Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 10 July 2018

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports that a 14-year-old boy had been injured by the explosion of an object, which he had picked up in Zlatoustivka. It also followed up on reports of recent damage caused by shelling in a residential area of Zolote-4/Rodina. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote disengagement areas and again observed military presence inside the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas, as well as near Markyne, Nova Marivka and Bezimenne.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to other essential civilian infrastructure near Zalizne, Artema, Novotoshkivske and Raivka.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including more explosions (about 90), compared with the previous reporting period (15 explosions).

On the evening and night of 9-10 July, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, 11 projectiles in flight from north-north-west to south-south-east, three projectiles from west to east and ten projectiles from east-north-east to west-south-west, followed by totals of 11 undetermined explosions, about 190 projectiles (60 from west to east, 60 from east to west, 50 from west-north-west to east-south-east, 20 from north-west to south-east) and an illumination flare in vertical flight, all 1-3km south.

On the evening of 9 July, the SMM camera in Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, 28 projectiles in flight from south-west to north-east, two undetermined explosions, four projectiles from south-west to north-east and seven projectiles from north-east to south-west, followed by a total of 20 projectiles (16 from south-west to north-east and four from south-east to north-west), all 6-8km south-east. The following day, positioned on the south-eastern edge of Avdiivka, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions and about 60 shots of small-arms fire, all 0.5-3km at directions ranging from north-east to south-east.

On the evening of 9 July, the SMM camera at the Oktiabr mine (non-government-controlled, 9km north-west of Donetsk city centre) recorded four projectiles in flight from south-east to north-west, followed by 11 projectiles from north-west to south-east, all 3-5km north-east.

On the night of 9-10 July, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, four projectiles in flight from south to north, 15 projectiles from south-south-east to north-north-west, an illumination flare in vertical flight and six undetermined explosions, all 2-5km east-north-east and east.

On the evening and night of 9-10 July, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, a projectile in flight from west to east, eight undetermined explosions and two projectiles from east-north-east to west-south-west, followed by about 30 projectiles (20 from east to west and ten from west to east), all 2.5-7km south.

During the day on 10 July, positioned in the north-western outskirts of Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard an undetermined explosion and 35 shots and bursts of small-arms fire 100-800m west, north-west and west, as well as about 20 undetermined explosions 5-6km north.

On the evening of 9 July, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 30 undetermined explosions, about 40 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, as well as about 20 minutes of uncountable and overlapping shots and bursts of small-arms fire, all 2-5km south and south-east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including 50 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (four explosions).

During the day on 10 July, positioned 3.5km west of Orikhove-Donetske (government-controlled, 44km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard about 140 bursts of small-arms fire, assessed as live-fire training inside the security zone, in violation of the decision of the Trilateral Contact Group as of 3 March 2016 that prohibits the conduct of live-fire training in the security zone.

The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian injured by the explosion of an object in Zlatoustivka (government-controlled, 66km south-west of Donetsk). On 3 July, medical staff at a hospital in Mariupol (government-controlled, 102km south of Donetsk) told the SMM that on 2 July a 14-year-old boy had been admitted after having been injured by the explosion of an object and had undergone surgery. At the same hospital, the mother of the boy told the SMM that on 2 July, the boy had picked up an object in Zlatoustivka and brought it to their house on Tsentralna Street. She added that the object had exploded while he had been handling it in the yard of the house. On 4 July, staff at the village council in Zlatoustivka and local police in Volnovakha (government-controlled, 53km south of Donetsk) told the Mission that a boy had been admitted to the abovementioned hospital after having been injured by the explosion of an object in Zlatoustivka.

The SMM followed up on reports of damage caused by shelling in a residential area of Zolote-4/Rodina (government-controlled, 59km west of Luhansk). Accompanied by military-civil administration staff from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the SMM observed a fresh hole in the north-facing roof of a single-storey house at 5-2 Zlatoustivska Street, assessed as caused by a recoilless gun (SPG-9) round fired from an undetermined direction. Inside the house, the SMM saw a fresh hole in the ceiling and shrapnel damage to the wall and floor. The owner of the house (man in his forties) told the SMM that the damage had occurred at around 02:00 on 10 July when his wife and his son had been in a room 1m away from the abovementioned damage to the floor.

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 and Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk)[2], 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 and night of 9-10 July, the SMM camera in Stanytsia Luhanska recorded 17 undetermined explosions 1.8-4km at directions ranging from south-south-east to south-west (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area), as well as 15 undetermined explosions 2-8km at directions ranging from east-south-east to south (assessed as outside the disengagement area). On the night of 9-10 July, the SMM camera near the Prince Ihor monument south-east of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk) recorded seven undetermined explosions 4-8km south (assessed as outside the disengagement area). The same night, while on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard four shots of small-arms fire 1-1.5km south (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On the evening and night of 9-10 July, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded, in sequence, two projectiles in flight from north-north-west to south-south-east, an undetermined explosion, seven projectiles from east to west and ten undetermined explosions, all 4-10km at directions ranging from east-south-east to south (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

During the day on 10 July, positioned on the north-western edge of Katerynivka (government-controlled, 64km west of Luhansk) inside the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM observed a black car with military licence plates and a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier inside drive out of the disengagement area and travel east towards Zolote-4/Rodina.

During the day on 10 July, positioned in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and near the Petrivske disengagement area, the SMM observed calm situations.

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 9 July, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted again a surface-to-air missile system (9K35, Strela-10) parked in the yard of a house in Zolote-3/Stakhanovets (61km west of Luhansk) (see SMM Daily Report 21 June 2018).

In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, on 9 July, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted again a tank (T-72) in the south-eastern residential area of Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol) (see SMM Daily Report 7 July 2018). The same day, an SMM long-range UAV spotted four towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) in Sofiivka (formerly Karlo‑Marksove,40km north-east of Donetsk). On 10 July, an SMM mini-UAV spotted three tanks (T-64) about 1km north-west of Lobacheve (13km east of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas, aerial imagery revealed the presence on 8 July of 53 tanks (type undetermined) in a training area about 3km west of Manuilivka (65km east of Donetsk), where on 21 June the SMM had observed 49 tanks (type undetermined) (see SMM Daily Report 27 June 2018). On 10 July, the SMM observed three towed howitzers (D-30) and three tanks (T-72), all stationary at a training area in Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk).

The SMM revisited a permanent storage site whose location was beyond the respective withdrawal lines in areas of Luhansk region outside government control and noted that four tanks (three T-64 and one T-72) were again missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACV)[3] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 9 July, an SMM long-range UAV spotted two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-2) parked in the yard of a house in Zolote-3/Stakhanovets (see above), seven IFVs (two BMP-1, two BMP-2, and three BMP variants) near Zolote, three IFVs (one BMP-2 and two BMP variants) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) and five IFVs (BMP variants) near Troitske (69km west of Luhansk). The same day, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted an ACV (type undetermined) near Vodiane (94km south of Donetsk). On 10 July, the SMM saw an IFV (BTR-4) near Vesele (21km north of Donetsk), an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB variant) near Trokhizbenka (32km north-west of Luhansk) and a probable IFV (BMP variant) on the south-western edge of Zolote-4/Rodina.

In non-government-controlled-areas, aerial imagery revelead the presence on 8 July of an ACV (type undetermined) north of Oleksandrivka (20km south-west of Donetsk). On 9 July, an SMM long-range UAV spotted eight APCs (MT-LB) and an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) in Kalynove-Borshchuvate (61km west of Luhansk), an APC (MT-LB variant) near Veselohorivka (64km west of Luhansk) and an APC (MT-LB) in Stare (formerly Chervonyi Prapor, 58km west of Luhansk). The same day, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted five IFVs (BMP-1) and an APC (BTR-80) in the Kirpoty neighbourhood of eastern Pikuzy. On 10 July, an SMM mini-UAV spotted four IFVs (BMP-1), an APC (MT-LB) and an ACV (type undetermined) near Lobacheve (see above).

The SMM continued to observe mines and mine hazard signs. On 9 July, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted for the first time 51 anti-tank mines (TM-62) on the south-eastern edge of Vodiane. The same day, an SMM mini-UAV spotted again 41 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid out in three rows across road H-21 about 200m east-south-east of the bridge south of Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk). (See SMM Daily Report 19 March 2018.)

The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS, 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 details). The SMM also continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne (formerly Artemove, government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk), to the Petrivske pumping station in Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), a water pipeline in Novotoshkivske (government-controlled, 53km west of Luhansk) and a power line in Raivka (non-government-controlled, 16km north-west of Luhansk).

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 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, for example, SMM Daily Report 7 July 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:

• Two armed members of the armed formations again stopped the SMM at a checkpoint east of Oleksandrivske (formerly Rozy Liuksemburh, nongovernment controlled, 90km south of Donetsk) and prevented it from travelling further west in the direction of Markyne (non-government-controlled, 94km south of Donetsk), where a training area is located. They said that they had orders not to allow the SMM to pass through the checkpoint. (The SMM’s freedom of movement had been recently restricted in the same area. See SMM Daily Report 4 July 2018.)

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• 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 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.[4]
• 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.5
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. An unarmed 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 again prevented from accessing Nova Marivka (nongovernment-controlled, 64km south of Donetsk) due to the presence of three visible UXOs near a tree which was lying across the road about 3km east of the village. (See SMM Daily Report 25 June 2018.)

Other impediments:

• On three occasions, the SMM temporarily lost communication with its miniUAV flying over the centre of Bezimenne (non-government-controlled, 30km east of Mariupol), assessed as due to jamming. The SMM landed the UAV safely.[5]
• On the evening of 9 July, the SMM temporarily lost communication with its longrange UAV flying over an area near Sofiivka, assessed as due to jamming. The SMM landed the UAV safely.6

[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] Due to presence of mines, including those on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remained limited; therefore, the review of the camera footage may take place days later.

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

[4] 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.

[5] The interference could have originated from anywhere within a radius of several kilometres of the UAV’s position.