Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 2 June 2016

This report is for media and the general public.

The SMM observed more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared with the previous day. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and noted heavy weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. The SMM also 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, including once at the border. An SMM mini UAV crashed south of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, and the SMM lost all communication with its long-range UAV while it was flying over “DPR” controlled  areas.* The Mission observed several peaceful protests in Kyiv.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1] in Donetsk region than during the previous day. Positioned at the “DPR”-controlled Donetsk central railway station (6km north-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM observed two undetermined explosions (impacts), and heard 94 undetermined explosions, ten bursts (outgoing) and eight explosions (impacts) assessed as caused by automatic grenade launcher, as well as multiple bursts of heavy machine-gun and bursts and single shots of small arms fire 2-8km north, north-east, north-north-east and north-north-west of its position.

Whilst in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 53 undetermined explosions and more than 200 bursts and single shots of small-arms fire 1-8km west, west-north-west, north-west, north-north-west, north, south-east and east-south-east of its position.

Positioned in and near government-controlled Marinka, the SMM heard four explosions (impacts) assessed as caused by anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade-launcher rounds, four explosions (impacts) of automatic-grenade-launcher rounds, four explosions (impacts) of 30mm automatic cannon, nine undetermined explosions, as well as 194 bursts and single shots of small arms fire 1-3km north-east of its locations.

Whilst in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard six undetermined explosions, 34 explosions assessed as caused by 82mm mortar rounds, and eight of mortar of unknown calibre, three explosions assessed as caused by automatic grenade launchers, four bursts and four penetrating rounds (impacts) from 23mm anti-aircraft automatic cannon, as well as ten bursts of heavy-machine-gun and 31 bursts and single shots of small-arms fire 2-8km south-east, south-south-east, south and south-south-west of its position.

The SMM observed fewer ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared with the previous day. Whilst in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk), the SMM heard, during the late evening hours, three bursts of small arms fire 2-3km south-east of its position.

In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of Measures, the SMM revisited a Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent storage site whose location corresponded with the withdrawal lines, and noted as missing nine tanks (T-64) and three mortars (2B9M, 82mm), as has been reported for the first time on 11 February.

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 respective withdrawal lines, the SMM observed in government-controlled areas: three anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) in Vodiane (42km south-west of Donetsk); five self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) in Tarasivka (41km north-west of Donetsk); 18 towed howitzers (D-20, 152mm) in Zelene Pole (42km north-west of Donetsk).

The SMM revisited locations known to the SMM as heavy weapons holding areas, even though they do not comply with the specific criteria set out for permanent storage sites in the notification.      

In government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited such locations and observed 12 towed howitzers (six D-20, 152mm and six D-30, 122mm), 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), and six mortars (2B11, 120mm). The SMM noted as missing five self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm; first observed missing on 3 March 2016), seven mortars (two 2B9 Vasilek, 82mm; first observed missing on 8 March, and five PM-38, 120mm; three first observed missing on 8 March, two on 30 April 2016).

The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles and other hardware in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM observed one armoured personnel  carrier (APC; BRP-2) in Krymske (43km west of Luhansk); one armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) and one multi-purpose tracked vehicle (MT-LB) in Novotoshkivske (53km north-west of Luhansk); one APC (BTR-80) at Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (16km north-east of Luhansk); and two armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM) mounted with recoilless runs (SPG-9, 73mm) in vicinity of Popasna (69km west of Luhansk). In “LPR”-controlled areas, the SMM observed one APC (BTR-80) in Kalynove (58km west of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to monitor the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) along the contact line and observed a tripwire on the west side of the road, 1.5km north of “LPR”-controlled Novooleksandrivka (54km south-west of Luhansk).

The SMM met with the family of a civilian allegedly killed by a mine. The interlocutors said the victim (man, early forties) had been killed on 1 June between 16-17:00 by an UXO or a mine, when looking for a cow in an area close to an abandoned brick factory in “DPR”-controlled Petrovskyi district of Donetsk (15km south-west of Donetsk city centre).

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure. The SMM monitored the inspection by a private company of a phenol factory slurry pipeline near Horlivka (“DPR”-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), water pipeline repair works near Maiorsk, (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk), and continued to monitor and facilitate the repair of gas pipelines in government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk).

The SMM continued to monitor the queues at entry-exit checkpoints at the contact line. At the border guard checkpoint at the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM observed at 15:00hrs no queue to exit government-controlled areas, and 30-50 civilians queuing in the opposite direction. At 19:00hrs at the “LPR” checkpoint, the SMM observed 100 civilians waiting to cross the bridge and enter government-controlled areas, and none in the opposite direction.

At two Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoints on the H15 highway near Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed in the morning a total of: 279 cars, 11 buses and 250 pedestrians queuing to travel west; and 73 cars and 60 pedestrians queuing to travel east. In the afternoon, at the same checkpoints, 149 cars, seven buses and 120 pedestrians were queuing to travel west, and 77 cars, one bus and 100 pedestrians were queuing to travel east.

At the government-controlled checkpoint in Maiorsk (45km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM observed around 70 civilian cars queuing to enter government-controlled areas in the morning. In the afternoon, the SMM observed approximately 150 vehicles queuing to enter government-controlled areas and 60 vehicles in the opposite direction.

The SMM monitored two border areas not controlled by the Government and was initially obstructed at one. At the Dovzhanski border crossing point (85km south-east of Luhansk)*, the SMM observed 27 cars (eight with Russian Federation, and 19 with Ukrainian licence plates, including three with “LPR” stickers), two passenger buses (with Ukrainian licence plates: Luhansk city-Rostov) exiting Ukraine. The SMM observed a combine harvester with no visible licence plates, and three semi-trucks (all with Ukrainian licence plates; two with pointed wooden logs (for fortifying a coal mine shaft, according to the drivers), and one covered commercial truck), and two passenger buses (with Russian Federation licence plates: Moscow-Horlivka) entering Ukraine. At the Novoborovytsi pedestrian border crossing point (80km south of Luhansk), the SMM observed one parked civilian car (with Ukrainian licence plates) and no pedestrians.

The SMM monitored several protests in Kyiv: in front of the Kyiv City Hall - demanding elections in the district councils within Kyiv city (200 participants); in front of the National Bank - against corruption (30 participants); and in front of the Parliament building - against renaming Kirovohrad to Yelyzavethrad (50 participants); warning of taking credit in USD (50 participants); for increased representation of Ukrainian musicians in media (50 participants). Police was present at all the events, which passed off peacefully.

*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:

• “DPR” members did not allow the SMM to pass their checkpoint on the eastern edge of Kozatske (“DPR”-controlled, 36km north-east of Mariupol), citing that the SMM vehicles were not on the OSCE vehicle list provided to them by their command in Novoazovsk (“DPR”-controlled, 40km east of Mariupol). The SMM informed the JCCC.
• “LPR” members at Dovzhanskyi border crossing point (85km south-east of Luhansk) told the SMM to leave the area immediately, when the SMM declined to hand over the SMM patrol plan. The SMM left the area, but returned three hours later, and was then not obstructed. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• 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:

• Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers at a heavy weapons holding area delayed the SMM for 30 minutes, before allowing them access to the weapons. The soldiers checked the SMM vehicle licence plates and monitors’ ID cards, and stated that they had received instructions to thoroughly check all SMM patrols due to “pseudo-SMM groups”. No further details were provided. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Other impediments:

• An SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) suffered signal errors, lost control and crashed 600m south of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (11 km north-east of Luhansk). The reason for the malfunction remains unknown. The SMM did not recover the UAV due to security reasons (the area is potentially UXO contaminated).
• The SMM lost all communication with its long-range UAV while it was flying in the area between “DPR”-controlled Korsun (31km north-east of Donetsk) and “DPR”-controlled Shevchenko (28km north-east of Donetsk (see SMM Spot Report 3 June 2016).

[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.