Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 30 August 2016
This report is for media and the general public.
In Donetsk region, the SMM noted an increase in the number of explosions recorded (approximately 520) compared with the previous reporting period (nearly 400). In Luhansk region, the SMM heard ten explosions and approximately 500 bursts of small-arms fire, an increase compared with the previous day when not a single ceasefire violation was recorded. On the night of 30 August, the SMM was forced to leave its forward patrol base in Shchastia due to the close proximity of shelling. It followed up on reports of civilian casualties and analysed craters in Donetsk city, Dokuchaievsk, Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove), Pervomaisk, Troitske, and Krasnohorivka. The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in government-controlled Vodiane. The Mission faced two restrictions to its freedom of movement, both in areas not controlled by the Government.* It observed a calm situation along the administrative boundary line with Crimea.
The SMM noted more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, including well over 500 explosions, compared with the previous day when less than 400 explosions were recorded.[1]
The highest concentration of explosions was again recorded in the Yasynuvata-Avdiivka-Donetsk airport triangle. Positioned in Donetsk city centre, the SMM heard 126 undetermined explosions 5-15km north and north-west of its position on the night of 29 August. Through the evening of 29 August and the early morning hours of 30 August, the SMM camera in government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) recorded 60 explosions assessed as impacts of rounds from unknown weapons; the rounds of two of the impacts were recorded flying from the south-east to the south-west. The camera also recorded two projectiles flying from the south-east to the south-west and two undetermined explosions. All of the explosions were recorded approximately 6-7km east-south-east of the camera’s position. Later, during the afternoon of 30 August, the SMM heard 37 explosions 4-5km south-east of its position in Avdiivka, including ten explosions assessed as outgoing 82mm mortar rounds, three as impacts of 82mm mortar rounds, four as impacts of 120mm mortar rounds and two as explosions caused by 120mm mortar rounds.
While in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk) throughout the night of 29 August, the SMM heard 113 explosions: 45 assessed as outgoing and four as impacts of mortar rounds, and 46 as outgoing and 18 as impacts of artillery rounds; all of an unknown calibre mostly 10-20km south-east, south, south-west, west and north-west of its position. In the early morning of 30 August, the SMM heard 18 explosions assessed as outgoing mortar rounds of an unknown calibre 4-6km west of its position and, an hour later, 46 explosions assessed as outgoing 122mm artillery rounds 1km west of its position.
On the same evening, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded an exchange which began with 16 single shots of tracer rounds from south to north. The ongoing exchange continued with approximately 100 single shots of tracer fire from south to north and four illumination flares fired from west to east, followed by 75 single shots of tracer fire from south-east to north-west, and finally 23 undetermined explosions and nearly 200 single shots of tracer fire from the north-west to the south-east.
In the morning of 30 August, positioned 2.5km north-west of government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard 15 undetermined explosions 3-5km east of its position. Later in the morning and during the early afternoon, positioned in Marinka, the SMM heard ten explosions (three assessed as impacts, two as outgoing, and five as undetermined) and over 30 minutes of continuous small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 0.7-2km east-north-east of its position.
In the Luhansk region the SMM recorded an increase in ceasefire violations compared with the previous reporting period, when not a single ceasefire violation was recorded. While in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk), the SMM heard approximately 500 bursts of small-arms fire 1-2km south-east of its position in 15 minutes after midnight on 30 August, followed by six undetermined explosions 6-7km south of its position. On 30 August, positioned in “LPR”-controlled Kruta Hora (16km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard four explosions assessed as artillery rounds of an undetermined calibre 20km south-south-west of its position, assessed as part of a live-fire exercise outside the security zone.
On the night of 30 August, the SMM was forced to leave its forward patrol base in Shchastia after multiple mortar rounds impacted within at least 300m of the base (see SMM Spot Report 31 August).
The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties, observed the results of shelling and conducted craters analysis on both sides of the contact line. Two medical personnel at a hospital in Donetsk city separately told the SMM that an elderly woman had been hospitalized on the night of 30 August and treated for light shrapnel wounds to her legs. One of the interlocutors told the SMM that the woman had informed hospital staff that she had been injured while working at a water heating facility in Kyivskyi district of Donetsk city. The SMM observed a fresh hole on the north-facing side of a brick wall of the facility surrounded by visible marks of shrapnel damage, and observed a hot water container that had been penetrated by shrapnel. The SMM assessed a round from an unknown weapon to have impacted the brick wall from a north-westerly direction. Two nearby apartment buildings had broken windows. A Russian Federation officer at the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination was present at the site.
In “DPR”-controlled Dokuchaievsk (30km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed a fresh impact site on the second floor of a south-west facing wall of an apartment building. The SMM observed broken windows and assessed the damage as caused by a small calibre projectile fired from an unknown direction. The owner of the apartment which had been damaged told the SMM that the building had been hit on the night of 29 August. A Russian Federation Armed Forces officer at the JCCC, a “DPR” member and an armed man were present at the site. In “DPR”-controlled Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM observed a fresh impact site on the roof of a house which it assessed as caused by an anti-tank guided missile fired from an undetermined direction. A resident of the house told the SMM that it had been hit by the round on the evening of 29 August. The SMM found empty cases, some of which appeared to be new, from an automatic grenade launcher on the roof, indicating that the roof may have been used as a firing position. In “LPR”-controlled Pervomaisk (57km west of Luhansk) the SMM observed a fresh crater approximately 3m from a factory building and saw shrapnel damage to the building and other structures within a 50-70m radius of the crater. Electricity lines close to the building were also downed. The SMM assessed the crater as caused by a 152mm artillery round fired from a north-easterly direction. Factory employees told the SMM that the area had been shelled the previous night. A Russian Federation officer at the JCCC was present at the site.
The SMM observed ten fresh craters in a residential area of government-controlled Troitske (69km west of Luhansk). The SMM was able to analyse three of the craters and assessed them as caused by 122mm artillery rounds fired from an easterly direction. At the impact sites the SMM observed a small hole in the roof of one house caused by shrapnel, several broken windows in another house, and a severed electrical line at a third site. Four residents, a Ukrainian Armed Forces commander, and a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer at the JCCC told the SMM that the area had been shelled on the night of 29 August. The SMM observed two fresh craters in government-controlled Krasnohorivka (21km east of Donetsk), both assessed as caused by 125mm tank rounds fired from an easterly direction. At the first site, the SMM saw shrapnel damage on the south-facing wall of a building 2m from the site and on the south-south-eastern-facing side of a car 3-4m from the impact site. The second round had impacted 10m from another house and caused shrapnel damage to the west-facing side of a fence. According to residents at the two sites, the rounds had impacted early in the morning on 29 August. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer at the JCCC was present at the sites.
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 withdrawal lines, the SMM observed six towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) and three anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) in government-controlled Vodiane (42km south-west of Donetsk). Aerial surveillance imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of 35 multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) near “LPR”-controlled Miusynsk (62km south-west of Luhansk) on 28 August.
Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside assigned areas, the SMM observed three stationary tanks (T-64) in government-controlled Sievierodonetsk (74km north-west of Luhansk). Aerial surveillance imagery revealed the presence of six towed howitzers and 11 tanks at a known training area near “LPR”-controlled Shymshynivka (27km south-west of Luhansk) and six MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) and three self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) near government-controlled Kramatorsk (83km north of Donetsk); all on 27 August. Aerial surveillance imagery also revealed the presence of 17 tanks and 12 towed howitzers near “LPR”-controlled Miusynsk on 28 August, as well as the presence of 83 armoured vehicles; and 22 towed artillery weapons near “LPR”-controlled Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk) and 26 tanks near “LPR”-controlled Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk) on 27 August.
The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage does not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification. In government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal line the SMM observed the presence of eight MLRS (BM-27 Uragan, 220mm) and noted that six MLRS (Uragan) were missing.
The SMM revisited a Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent storage site and noted for the first time that the site was abandoned, with 41 previously observed tanks (T-64) and three mortars (2B9 Vasilek, 82mm) missing.
The SMM observed the presence of armoured combat vehicles in the security zone. In government-controlled areas the SMM observed two armoured personnel carriers (APCs; MT-LB) in Zolote (60km west of Luhansk), one mounted with an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23); and one infantry fighting vehicle (IFV; BRDM-2) near Troitske (69km west of Luhansk). In “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city the SMM observed three APCs (BTR-80) on 29 August. Aerial surveillance imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of four armoured vehicles near “LPR”-controlled Kalynove (60km west of Luhansk) and ten armoured vehicles near “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk), both on 29 August. In government-controlled areas aerial surveillance imagery revealed the presence of one armoured vehicle near Stanytsia Luhanska on 27 August; as well as one armoured vehicle near Bohdanivka (60km south-east of Donetsk), one near Avdiivka and one near Opytne (12km north-west of Donetsk), all on 28 August.
In a “DPR”-controlled area, a man told the SMM that he had been involved in transporting weapons from the Russian Federation to “DPR”-controlled areas.
In government-controlled Lopaskyne (23km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM notified the JCCC of the presence of a shooting range immediately adjacent to a road frequently used by civilians. The SMM later observed as Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel removed targets from the shooting range which had previously been used for live-fire exercises.
On 29 August in Donetsk city’s Leninskyi district, an SMM patrol was overtaken by a civilian car and a man (30-40 years old) leaned out of the passenger-side window and, brandishing a pistol, loudly swore and made “cut-throat” gestures towards the SMM.
The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to electrical infrastructure between government and “LPR”-controlled parts of Zolote, to a power plant in Shchastia, and to a gas supply station in Pikuzy.
The SMM continued to observe a calm situation along the administrative boundary line between the mainland and Crimea. At the Kalanchak and Chonhar crossing points (67km, and 167km south-east of Kherson, respectively) and in adjacent areas, including Mala Kosa and Novooleksiivka (93km and 161km south-east of Kherson, respectively), the SMM noted that the area was quiet. The SMM saw a stationary IFV (BRDM-2) near a checkpoint in Salkove (160km south-east of Kherson).
*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 restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitute a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations.
Denial of access:
- An armed man stopped the SMM at a checkpoint at the eastern entrance of “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk). He made a phone call after which he told the SMM that it could not pass the checkpoint for security reasons. The SMM informed the JCCC and remained at the checkpoint for over three hours before turning back.
Delay:
- An armed man stopped the SMM at a checkpoint near “DPR”-controlled Olenivka (23km south-west of Donetsk) while it was escorting a civilian truck carrying two SMM generators. The patrol was delayed for almost two hours before being allowed to proceed, as he claimed that the Mission did not have the correct documents. The SMM informed the JCCC.
[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.