OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) Daily Report 171/2020 issued on 20 July 2020

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 17 and 18 July, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Between the evenings of 18 and 19 July, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours.
• Small-arms fire was directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near Petrivske, Donetsk region.
• The SMM followed up on civilian casualties and damage to a school and in a residential area as the result of shelling in the Trudivski area of Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and recorded ceasefire violations in and near the areas near Zolote and Petrivske. An SMM long-range UAV spotted people inside the disengagement areas near Petrivske during evening hours, as well as new military positions and trenches assessed as belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and maintenance of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians amid the COVID-19 outbreak, including at entry-exit checkpoints and corresponding checkpoints in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*