Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 22 June 2018
This report is for the media and the general public.
The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. In Petrivske, the SMM was forced to drive on a mine-contaminated road by an armed member of the armed formations. The Mission observed shelling impacts in a residential area of Pikuzy. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line, including in residential areas. 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, to the water distribution network in Stanytsia Luhanska and to high-voltage power lines in Novoazovsk. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a gathering outside the Parliament building.
In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including, however, a similar number of explosions (about 110), compared with the previous reporting period (115 explosions).
On the evening and night of 21-22 June, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded 44 undetermined explosions, 118 projectiles in flight (85 west to east, 22 east to west, nine north to south and one south to north) and a burst from west to east, all 1-4km south.
On the evening and night of 21-22 June, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded eight undetermined explosions, ten bursts from west to east, two illumination flares in vertical flight, and 271 projectiles in flight (171 from east to west and 100 from west to east), all 3-6km north-east.
On the evening and night of 21-22 June, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 31 undetermined explosions and 160 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-5km south-east and south. The following day, the SMM heard five undetermined explosions and eight bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 4-5km south-east.
In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded five ceasefire violations (all explosions).
The SMM was forced to drive on a mine-contaminated road by an armed member of the armed formations in Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk). While driving eastwards through Petrivske, the SMM noticed a suspicious object, half-buried in a shallow pit at the end of a ditch extending across the road, 300m east-south-east of the SMM camera in Petrivske. The first SMM vehicle stopped about 5m east of the object and the second vehicle stopped about 10m west of it. The patrol assessed the object as an anti-tank mine (TM-62) with a command wire extending from the undergrowth on the northern side of the road to the mine and continuing further south across the road into the freshly dug ditch, which consisted of a series of shallow circular depressions filled with rubble. While the patrol was stopped, a member of the armed formations carrying an assault rifle (AK-74) and displaying signs of intoxication approached from the east and told the patrol to leave the area immediately and that it would not be permitted to proceed any further east. Despite the SMM pointing out the presence of the mine, he refused to let the first vehicle drive eastwards, thus leaving the SMM no choice but to drive back westwards across the freshly dug ditch filled with rubble near the identified mine. The SMM drove as far as possible from the mine on the southern side of the road and then returned safely to its base in Donetsk city. (See SMM Spot Report 23 June 2018.)
The SMM observed shelling impacts in a residential area of the Kirpoty neighbourhood of eastern Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol). The SMM saw four fresh craters along Akhmatovoi Street – three in the tarmac and one on the side of the road – at the far eastern end of Pikuzy, 30-70m from the nearest houses. At one of these houses, the SMM observed members of the armed formations going in and out and military-type vehicles parked in its yard. In one of the craters, the SMM observed the tailfin of a 120mm mortar embedded in the asphalt. The SMM assessed the damage to have been caused by 120mm mortar rounds fired from a westerly direction.
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, 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 20 June, the SMM camera in Stanytsia Luhanska recorded five undetermined explosions 2-4km south-south-west, assessed as outside the disengagement area.
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 a government-controlled area, on 22 June, the SMM saw a tank (T-80) loaded on a truck near Petrivka (27km north of Luhansk).
In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, on 20 June, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted two self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) and 31 tanks (type undetermined) at a compound in a residential area of Donetsk city, four self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) west of Vasylivka (47km south of Donetsk) and four self-propelled howitzers (2S1) near Starolaspa (51km south of Donetsk). On 21 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted a multiple launch rocket system (BM-21 Grad, 122mm), two self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and two anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) in a compound on the eastern edge of Perevalsk (38km west of Luhansk), and 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S1), 12 towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) and an anti-tank gun (MT-12) in a training area near Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk).
Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, on 22 June, the SMM saw six tanks (T-64) loaded on train cars at the railyard in Rubizhne (84km north-west of Luhansk).
Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas, on 20 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted six self-propelled howitzers (2S1), three towed howitzers (D-30), an anti-tank gun (MT-12) and ten tanks (T-72) in a training area near Pokrovka (non-government-controlled, 36km east of Donetsk). On 21 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted four tanks (T-64) in a compound on the eastern edge of Perevalsk (see above) and 22 tanks (type undetermined), six surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10) and eight mortars (2B11 Sani, 120mm) in a training area near Buhaivka (see above).
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 of Donetsk region, the SMM noted that four surface-to-air missile systems (three 9K33 Osa and one 9K35) and six self-propelled howitzers (2S1) were again missing.
The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] in the security zone. In a government-controlled area, on 21 June, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted three infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (type undetermined) near Vodiane (94km south of Donetsk).
In non-government-controlled areas, on 20 June, an SMM long-range UAV spotted 18 IFVs (14 BMP-1 and four BMP-2), three armoured recovery vehicles (BTS-4A) and two armoured personnel carriers (APC) (BTR-80 and MT-LB) in residential areas of Donetsk city, as well as an APC (BTR-80) in a residential area of Kalmiuske (formerly Komsomolske, 42km south-east of Donetsk), in a zone within which deployment of heavy armaments and military equipment is proscribed according to Point 5 of the Memorandum of 19 September 2014.
The SMM continued to observe mines and mine hazard signs. On 21 June, an SMM mid-range UAV again spotted about 300 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid in two longitudinal rows to the east of positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Lebedynske (government-controlled, 16km east of Mariupol). The same day, an SMM long-range UAV again spotted 25 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid across a road on the south-western edge of Travneve (government-controlled, 51km north-east of Donetsk). (See SMM Daily Report 31 March 2018.) On 22 June, the SMM observed two light blue mine hazard signs near Panteleimonivka (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Donetsk) for the first time.
The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), the water distribution network in Stanytsia Luhanska and to high-voltage power lines in Novoazovsk (non-government-controlled, 102km south-east of Donetsk). 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).
In Luhansk city, the SMM monitored a large gathering. The Mission observed an estimated 3,000 people (aged 20-50) gathered in Theatre Square listening to speeches by a senior “LPR” member, various activists and about 30 civilians who recounted their experiences of the conflict. At the end of the gathering, the moderator announced that a “tribunal” had “sentenced” eight current and former Ukrainian politicians. The event ended without incident.
In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a pre-announced protest. On 22 June, at 5 Hrushevskoho Street, the SMM saw about 1,000 people (mixed gender and ages, including children) gathered in front of the Parliament building, some holding banners displaying statements critical of the “March of Equality” held on 17 June. (See SMM Daily Report 22 June 2017.) There were about 200 law enforcement officers in front of the building and in nearby areas. The protest ended without incidents.
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 displaying signs of intoxication prevented the SMM from travelling eastwards through Petrivske, thus leaving the SMM no choice but to drive over a mined segment of a single-lane road (see above).
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
- 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.4
Other impediments
Medical staff at a hospital in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk) refused to give the SMM information regarding a civilian casualty, claiming the need for approval from the armed formations.
[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.