Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 30 May 2016

This report is for media and the general public.

The SMM observed a high number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, similar to the level observed on the previous day. With the exception of Stanytsia Luhanska, Luhansk region remained largely calm. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons, and noted armoured combat vehicles in the security zone. The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted several times, mostly in areas not controlled by the Government, and once at a Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent storage site.*

The SMM recorded a high number of ceasefire violations[1] in Donetsk region similar to the level observed the previous day. Most violations occurred in the evening and at night. Whilst in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard between 20:50 on 29 May and 05:05 on 30 May, among others, 235 undetermined explosions 5-10km north and north-north-west of its position. Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM between 00:59 and 01:22 heard 70 undetermined explosions 8-10km north-west of its position. Whilst in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard between 17:55 on 29 May and 03:00 on 30 May, among others, 71 explosions 3-4km south-east of its position. Positioned in government-controlled Volnovakha (53km south of Donetsk) the SMM heard at 21:20 on 29 May 18 undetermined explosions 5km south-south-east of its position. On the night of 29 May, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted in “DPR”-controlled Mineralne (10km north-east of Donetsk) two self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) firing four rounds in a north-western direction – in the general area of government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) – after two explosions had just occurred within 200 metres of their position.

The following day, positioned 6km north-west of Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard and saw two explosions assessed as impacts of mortar rounds, plus one explosion assessed as an impact and one undetermined explosion, and heard 18 undetermined explosions and nine bursts of small-arms fire, 2-6km north, north-north-east and north-west of its position. Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 26 undetermined explosions, 24 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire and 16 bursts and 132 single shots of small-arms fire, 1-5km south-west, north-west, and west of its position. Positioned in Avdiivka, the SMM heard, inter alia, 67 explosions 1.5-8km east, south-east and south-south-east of its position.

Similar to the previous reporting day, Luhansk region was relatively calm, with the exception of the area south of Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk). Positioned there, the SMM heard between 20:20 on 29 May and 00:38 on 30 May 156 explosions (74 assessed as caused by mortars and 82 as automatic grenade launchers (AGS, 30mm) or recoilless guns (SPG-9, 73mm), plus 12 bursts of machine-gun, one burst of heavy-machine-gun and multiple shots of small-arms fire, all 3-6km south and south-west of its position. Whilst in the government-controlled part of Zolote (60km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard one explosion assessed as caused by an anti-tank mine, and observed a plume of black smoke, 4km south of its position.

On 29 May, the SMM followed up on reports of alleged shelling of two kindergartens in “DPR”-controlled Kuibyshevskyi district in Donetsk city (5km north-west of Donetsk city centre). At one of the kindergartens, the SMM noted shrapnel spray marks inside the dormitory, and on a south-eastern-facing exterior wall, outdoor fire escape stairs and an adjacent fence, all caused by what the SMM assessed as an artillery shell, fired from the north-north-west, that had exploded 15 metres away in the backyard of a nearby residential building. A security guard present told the SMM that the alleged incident had occurred in the early morning hours of 29 May. At the second kindergarten, 500 metres away, the SMM observed no indication of shelling. The SMM noted shattered windows in a number of residential houses approximately ten metres from the second kindergarten.

In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of Measures, the SMM revisited Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent storage sites* whose locations corresponded with the withdrawal lines and observed that 42 tanks (T-72) and ten mortars (2B9M Vasilek, 82mm) were missing.

Beyond the respective withdrawal lines, but outside permanent storage sites, the SMM observed one tank (T-64) near government-controlled Iskra (90km west of Donetsk), and 20 tanks near “LPR”-controlled Kruhlyk (31km south of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of heavy weapons foreseen in the Minsk Package of Measures. The SMM has yet to receive the full information requested in the 16 October 2015 notification.

In violation of the withdrawal lines, the SMM continued to observe a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10, 120mm) near government-controlled Nyzhnie (56km north-west of Luhansk) (see SMM Daily Report 27 May 2016), and three anti-tank guided missile systems (9K111 Fagot, 120mm) near government-controlled Orikhove (57km north-west of Luhansk). In addition, on the night of 29 May an SMM long-rage UAV spotted two self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) in Mineralne and three towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) in “DPR”-controlled Yakovlivka (10km north of Donetsk).

The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft weapon in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM observed one armoured personnel carrier (APC) near Berezove (30km south-west of Donetsk), one armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) near Svitlychne (54km north-west of Luhansk), two armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2) near Novotoshkivske (53km north-west of Luhansk), three infantry fighting vehicles (IFV; BMP-2) near Stanytsia Luhanska, two IFVs (BMP-2) near Orikhove, one IFV (BMP-2) near Teple (31km north of Luhansk), and one anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23)  near Zolote. In addition, on the night of 29 May, a long-range SMM UAV spotted one APC near Krasnohorivka (23km north-west of Donetsk) and one APC near Avdiivka. In “DPR”-controlled areas, the SMM observed one IFV (BMP-2) in the Petrovskyi district of Donetsk city. In addition, on the night of 29 May, a long-range SMM UAV spotted seven APCs near Mineralne.

The SMM continued to monitor the presence of mines along the contact line, namely 12 anti-tank mines at an “LPR” checkpoint in Zolote. Previously, six anti-tank mines had been observed at the location (see SMM Daily Report 30 May 2016).

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure. The SMM continued to monitor the repair of gas pipelines between government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk) and “DPR”-controlled Oleksandrivka (20km south-west of Donetsk). The SMM was forced to withdraw from the area and work was suspended on the pipeline because of sporadic small-arms fire in the vicinity.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnepropetrovsk, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions to SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to the fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring is restrained by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines and unexploded ordnance, and by restrictions of its freedom of movement 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.

Denial of access:

• Having had to wait 50 minutes before gaining access, the SMM was forced to cut short its weapons withdrawal monitoring at a Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent storage site. Three aggressive and visibly intoxicated Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers present verbally abused the SMM monitors. The SMM informed the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC).
• Armed “DPR” members prevented the SMM from proceeding to a location west of “DPR”-controlled Ozerianivka (35km north-east of Donetsk). The SMM had intended to launch a mid-range UAV in an effort to locate an SMM long-range UAV that had been downed in the area (see SMM Spot Report: SMM unmanned aerial vehicle downed near Horlivka, 27 May 2016). The JCCC was informed.
• An armed “LPR” member, acting aggressively, insisted on the SMM leaving “LPR”-controlled areas south of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, explaining that SMM monitors stationed in government-controlled areas had no right to be in the area. The SMM had just crossed the bridge from government-controlled areas, and was forced to return.
• Armed “DPR” members continue to keep the power supply to SMM’s repeater in Donetsk city disconnected as they have been since 20 May. As a result, SMM remote monitoring equipment at “DPR”-controlled Oktiabr mine and in government-controlled Avdiivka are disabled (see SMM Daily Report 21 May 2016).

Delay:

• Armed “DPR” members at a checkpoint west of “DPR”-controlled Kominternove (23km north-east of Mariupol) delayed the SMM for 20 minutes, asking the patrol members if they had weapons and for details of their patrol plan, before allowing them to enter the village. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Conditional access:

• In Yasynuvata, “DPR” “traffic police” insisted on providing an “escort” to the SMM.

Other impediments:

• The Global Positioning System of an SMM UAV was jammed while flying over “DPR”-controlled areas in and around Yasynuvata and Mineralne.

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report.