Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 11 August 2019

This report is for the media and the general public. 

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 9 and 10 August, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Between the evenings of 10 and 11 August, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours.
• In Troitske, two women sustained injuries due to shelling, prior to the recommitment to the ceasefire.
• The SMM saw that demining works continued inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area on 10 August.
• The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines at the train station in Bakhmut.
• The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable the drilling of wells near Raivka and facilitate the operation of essential civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission observed a calm situation at the crossing point between Chonhar and Crimea and in nearby areas.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued, including at non-government-controlled checkpoints near Verkhnoshyrokivske, Zaichenko, Oleksandrivka and Kreminets.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 9 and 10 August, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including fewer explosions (11), compared with the previous reporting period (35 explosions). More than half of the ceasefire violations were recorded in areas between Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) and Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol).

Between the evenings of 10 and 11 August, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, more explosions (17), compared with the previous 24 hours. More than half of the ceasefire violations were recorded in areas west of Hnutove (government-controlled, 20km north-east of Mariupol) and at southerly directions of the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk), where among other ceasefire violations nine undetermined explosions were recorded.

In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 9 and 10 August, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including four explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (no explosions). More than half of the ceasefire violations were recorded inside and near the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) (see below).

Between the evenings of 10 and 11 August, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations, including eight explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours. Almost half of the ceasefire violations were again recorded inside and near the Zolote disengagement area (see below).

Two women in Troitske sustained injuries due to shelling prior to the recommitment to the ceasefire

The SMM followed up on reports of two women (in their sixties) who sustained injuries due to shelling on 28 February in the eastern part of Troitske (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk). On 4 March, the head of the Troitske administration (a man, in his thirties) told the Mission that on 1 March on Soniachna Street he had seen two women, both residents of the street – one with injuries to her leg, the other with injuries to her arm, both due to shelling. The SMM was unable to access the street due to security considerations.

In late July at a one-storey house at 20 Soniachna Street in Troitske, a woman (in her sixties) told the Mission that she lived there and that on the evening of 28 February she had been at home when she heard an explosion and saw one window pane breaking and pieces of broken glass hitting her leg. She also said that the roof of her house had been damaged. When the SMM was speaking with the woman it saw that three east-facing windows and the roof of the house had been repaired.

Also in late July, at 21 Soniachna Street, at a one-storey house across the street from the above-mentioned house, another woman (in her sixties) told the Mission that she lived there and that on the evening of 28 February she had been in the yard in front of her house when she saw and heard three impacts near the house at 20 Soniachna Street. She said that she had sustained injures to her arm and face from the ensuing pieces of shrapnel. She added that three west-facing windows of her house had been damaged. When the SMM was speaking with the woman it saw that three west-facing windows had been repaired.

Medical staff at the clinic in Troitske told the Mission that a woman (in her sixties) from 20 Soniachna Street with a cut to her leg caused by glass debris and another woman (in her sixties) from 21 Soniachna Street with injuries caused by shrapnel had been treated at the clinic on the morning of 1 March.

Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area

On 10 August, inside the disengagement area, the SMM saw up to 15 deminers of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine clearing vegetation and conducting demining activities on both sides of the road, about 100m north of the broken section of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk). The Mission also saw about ten deminers from non-government-controlled areas clearing vegetation and conducting demining activities sides on both sides of the broken section of the bridge, starting from the wooden ramps. It also saw a senior member of the armed formations and two other members wearing armbands with “JCCC” written on them south of the bridge.[2]

On the same day, between 18:30 and 18:45, after the closure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces entry-exit checkpoint (EECP) outside the disengagement area and the checkpoint of the armed formations south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (inside the disengagement area), the SMM heard two explosions, assessed as controlled detonations of explosive devices, inside the disengagement area, near the broken section of the bridge.

On 11 August, the Mission saw two members of the armed formations wearing armbands with “JCCC” written on them south of the bridge.

On both days, the SMM saw that pedestrians continued crossing the bridge without interruption and the shuttle bus continued operating between the EECP and the broken section of the bridge.

Other disengagement areas[3]

On the evening 9 August, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded four projectiles in flight at an assessed range of 1.5-3km south-south-east, assessed as inside the disengagement area, as well as a projectile in flight at an assessed range of 1-2km east, assessed as outside the disengagement area but within its 5km periphery. On the evening of 10 August, the same camera recorded 12 projectiles in flight at an assessed range of 2-2.5km south-south-east, assessed as inside the disengagement area.

On 10 and 11 August, positioned close to the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the Mission observed a calm situation.

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.

In violation of withdrawal lines

Government-controlled areas

10 August

The SMM saw six multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm), nine self-propelled howitzers (seven 2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm and two 2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and four anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) at the train station in Bakhmut (formerly Artemivsk, 67km north of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

9 August

An SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted:

• three surface-to-air missile systems (9K35, Strela-10) at the train station in Rubizhne (84km north-west of Luhansk) and
• an anti-tank guided missile system (9P148 Konkurs, 135mm) near Oleksandro-Kalynove (47km west of Donetsk).

10 August

An SMM mini-UAV spotted seven self-propelled mortars (2S9 Nona-S, 120mm) at the train station in Rubizhne (see above).

The SMM saw three self-propelled howitzers (2S1) near Fedorivka (87km north of Donetsk).

11 August

The SMM saw four towed mortars (2B9 Vasilek, 82mm) at the train station in Rubizhne (see above).

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[4]

Government-controlled areas

8 August

An SMM mini-UAV spotted two armoured personnel carriers (APC) (BTR-80) near Sartana (15km north-east of Mariupol).

9 August

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• an APC (BTR-70) near Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) and
• an APC (BTR-70) near Myrne (63km south of Donetsk).

10 August

The SMM saw

• an APC (BTR-80) near Marinka (23km southwest of Donetsk) and
• seven infantry fighting vehicles (BMD-2) and two APCs (MT-LB variant) near Raihorodka (34km north-west of Luhansk).

Anti-tank mines near Nyzhnie Lozove, Luhanske and Shchastia and unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the Trudivski area in Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district

On 9 August, about 2.5km west of Nyzhnie Lozove (non-government-controlled, 59km north-east of Donetsk), an SMM mid-range UAV for the first time about 40 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid in three rows across road M-03 and in a field east of the road. The mines were assessed as belonging to the armed formations.

The same UAV again spotted 39 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid in four rows across road M-03, about 5km south-east of Luhanske (government-controlled, 59km north-east of Donetsk), assessed as belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. About 700m, 1km and 1.7km south of these mines, respectively, the UAV spotted again 57 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid in a total of five rows across the same road, assessed as belonging to the armed formations.

On the same day, an SMM mini-UAV again spotted at least 36 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid in three rows across road H-21 south of the bridge in Shchastia, assessed as belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

On 10 August, the Mission saw for the first time an object, assessed as a projectile from an MLRS rocket (Grad-type, 122mm) and not recent, embedded in the asphalt on Petrova Street in the Trudivski area of Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district (non-government-controlled, 15km south-west of Donetsk city centre).

On 11 August, in the northern outskirts of Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw for the first time six anti-tank mines (TM-62M) laid on the southern side of road T-0513, about 300m before the most forward checkpoint of the armed formations on that road.

SMM facilitation of repairs and the operation of essential civilian infrastructure

On 10 August, the SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable the drilling of wells near Raivka (non-government-controlled, 16km north-west of Luhansk).

On 10 and 11 August, the Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS and monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).

On 11 August, the SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate the recovery of the body of a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier between Debaltseve (non-government-controlled, 58km north-east from Donetsk) and Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk).

Calm situation at the crossing point between Chonhar and Crimea

On 9 and 10 August, the SMM observed a calm situation at the crossing point between Chonhar (163km south-east of Kherson) and Crimea as well as in nearby areas.

The Mission continued monitoring in Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of the 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, 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 SMM Daily Report 1 August 2019). 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.

Denials of access:

• On 10 August at a checkpoint west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), members of the armed formations, denied the SMM passage on two occasions, citing an “ongoing operations in the area”. The Mission saw civilian cars passing through the checkpoint in both directions.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to disengagement areas near Zolote and Petrivske, 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.

Conditional access:

• On 11 August, at a checkpoint on the southern edge of Kreminets (non-government-controlled, 16km south-west of Donetsk), members of the armed formations allowed the SMM to proceed only after presenting the vehicles’ registration documents and the drivers’ driving licences.
• On 11 August, at a checkpoint near Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), as the SMM stopped to interact with civilians crossing the checkpoint, a member of the armed formations told it, citing “regulations”, that it had to stop 500m away from the checkpoint if it wanted to talk to civilians.

Delay:

• On 11 August, at a checkpoint west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), three members of the armed formations delayed the SMM passage by about an hour, citing “ongoing demining in the area”. As the Mission was being delayed, it saw civilian cars passing through the checkpoint in both directions.
• On 11 August, at a checkpoint about 800m north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), two members of the armed formations delayed the SMM passage southwards to Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol) and westwards to Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol) by about 80 minutes, citing “ongoing activities in the area”.

 

Other impediments:

• On 10 August on two occasions, an SMM mini-UAV experienced signal interference while flying over areas near Bohdanivka (government-controlled, 41km south-west of Donetsk) assessed as caused by probable jamming. [5]

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. Between the evenings of 9-11 August, the SMM cameras in Petrivske and Kriakivka were not operational.

[2] The Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) was established in September 2014 by Ukraine and the Russian Federation. Each posted a representative to jointly head the Centre and a staff of officers from the Ukrainian and Russian Federation Armed Forces to be co-located in defined sectors of Luhansk and Donetsk regions. In December 2017, Russian Federation Armed Forces officers withdrew from the JCCC and departed Ukraine.

[3] Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[4] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

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