OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) Daily Report 41/2020 issued on 19 February 2020

Summary

• The SMM recorded a spike in the number of ceasefire violations in Luhansk region, with the majority (mostly explosions) recorded in areas along the contact line between Popasna, Pervomaisk, Muratove and Krymske, including Zolote, and the disengagement area near it, as well as Hirske.
• It recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, compared with the previous reporting period.
• The SMM observed fresh craters, including some assessed as caused by artillery rounds, and military hardware near government-controlled Orikhove, Luhansk region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• The SMM facilitated the operation of critical civilian infrastructure and the removal of unexploded ordnance near non-government-controlled Dovhe, Luhansk region.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement was restricted again at five checkpoints of the armed formations in southern Donetsk region and close to a border area near non-government-controlled Izvaryne, Luhansk region.