Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 5 March 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

Following a recommitment to the ceasefire, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. A man at a checkpoint of the armed formations near Kozatske pointed an assault rifle at the SMM and threatened to shoot. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in Voznesenivka near the border with the Russian Federation and in Bila Kamianka.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area. The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to power lines near Yasynuvata, the Petrivske pumping station in Artema and to a water pipeline near Krasnyi Lyman. In Uzhhorod, the SMM spoke with members of the population and representatives of the police and prosecutor’s office.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1], including 25 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (about 70 explosions). About 55 per cent of these violations, including 12 explosions, were recorded after the start of the recommitment to the ceasefire at 00:01 on 5 March, mostly north-west of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk).

On the evening and night of 4 March, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded four undetermined explosions and four projectiles in flight from west to east, all 0.5-3km south. In the early morning of 5 March, the same camera recorded an illumination flare in vertical flight 0.5-3km south. On the evening of 4 March, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk), recorded three projectiles in flight from south to north and four undetermined explosions, all 2-4km south-east.

On the evening of 4 March, the SMM camera 1km south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, seven projectiles in flight from west to east, three projectiles from east to west, two projectiles from west to east, an undetermined explosion and two projectiles from east to west,  all 1-4km north. On the early morning of 5 March, the same camera recorded four illumination flares 1-4km north.

On the evening of 4 March, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard four undetermined explosions and 23 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 5-8km north-north-west.

During the day on 5 March, positioned at the railway station in Yasynuvata for about three hours, the SMM heard nine undetermined explosions and about 40 bursts and shots of small-arms fire, all 2-4km west and north. Positioned at the south-western edge of Yasynuvata, the SMM heard 17 shots of small-arms fire 2-3km north. Positioned 1km south-east of Kamianka (government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 5km north.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, more explosions (57) compared with the previous 24 hours (34 explosions). The SMM recorded one violation (explosion) after the start of the recommitment to the ceasefire at 00:01 on 5 March.

On the late afternoon of 4 March, while in Kadiivka (non-government-controlled formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 49 undetermined explosions 12-15km west-south-west.

While about 120m west of a checkpoint of the armed formations on the eastern edge of Kozatske (non-government-controlled, 36km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM saw a man in military-type attire armed with an assault rifle (AK-74) pointing the rifle directly at the first SMM vehicle. When the SMM reached a distance of about 100m west of the checkpoint, it saw the man kneel down and continue to point his rifle at the SMM vehicle. The SMM stopped immediately and tried to interact with the man, but the latter demanded that the SMM leave the area, threatening to shoot.* The SMM left the area. (See SMM Spot Report 5 March 2018.)

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 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 evening of 4 March, while on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions and eight bursts of automatic-grenade-launcher and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-5km south-west. The SMM was not able to assess whether these violations had occurred inside or outside the disengagement area. On the early morning of 5 March, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 3-5km south-west and was not able to assess whether it had occurred inside or outside the disengagement area.

On 5 March, positioned on both sides of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM observed a white signal flare fired south of the bridge by “LPR” members. “LPR” members said the flare was launched to indicate readiness to disengage.

During the day on 5 March, positioned near the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM observed a calm situation.

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 areas outside of government control, an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on 4 March spotted four mortars (2B11 Sani, 120mm) in firing positions about 2km south-east of Vesela Hora (16km north of Luhansk). The UAV also spotted near the mortars ten military-type trucks, several of which were assessed as loaded with ammunition crates for mortars.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, an SMM mini-UAV on 2 March spotted at least 15 tanks (probable T-64) near Pidhorodne (73km north of Donetsk).

The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage did not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification from the SMM to the signatories of the Package of Measures on effective monitoring and verification of the withdrawal of heavy weapons. In government-controlled areas the SMM observed nine towed howitzers (D-20, 152mm) present and six anti-tank guns (D-48, 85mm), seven self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) and 16 towed howitzers (D-20) missing. The SMM noted that five such sites continued to be abandoned with 72 towed howitzers (16 D-20; 44 2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm; and 12 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) and 11 self‑propelled howitzers (2S3) again missing.

The SMM revisited a permanent storage site in a government-controlled area and noted that it continued to be abandoned with 14 mortars (2B11) again missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft gun[2] in the security zone. In non-government-controlled areas, the SMM observed an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted on an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) near Dovhe (22km north-west of Luhansk), an APC (BTR-variant) near Slovianoserbsk (28km north-west of Luhansk) and an infantry fighting vehicle (BMP-2) near Smile (31km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to power lines near Yasynuvata that supply with electricity a water pumping station near Vasylivka. The station supplies water to residents living on both sides of the contact line. The SMM observed that the repair works were completed. The SMM also facilitated and monitored repair works to the Petrivske pumping station in Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk) and to a water pipeline connected to the water wells near Krasnyi Lyman (30km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM reached two border areas not under government control and was denied access to these areas by “LPR” members (see below).*

In Uzhhorod (182km west of Ivano-Frankivsk), Zakarpattia region, the SMM continued to follow up on reports of an attack against the building where the office of the Zakarpattia Hungarian Union is located. (See SMM Daily Report 2 March 2018.) On 3 March, 11 citizens (mixed gender, aged 25-65) separately told the SMM that Zakarpattia region had been peaceful and known for its climate of harmony between different ethnic groups. They expressed criticism towards violent acts like the abovementioned incident. On 5 March, representatives of the regional police and prosecutor’s office told the SMM that the investigation was ongoing.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, 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 Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government, citing orders to do so (see below). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• In Kozatske, a man at a checkpoint of the armed formations pointed an assault rifle at the SMM. The SMM left the area.
• At a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk), an “LPR” member, citing “new instructions”, told the SMM to leave the area. 
• At the Chervona Mohyla railway station in Voznesenivka, an “LPR” member, citing “new instructions” told the SMM to leave the area.

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• At a checkpoint about 1km north-west of Bila Kamianka (non-government-controlled, 51km south of Donetsk), “DPR” members told the SMM that the road towards the village was mined. The SMM saw a mine hazard sign on the road, 3m from the checkpoint.
• The SMM was prevented from accessing parts of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, with the exception of the main road, due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that he had no information regarding demining activities over the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.[3]
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. An armed formation member positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM by phone that he had no information regarding de-mining in the area during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.[3]

The SMM did not travel across the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk) due to the presence of mines. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC said there were mines on the road south of the bridge. The SMM informed the JCCC.[3]

[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. The SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Marinka was not operational during the reporting period.

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

[3] The SMM informed Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC. Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the JCCC have withdrawn from the JCCC as of 18 December 2017.