ternove. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable ongoing repair to infrastructure, including a water pipeline, a pumping station and a power plant in Luhansk region. The SMM monitored two border areas not under government control.
The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, including about 120 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (more than 250 explosions).[1] More than half of the ceasefire violations were recorded in the areas east and south-east of government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk).
While in Svitlodarsk on the night of 3-4 August, the SMM heard four explosions assessed as outgoing mortar rounds (82mm) 5-7km east and their subsequent impacts 5-7km south-east, as well as ten explosions assessed as impacts of mortar rounds (82mm) 5-7km east. The SMM also heard three explosions assessed as 82mm mortar rounds, about 80 undetermined explosions and about 60 bursts of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) and heavy-machine-gun fire at distances 3-7km at directions ranging from east to south, and heard uncountable, overlapping bursts (and saw tracer rounds in vertical flight) assessed as of anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) and heavy-machine-gun fire 5-7km south-east.
On the night of 3-4 August, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded tracer rounds in flight, in sequence: 34 from east to west, three from west to east, and three from east to west, followed by a total of 74 tracer rounds in flight (29 from west to east and 45 from east to west), all at unknown distances north.
On 4 August, positioned in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) for over five hours, the SMM heard 12 undetermined explosions and 15 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 4-6km east-south-east, and six bursts of automatic-grenade-launcher (type unknown) fire 2-4km south-east.
Positioned 4km west of “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for about five hours, the SMM heard 15 undetermined explosions and about 40 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 1.5-3km south-south-west.
In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including two explosions, compared with the previous reporting period, including over 250 explosions.
During the day on 4 August, positioned 3km south of government-controlled Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 7-10km south. Positioned 3km north-west of “LPR”-controlled Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, 44km west of Luhansk) on the same day, the SMM heard one undetermined explosion 2km north.
The SMM, accompanied by a Russian Federation officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), observed three fresh impact sites in “LPR”-controlled Slovianoserbsk (28km north-west of Luhansk). The SMM observed a small hole on a north-facing wall of a house at 65A Kirova Street and a small crater in the backyard, 2m north of a house at 67 Kirova Street. At 2 Lenina Street, the SMM observed a small hole on the northern side of the roof of the house. The SMM assessed all three impacts as caused by small projectiles fired from a northerly direction. The residents of these houses told the SMM that they heard hissing sounds in the evening of 3 August.
The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near 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.*
Positioned about 2km south-east of government-controlled Zolote the SMM heard three shots of small-arms fire 1-2km north-east, assessed as having occurred outside the disengagement area.
An SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted for the first time six tailfins of exploded mortar rounds (82mm) embedded in the road in “LPR”-controlled areas about 1km south-east of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge near the Prince Ihor monument, outside the disengagement area. The SMM assessed them as not being recent.
Positioned in government-controlled Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk) the SMM noted that the Petrivske disengagement area was calm.
The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons, in implementation of the Package of Measures and its Addendum, as well as the Memorandum.
In violation of withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas, the SMM observed four anti-tank guns (T-12 Rapira, 100mm) at the junction of road H-20 with road T0504 in Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk) on 4 August. An SMM mid-range UAV spotted two surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10, 120mm) in a residential area in Muratove on 3 August.
In violation of withdrawal lines in areas not under government control, an SMM UAV spotted a self-propelled howitzer (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) in Sofiivka (formerly Karlo Marksove, 40km north-east of Donetsk) on 3 August.
Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw on 3 August three tanks (T-64) loaded on stationary flatbed trailers on road T1302 about 6km west of Mykolaivka (77km west of Luhansk), facing south-west.
Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in areas not under government control, the SMM observed at least 30 tanks (unknown type) at a compound about 2.5km east of Ternove (57km east of Donetsk) where the SMM had seen tanks before. (See SMM Daily Report 24 April 2017.) The SMM also observed training activity involving at least four tanks (T-72) at a training area known to the SMM south-east of Ternove.
The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and a UAV[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM saw on 3 August two armoured personnel carriers (APCs) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk): one (BTR-60) heading east and another (type unknown) heading north-west, as well as one stationary APC (BRDM-2) south-west of Zolote, about 250m north of the disengagement area.
In areas not under government control, the SMM saw a stationary APC (BTR-80) near Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk).
Positioned at the Donetsk Filtration Station 4km west of Yasynuvata to monitor adherence to the ceasefire for the installation of an SMM camera, the SMM saw a mini UAV fly from west to east and back and make a circle about 2km north of the SMM’s position. The UAV then flew east about 1-2km at which point the SMM lost sight of it.
The SMM facilitated repairs to essential infrastructure, co-ordinated by the JCCC and monitored them from both sides of the contact line. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor ongoing maintenance works at the power plant in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk). (See SMM Daily Report 4 August 2017.) The SMM also continued to facilitate and monitor maintenance works at a water pumping station in government-controlled Artema (26km north of Luhansk), (see SMM Daily Report 4 August 2017), and repairs to the 350mm Zolote-Popasna water pipeline.
The SMM observed ongoing demining activity in fields adjacent to a checkpoint in “DPR”-controlled Nikishyne (60km north-east of Donetsk). The SMM saw an area cordoned off with red and white tape and a team of 6-8 de-miners in military-type clothing working in the fields. (See SMM Daily Report 20 July.)
Following media reports about closure of a school in Popasna, the SMM visited the school, located in a residential area about 30m from the nearest house, and observed 30-35 Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers, some of whom were armed, as well as several military trucks and a civilian truck with a crane being used for construction work at the school yard. Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel were setting up a sign next to the school gate saying “No entrance - access forbidden” in Ukrainian. The school director told the SMM that he had been informed a week ago by the military-civil administration of Popasna that the school was to be closed due to a decreasing number of pupils. He said that currently the school had 59 pupils down from 110 before the conflict.
The SMM visited two border areas not under control of the Government. At the border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk), during half an hour, the SMM saw 33 cars (including some with “DPR” plates) and two buses with Ukrainian licence plates in a queue to leave Ukraine as well as four fuel trucks enter Ukraine.
During 15 minutes, around noon, at the border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed about 70 cars, three of which with “LPR” plates, in a queue to leave Ukraine. The SMM also saw seven pedestrians (three men and four women) leave Ukraine and nine pedestrians (five women and four men) enter Ukraine. Four men and three women separately told the SMM that they had been waiting in a queue since 05:00.
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, unexploded ordnance (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:
- Three armed “DPR” members wearing military-style attire prevented an SMM patrol from proceeding east from an entry-exit checkpoint in Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, 29km north-east of Mariupol), for the eighth consecutive day. One of them said that they had received orders from their superiors not to allow the SMM to cross the checkpoint, adding that this was “for the security of the SMM”. The SMM informed the JCCC but its intervention was not successful. The SMM left the area after waiting for an hour. This continued denial considerably hinders SMM monitoring of a section of southern Donetsk region extending roughly from Kalmiuske (formerly Komsomolske) to Novoazovsk district.
Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:
- The possible presence of mines and UXO prevented the SMM from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area. Armed “LPR” members positioned on the southern side of the disengagement area told the SMM that no demining activity had been conducted in the area. The SMM informed the JCCC.
- The possible presence of mines and UXO prevented the SMM from accessing secondary roads north of the Zolote disengagement area. At a checkpoint on the northern edge of the area a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that no de-mining had taken place over the previous 24 hours. The SMM informed the JCCC.
- The SMM was prevented access to all areas of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, with the exception of the main road, due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian officer of the JCCC told the SMM that no demining activities had taken place during the previous 24 hours in the area. The SMM informed the JCCC.
- The SMM could not travel across the bridge in Shchastia due to the presence of mines. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that mines on the road south of the bridge were still present. The SMM informed the JCCC.
[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.* 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.