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

This report includes also some observations outside that period.

This report is for media and the general public.

In Donetsk region, late in the evening the SMM noted intense fighting violations that lasted well into the morning in the Svitlodarsk/Debaltseve area and involved artillery and mortars. During the day, in Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations compared to the previous day. In Luhansk region, the SMM observed fewer ceasefire violations compared to the previous day. The SMM assessed damage to houses in Dokuchaievsk and Tavrycheske and conducted crater analysis in Popasna. It continued to observe the withdrawal of weapons and noted heavy weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines. The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. The SMM monitored a border area not controlled by the Government. An SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle crashed 1km north of “DPR”-controlled Lohvynove. The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted on two occasions in an area not controlled by the Government*.

During the late evening of 30 June, in areas between government-controlled Svitlodarsk and “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (57 and 58km north-east of Donetsk, respectively), the SMM noted intense fighting. Positioned in government-controlled Svitlodarsk, the SMM heard 102 outgoing artillery (122mm) explosions between 18:54 and 01:37 1-3km east or north-east and 20 outgoing mortars (120mm) 0.5km south-east. The SMM recorded 80 undetermined explosions, five outgoing explosions and multiple bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire (approximately 740 shots) 3-6km south-east between 18:57 and 03:37. Whilst in Debaltseve, the SMM recorded 250 undetermined explosions including 159 explosions within a half-hour period 3-10km north-west of its position.

During the day, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[2] in Donetsk region compared to the previous day and a decrease in Luhansk region. It recorded 200 explosions in Donetsk region. Most of the fighting was recorded in areas north and north-north-east of Donetsk city and at and around Avdiivka/Yasynuvata, although in the late evening the SMM noted a sharp increase of violence in the Svitlodarsk/Debaltseve area that lasted well into the morning.

On the night of 29 June, positioned in Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard 42 undetermined explosions 10-15km north of its position. The following day, whilst at the “DPR”-controlled Donetsk central railway station (6km north-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM heard, over a two-hour period, 52 undetermined explosions 4-6km north-north-east of its position, 45 single shots of 30mm cannon (BMP-2) fire and two explosions assessed as impacts 2-3km north-north-east of its position. In addition, the SMM heard 32 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, eight bursts of automatic-grenade-launcher fire and four bursts of small-arms fire 2-3km north-north-east of its position.

Whilst in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), on the morning of 30 June, the SMM heard 97 undetermined explosions, 11 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, five airbursts, 35 bursts and 25 single shots of small-arms fire, at a range of 1 to 5km west, west-north-west and north-west of its position. Whilst in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk), during the day, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions and one burst of anti-aircraft cannon (ZU-23/2, 23mm) 7km south-east of its position.

During the night of 29 June, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded 12 undetermined explosions and one burst (including tracer rounds) from east to west at an unknown distance to the north and north-east of its location.

In Luhansk region, the SMM observed fewer ceasefire violations compared to the previous day. Whilst in government-controlled Katerynivka (64km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 10-15km north-east of its position. In government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) the SMM heard 40 undetermined explosions 4-6km east of its position.

The SMM followed up on reports of shelling and conducted crater analysis. In “DPR”-controlled Dokuchaievsk (30km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed an impact on the north-facing exterior fifth-floor wall of an apartment building and assessed it as caused by a wire-guided missile fired from a westerly direction. The SMM also saw that brickwork adjacent to the impact was damaged and most of the north-facing windows of the building were shattered. A resident told the SMM that an explosive projectile had hit the building on the night of 28 June and an elderly man had been injured by broken glass from shattered windows. In “DPR”-controlled Tavrycheske (35km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM observed damage to an inhabited house with a hole in a window facing north and damage to the wall next to the window and assessed it as caused by 12.7mm heavy-machine-gun fired from a north-westerly direction. A resident said the impact had been caused by a round going through the window before hitting the wall during the night of 28 June.                 

In government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk), the SMM conducted analysis on a fresh crater 2-3m from a house which it assessed as caused by a 120mm round from an unknown weapon fired from an easterly direction. The SMM observed damage to the house: cracked wall, broken windows, shrapnel damage all over the wall.

In Novooleksandrivka (60km west of Luhansk), the SMM saw 12 fresh craters in a garden 20 to 30m from an inhabited house and assessed them as caused by automatic-grenade-launcher (AGS-17, 30mm) rounds fired from a westerly direction.

In government-controlled Vrubivka (72km west of Luhansk) two residents told the SMM that 152mm howitzers had been fired the previous night from government-controlled Mykolaivka (77km west of Luhansk). In Mykolaivka the SMM spoke to two residents who also confirmed that heavy artillery started firing from the village during the night. The SMM visited the alleged area from where the artillery was fired and observed recent heavy-tracked vehicle tread marks consistent with 152mm towed artillery across a large area on a hillside. The SMM also found two fresh firing positions oriented south-south-east.

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons, in implementation of the Package of Measures and its Addendum, as well as the Minsk Memorandum.

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines the SMM observed one multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS; BM-21 Grad, 122mm) in government-controlled Zatyshne (64km south-west of Donetsk) on 29 June.

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside assigned areas, the SMM saw: 12 howitzers (2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm) towed by military trucks near government-controlled Shevchenko (55km north-west of Donetsk) on 29 June, 12 mortars (ten 82mm and two 120mm) towed by military trucks heading west in government-controlled Novoaidar (49km north-west of Luhansk), three tanks (T-64) in a field near government-controlled Spirne (96km north of Luhansk). In addition, the SMM observed four self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) north of Mariupol (102km south of Donetsk)  on 29 June and four tanks (T-64) in static positions at a training ground near “LPR”-controlled Myrne (32km south-west of Luhansk).

The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft weapon in the security zone. In government controlled areas the SMM saw: one anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) towed by a cargo truck near Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk) on 29 June, two armoured personnel carriers (APC; one BTR-60 and one BTR4) near Popasna. In “DPR”-controlled areas, the SMM saw one APC (BTR-80) heading south-west in Kuibyshevskyi district (5km west of Donetsk) on 29 June.

The SMM continued to observe queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. At the government checkpoint in Novotroitske (government-controlled, 36km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed 65 passenger vehicles and 125 pedestrians lined up to exit government-controlled areas and 53 civilian vehicles and 100 pedestrians lined up in the opposite direction. In the afternoon, at the same checkpoint, the SMM observed 125 civilian vehicles and 70 pedestrians queuing to exit government-controlled areas and 76 cars queuing in the opposite direction. At the government checkpoint north of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed a queue of 19 pedestrians waiting to travel toward non-government-controlled area and 325 pedestrians waiting to walk in the opposite direction. One elderly woman told the SMM that she had been waiting at the checkpoint for two hours. The SMM observed 22 people (male and female, different ages) taking shelter in the tent provided by the Ministry for Emergencies. In the early afternoon, at the same checkpoint, the SMM observed no queues in either direction. At the “LPR” checkpoint south of the bridge, the SMM observed 30 pedestrians lined up to travel towards government-controlled areas and about the same number walking in the opposite direction. In addition, the SMM observed the presence of an ambulance from a local hospital and seven workers starting to erect a tent 16x6 meters next to the parking lot. The SMM observed that the recently established Ukrainian Armed Forces and “LPR” positions (see SMM daily report 13 June, 16 June and 21 June 2016) were still in place and manned.

The SMM monitored a border area not controlled by the Government. At the “LPR”-controlled Sievernyi (50km south-east of Luhansk) pedestrian border crossing point, the SMM observed, over a thirty-minute period, eight people crossing into the Russian Federation and 14 people crossing into Ukraine. In the parking lot of the border crossing point the SMM observed 36 civilian vehicles (34 with Ukrainian and two with Russian Federation licence plates).

In the early afternoon, an SMM mid-range UAV flying over the area experienced severe technical failure, lost control and crashed 1km north of “DPR”-controlled Lohvynove (59km north-east of Donetsk). The SMM will follow up on the cause of the crash.

The SMM observed mine hazard signs in government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk) and in government-controlled Novomykhailivka (28km south-west of Donetsk). In Marinka, near the destroyed Marinka police headquarters, the SMM observed for the first time mine hazard signs (30cm high, stating “Mine” in Russian) at the main entrance and at the north and south corners of the structure. In the northern outskirts of Novomykhailivka, the SMM observed red-and white-striped engineering tape tied to trees and shrubs and dozens of professionally manufactured red-and-white signs featuring a skull and crossbones symbol and the words “Danger, mines” written in Ukrainian and English located 8-10m apart each other surrounding an uncultivated agricultural field.

*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:

• At a checkpoint east of “DPR”-controlled Tavrycheske (35km north-east of Mariupol) armed “DPR” members did not allow the SMM to proceed further to “DPR”-controlled Kaplany (36km north-east of Mariupol), citing security concerns. The SMM informed the JCCC.

Conditional access:

• At a checkpoint east of Tavrycheske armed “DPR” members allowed the SMM to enter the village only escorted by them. The SMM informed the JCCC.

[2] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions to SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to the fulfilment of its mandate”.

[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.