Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 18:00 (Kyiv time), 16 December 2014

This report is for media and the general public.

The SMM continued to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum and the work of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). According to the Kherson regional border guard department, Russian military have withdrawn from the Arabat Spit.

The SMM went to “Lugansk People’s Republic” (“LPR”)-controlled Slovyanoserbsk (30km North-West from Luhansk) and spoke to a member of the “LPR military administration” who stated that Cossack units are reinforcing their positions reflecting what the interlocutor described as a possible threat in the area.       

The SMM met with the deputy administration chief of government-controlled Novoaidar (60km North of Luhansk), who said that in government-controlled Trokhizbenka (45km North-West of Luhansk) electricity, water and gas supplies to approximately 300 families have been interrupted for three months due to damage at the supply system caused by ongoing fighting in the area. The interlocutor said that workers in charge of repairing the damage were afraid to commence repair works given the security situation.

In the JCCC in Donetsk city, the Russian and Ukrainian officers and “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”) members present all said that there had not been any reported use of heavy weapons in their sector for the past two days. The Ukrainian representative said that there had been a shooting incident at Donetsk airport between 11:30 and 16:00hrs on 16 December. According to a Ukrainian colonel at the JCCC office, a sniper had opened fire, resulting in the wounding of two Ukrainian soldiers. According to earlier information provided by JCCC representatives, the rotation of Russian representatives in the JCCC concluded on 15 December, whereas the Ukrainian representatives are scheduled for a partial rotation on 23 and 25 December.

At the JCCC HQ in government-controlled Debaltseve (55km North-East of Donetsk), the SMM met Ukrainian Maj. Gen. Razmaznin and Russian Federation Maj. Gen. Vyaznikov. This was an official introduction between the SMM and the newly arrived Ukrainian and Russian generals, following the announced rotation plan (see SMM Daily Report 16 December). Both generals said that the JCCC will focus on fact-finding regarding ceasefire violations. The generals discussed the distrust between all sides regarding the movement and verification of the withdrawal of heavy weaponry. Ukrainian Maj. Gen. Razmaznin stated that he would be sure to verify the facts before coming forward with official information on the removal of heavy weaponry.

The Ukrainian and Russian Federation JCCC representatives in Debaltseve provided the SMM with a written report, according to which no major Minsk Memorandum ceasefire violations had been reported for the 24hrs up to 10:00 hrs on 16 December. However, the report did note seven small arms fire incidents during that period.

The SMM monitored the ongoing collection of remaining Malaysia Airline Flight MH17 debris at the two storage sites in Hrabove (70km East of Donetsk) and Rozsypne (73km East of Donetsk), both controlled by the “DPR”. At 08:30hrs, while passing through “DPR”-controlled Khartsyzk (30km East of Donetsk), the SMM observed two unmarked armoured personnel carriers (APC) and 15 unmarked green trucks separately heading towards Donetsk. At 12:15hrs, while passing Rozsypne (73km East of Donetsk), the SMM observed two stationary unmarked T64 tanks within the village.

On its way to government-controlled Volnovakha (47km South-West of Donetsk), the SMM observed a military convoy flying a Ukrainian flag, travelling towards Mariupol.

The SMM went to Dnipropetrovsk International Airport to check the status of flights following the ban imposed on air traffic on 13 December. According to staff at the information desk, the airport was operational again and domestic as well as international flights were scheduled as of 16 December at 10:00hrs.

The Ukrainian authorities told the SMM that at Kharkiv International Airport domestic and international flights had resumed as of 16 December at 08:00hrs.

In Kherson, the SMM met with the deputy head and chief of staff of the Azov-Black Sea Regional Department of the Border Guards. According to the interlocutors, the Ukrainian and Russian ministries of defence had signed a memorandum on 10 December on the mutual withdrawal of military troops from the Arabat Spit and the Ad and Chonhar peninsulas (Kherson region). The interlocutors said that, according to the memorandum, all Russian military troops were to be withdrawn by 10 December 18:00hrs. They confirmed that this had happened in the Kherson region and the Arabat Spit (Kherson region). On 11 December, Russian border guards withdrew from the Arabat Spit and the Ad Peninsula (Kherson region). The interlocutors reported a resulting neutral territory of 800 metres on the Arabat Spit.

The situation in Odessa, Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv and Kyiv was calm.