Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 8 April 2019
This report is for the media and the general public.
Summary
- Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region.
- A man and a woman were injured by an explosive device in Verkhnotoretske.
- The Mission observed fresh damage from small-arms fire to a functioning hospital in Donetsk city.
- The SMM observed fresh craters and unexploded ordnance in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka and mines and unexploded ordnance near Dolmitne and Novotroitske.
- The SMM recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area.
- The Mission observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
- The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
- Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. In addition, the Mission was denied access at a border crossing point near non-government-controlled Dovzhanske.*
Ceasefire violations[1]
In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 460 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (about 90 explosions). Almost half of the ceasefire violations were recorded at south-easterly directions of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol), south-westerly directions of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), and northerly directions of Holmivskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km north-east of Donetsk).
In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 150 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (about 270 explosions). Almost half of the ceasefire violations were recorded at south-easterly directions of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk) and north-easterly and south-westerly directions of Holubivka (formerly Kirovsk, non-government-controlled, 51km west of Luhansk).
A man and a woman were injured by an explosive device in Verkhnotoretske
At a hospital in Toretsk (government-controlled, 43km north of Donetsk), the SMM saw a woman (54 years old) with bandages on her face and head. Medical staff told the SMM that the woman had been admitted on 6 April with shrapnel injuries to her face, eye and skull, and had undergone surgery. The woman told the SMM that on 6 April she had been cleaning graves with her husband in a cemetery in Verkhnotoretske (government-controlled, 23km north-east of Donetsk) when an unidentified explosive device detonated and wounded her and her husband. In Verkhnotoretske, the SMM spoke with the woman’s husband (mid-50’s) and saw that he had sustained approximately 20 small scratches to his face and hands.
Fresh damage to a functioning hospital in Donetsk city
At Donetsk City Hospital No. 21, located at 12a Kremlovskyi Avenue on the north-western edge of non-government-controlled Donetsk city, the SMM saw a fresh bullet hole in a north-west facing window of the hospital’s laboratory and two fresh marks on the adjacent wall. Hospital staff told the SMM that they had discovered the damage along with one bullet on the floor in the morning of 6 April.
Fresh craters and unexploded ordnance in and near residential areas
About 20m south of Dundycha street in the south-western part of Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM saw a fresh crater about 50m from the nearest residential houses. The SMM was unable to assess the direction of fire or type of weapon. About 120m south-west of the crater, the SMM saw a tailfin assessed as from a 73mm fragmentation round (probable OG-series grenade) lying horizontal on the ground. Approximately 1.3km east-north-east of the previous observation, near the centre of Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, the SMM saw a fresh unexploded 73mm round protruding from soft ground approximately 200m from the nearest house.
On 7 April, an SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted 40 fresh craters, assessed as impacts of mortar rounds (120mm) in a field about 4km south-south-west of Kalynove-Borshchuvate (non-government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk) (not visible in imagery from 4 April 2019).
Disengagement areas[2]
On 5 April, inside the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk), an SMM mid-range UAV again spotted 12 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid out in two rows across road T-1316, about 1.1km south of the area’s northern edge and 1.9km east of its western edge.
Also inside the Zolote disengagement area, near residential areas, the same UAV spotted an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) and a modified military truck with an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted in the rear - near a previously observed position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, about 600m south of the area’s northern edge and about 1.1km east of the area’s western edge. The UAV also spotted two other IFVs (BMP-1), about 950m and 1.3km, respectively, east-north-east of the aforementioned positions (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 3 April 2019).
On the evening and night of 7-8 April, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded an undetermined explosion and 24 projectiles, all at an assessed range of 1-3km south-east and south-south-east, all assessed as inside the disengagement area. The same camera recorded 14 explosions assessed as impacts at a distance of 2-3km east-south-east, assessed as outside the disengagement area.
During the day on 8 April, positioned at two different locations in Zolote, the SMM heard 23 shots and bursts of small-arms and eight bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.
On 6 April, inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), an SMM mini-UAV spotted an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) on a hill approximately 450m north of the disengagement area’s southern edge, assessed as belonging to the armed formations (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 4 July 2018).
On 8 April, positioned near the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM observed a calm situation.[3]
Withdrawal of weapons
The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.
Weapons in violation of withdrawal lines
Government-controlled areas
6 April
An SMM mid-range UAV spotted a probable mortar (2B11 Sani, 120mm) next to the railway tracks near Novoluhanske (53km north-east of Donetsk).
An SMM long-range UAV spotted four self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika,122mm) and five towed anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) at the railway station in Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk).
8 April
The SMM saw:
- 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and six multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) at the railway station in Kostiantynivka (also spotted by an SMM long-range UAV on 7 April), and
- eight towed howitzers (D-20, 152mm) at the railway station in Bakhmut (formerly Artemivsk, 67km north of Donetsk).
Non-government-controlled areas
5 April
An SMM mini-UAV spotted two tanks (T-64) in Stepanivka (62km west of Luhansk).
6 April
An SMM mini-UAV spotted:
- a probable surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) near Novohryhorivka (33km west of Luhansk) and
- a probable mortar (type undetermined) near Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, 44km west of Luhansk).
6 April
An SMM long-range UAV spotted six MLRS (BM-21), seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1), five towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) and five anti-tank guns (MT-12) at the former Luhansk international airport about 10km south of Luhansk city (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 7 April 2019).
An SMM mid-range UAV spotted three self-propelled howitzers (2S1) in a training area near Ternove (57km east of Donetsk).
7 April
An SMM long-range UAV spotted two surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10) in Kalmiuske (formerly Komsomolske, 42km south-east of Donetsk).
An SMM mini-UAV spotted three tanks (T-72) and two mortars (a 2B11 Sani, 120mm and a probable 2B11) near Kalynove-Borshchuvate (61km west of Luhansk).
8 April
The SMM saw three tanks (one T-72 and two T-64) in a training area near Kruhlyk (65km south-west of Luhansk).
Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites
Government-controlled
7 April
An SMM long-range UAV spotted:
- two tanks (a T-72 and an undetermined type) near Zoria (40km north-west of Donetsk);
- eight tanks (type undetermined) near Vozdvyzhenka (40km north-west of Donetsk); and
- two surface-to-air missile systems (9K37) near Novooleksandrivka (36km north-west of Donetsk).
Non-government-controlled areas
6 April
An SMM long-range UAV spotted:
- two self-propelled howitzers (2S1) near Shyroke (34km south-east of Luhansk);
- two self-propelled howitzers (2S1) near Khrustalnyi (formerly Krasni Luch, 56km south-west of Luhansk); and
- seven tanks (T-72) and six surface-to-air missile systems (9K35) at the former Luhansk international airport about 10km south of Luhansk city.
An SMM mid-range UAV spotted:
- 28 tanks (20 T-72, four T-64 and four types undetermined) and three probable mortars (type undetermined) in a training area near Ternove.
Weapons that the SMM could not verify as withdrawn[4]
At a heavy weapons holding area in a government-controlled area of Luhansk region
8 April
The SMM noted that 20 MLRS (BM-21) remained missing, and that three MLRS (BM-21) were missing for the first time.
Weapons permanent storage sites
At a permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region
8 April
The SMM noted that four towed howitzers (D-30) and seven tanks (T-72) were missing for the first time.
Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[5]
Government-controlled areas
5 April
An SMM mini-UAV spotted an IFV (BMP variant) in the southern outskirts of Orikhove (57km north-west of Luhansk).
An SMM mid-range UAV spotted:
- two IFVs (BMP-1) in Zolote-4/Rodina (59km west of Luhansk) and
- an IFV (BMP-1) about 3km east-north-east of Katerynivka (64km west of Luhansk) and about 50m north of the Zolote disengagement area.
6 April
An SMM mid-range UAV spotted an IFV (BTR-3E) as well as an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23-2, 23mm) mounted on an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) near Novoluhanske.
An SMM mini-UAV spotted:
- a probable armoured combat vehicle (ACV) (type undetermined) on the south-eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska;
- a probable ACV (type undetermined) and a trench digger (PZM-2) near Voitove (33km north-west of Luhansk); and
- two IFVs (BMP-variants) near Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk).
An SMM long-range UAV spotted an IFV (BMP-2) near Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk).
7 April
An SMM long-range UAV spotted four IFVs (BMP-variants) near Novhorodske (35km north of Donetsk).
An SMM mini-UAV spotted a counter-fire radar system (AN/TPQ-36) near Lebedynske (99km south of Donetsk).
The SMM saw an IFV (BMP-1) near Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk).
8 April
The SMM saw:
- an (APC) (BTR-70) at a checkpoint near Berezove and
- an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (SNAR-10) near Krasnohorivka (24km north of Donetsk).
Non-government-controlled areas
6 April
An SMM mini-UAV spotted two IFVs (type undetermined) near Sentianivka.
An SMM long-range UAV spotted:
- an IFV (BMP-1) near Lohvynove (59km north-east of Donetsk);
- 22 IFVs (BMP-1) near Kruhlyk;
- four IFVs (BMP-2) near Vesela Hora (16km north of Luhansk);
- seven IFVs (BMP-1), three APCs (two MT-LB and a MT-LBMA with an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23-2) mounted on top) near Dovhe (22km north-west of Luhansk);
- an APC (BTR-80) near Holubivka; and
- three IFVs (BMP-2) near Kalynove-Borshchuvate.
7 April
An SMM long-range UAV spotted four ACVs (type undetermined) in Kalmiuske.
8 April
The SMM saw an APC (MT-LB) near Molodizhne (63km north-west of Luhansk).
Presence of mines and unexploded ordnance near Dolomitne and Novotroitske
On 6 April, an SMM long-range UAV again spotted ten anti-tank mines (TM-62) across the road about 200m south-west of residential areas of Dolomitne (non-government-controlled, 53km north-east of Donetsk).
On 8 April, 2.5km south-east of Novotroitske (government-controlled, 36km south-west of Donetsk) on a road running south-east to Mykolaivka (government-controlled, 40km south of Donetsk), the SMM saw a tailfin assessed as from a recoilless-gun (SPG-9 Kopie, 73mm) hanging from a tree approximately 2m from the roadway.
SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure
On 8 April, the Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), to a dam near Travneve (government-controlled, 51km north-east of Donetsk), to a water pipeline near Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) and to power transmission lines near Spartak (non-government-controlled, 9km north of Donetsk), Holubivka and Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk). The SMM was informed that repair works at Olenivka were successfully completed. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) and monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).
The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire in order to enable a transfer of funds reportedly related to water payments across the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk).
Border areas outside government control
While at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw three cars (one with Russian Federation, one with Ukrainian licence plates and one with “LPR” plates), two covered cargo trucks (one with Ukrainian licence plates and one with “LPR” plates), two buses (one with Russian Federation and one with Ukrainian licence plates) and seven pedestrians (mixed genders) exiting Ukraine. After about ten minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*
The Mission 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. 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 (for example, 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:
- On 8 April, at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (non-government-controlled, 84km south-east of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.
Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:
- The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.
Other impediments:
- On 8 April, while following up on reports of a civilian casualty, medical staff at a hospital in Donetsk city refused to provide the SMM with information or allow the SMM to speak with the alleged civilian patient, citing the need for permission from those in control.
- On the evening and night of 6-7 April, an SMM long-range UAV experienced signal interference while flying over non-government-controlled areas south, south-west, south-east and north of Luhansk, as well as government-controlled areas north of Donetsk.[6]
[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.
[2]Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.
[3] Due to the presence of mines, including on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM cannot access its camera in Petrivske, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.
[4] The SMM visited areas previously holding 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.
[5] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons, unless otherwise specified.
[6] The interference could have originated from anywhere within the radius of several kilometres of the UAV’s position.