Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 21 June 2018
This report is for the media and the general public.
The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it again observed military presence inside the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas, and was also restricted in Luhansk city and at a heavy weapons permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled part of Luhansk region. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Hirske and Novookhtyrka. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station. It also continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema and to the water distribution network in Stanytsia Luhanska. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a gathering outside a patrol police headquarters.
In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1], including, however, more explosions (115), compared with the previous reporting period (about 90 explosions).
On the evening and night of 20-21 June, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, six projectiles in flight from west to east, two projectiles from east to west and two undetermined explosions, followed by totals of 18 undetermined explosions and 117 projectiles (22 from north-east to south-west, 58 from east to west, six from south-east to north-west, one projectile from south-south-east to north-north-west, four projectiles from south to north and 26 from west to east), all 0.3-5km south-south-east and south.
On the evening and night of 20-21 June, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, three projectiles in flight from east to west, two projectiles from west to east and two undetermined explosions, followed by totals of four undetermined explosions, 99 projectiles (24 from north to south, 26 from east to west, eight from south to north, 40 from west to east and one projectile from north-west to south-east) and an illumination flare in vertical flight, all 2-5km east-north-east.
On the evening of 20 June, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, nine projectiles in flight from west-south-west to east-north-east, two undetermined explosions and another projectile from west-south-west to east-north-east, followed by totals of 20 projectiles (14 from east-north-east to west-south-west and six from west-south-west to east-north-east), all 4-8km south-south-east. On 21 June, positioned 1km north-north-west of the entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk for about 30 minutes, the SMM heard and saw three explosions assessed as impacts of 120mm mortar rounds 3-4km south-east and heard 17 undetermined explosions at undetermined distances south-east and south.
On the evening and night of 20-21 June, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard and saw an outgoing explosion 3-4km north-west (in the north-western outskirts of Horlivka) and a burst assessed as a tracer round of anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) 5-6km west. At the same location, the SMM heard 32 undetermined explosions and 36 shots and bursts of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm), heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-6km south-west, west and north-west. On 21 June, positioned on the northern edge of Horlivka for about seven hours, the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions 2-5km north-west and north.
In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including one explosion, compared with the previous reporting period (11 explosions).
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 20 June, an SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted an IFV (BMP variant) on the north-western edge of the Zolote disengagement area. On 21 June, inside the disengagement area, the SMM saw three vans with military licence plates carrying two, three and four people in military-style clothing respectively near Katerynivka (government-controlled, 64km west of Luhansk). (See SMM Daily Report 21 June 2018.)
On 21 June, positioned 0.6km north of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 2-3km south-east, assessed as outside the disengagement area.
On the same day, positioned near the Petrivske disengagement area, the SMM observed a calm situation.
The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.
In violation of withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas, on 21 June, the SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) near Hirske (63km west of Luhansk) and 11 towed howitzers (D-20 Lyagushka, 152mm) near Novookhtyrka (55km north-west of Luhansk).
Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, on 20 June, the SMM saw two tanks (T-64) near Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk) and a towed howitzer (D-20) near Kreminna (97km north-west of Luhansk).
On 21 July, the SMM saw a piece of artillery (type undetermined) south-west of Novoaidar (49km south-west of Luhansk).
Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas, on 19 June, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted 43 tanks (36 T-72 and seven T-64) near Ternove (57km east of Donetsk) (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 21 June 2018). On 17 June, aerial imagery revealed the presence of 21 tanks (type undetermined), nine pieces of self-propelled artillery (type undetermined) and 35 pieces of towed artillery (type undetermined) at a training area in Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk) (for previous observations see, for example, SMM Daily Report 14 June 2018).
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 saw ten self-propelled howitzers (eight 2S19 Msta-S, 152 mm and two 2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and noted that 27 self-propelled howitzers (eight 2S5 Giatsint-B, 152mm, 11 2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm and eight 2S1) and six towed howitzers (D-20) were missing.
The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles, an anti-aircraft gun[2] and other indications of military presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 20 June, the SMM saw an armoured recovery vehicle (BREM-Ch) and two IFVs (BMP-1) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk). On 20 June, an SMM mini UAV spotted an armoured combat vehicle (type undetermined), two IFVs (one BMP-1 and one BMP variant), three APCs (one undetermined, one probable MT-LB and one BTR variant) and an APC (probable MT-LB) mounted with an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) near Novotoshkivske (53km west of Luhansk), two armoured reconnaissance vehicles (one BRM-1K and one BRDM-2) near Orikhove (57km north-west of Luhansk) and two APCs (an MT-LB and an MT-LB-S) near Zolote. On the same day, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted three IFVs (two BMP-2 and one BMP variant) and an APC (MT-LB-S) near Nelipivka (40km north-east of Donetsk).
On 20 June, an SMM mini UAV spotted at least recent 30 craters assessed as caused by mortar or artillery rounds fired from a southerly direction (not visible in imagery from 7 June 2018) and a trench extended by 80m north-north-west along a railway (not visible in imagery from 27 May 2018) near Novotoshkivske, as well as three recent craters assessed as caused by mortar or artillery rounds fired from a south-easterly direction near Orikhove (not visible in imagery from 29 May 2018).
The SMM continued to observe mines. On 20 June, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted at least 300 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid in two rows near Nelipivka (not visible in imagery from 1 June 2018).
The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire. Positioned in areas near the DFS, the SMM heard ceasefire violations, despite explicit security guarantees (see above and table below for ceasefire violations).
The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (26km north of Luhansk) and the water distribution network in Stanytsia Luhanska.
In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a gathering of some 80-100 people (90 per cent men under 25 years old) taking part in a pre-announced protest by Right Sector and other groups outside a police headquarters (3/2 Fedora Ernsta Street). The SMM observed participants waving flags associated with various groups. It saw about 20 police officers present. Speakers among the participants criticized the police’s response to their protest to the Kyiv “March of Equality” on 17 June (see SMM Daily Report 18 June 2018). The gathering ended without incident.
The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Chernivtsi.
*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 (see SMM Daily Report 19 June 2018). 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:
- An armed member of the armed formations prevented the SMM from entering a heavy weapons permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region.
- On four occasions, members of the armed formations denied the SMM access to military-type compounds in Luhansk city.
Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:
- 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 no demining had taken place during 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 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 no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC. 4
[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. The SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Marinka was not operational during the reporting period.
* 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.
[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.