Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 14 December 2016

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a similar number in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties near Maiorsk. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. The SMM was restricted in its movement in the three disengagement areas in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and observed ceasefire violations in or around two of them.* The SMM facilitated repair works on essential infrastructure on both sides of the contact line, in Orikhove, Zolote and Krasnyi Lyman. Long queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line continued. The Mission monitored three border crossing points, two located in areas currently not under government control. A protest in Kyiv took place peacefully.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, including 362 explosions compared with 159 in the previous reporting period, most in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata-Donetsk airport area.[1]

Positioned in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) during about 3.5 hours, the SMM heard 252 undetermined explosions, two explosions assessed as outgoing rounds of an undetermined weapon, as well as more than 250 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-7km north and north-west.

Positioned on the north-western outskirts of government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard six undetermined explosions 7-10km south. Positioned 1.3km south of the city, the SMM heard 20 undetermined explosions 2km west. Later in the day, the SMM camera in Avdiivka recorded 11 undetermined explosions 3-5km south-east. The same afternoon, the SMM camera at Oktiabr mine (9km north-west of Donetsk city centre) recorded in flight 35 tracer rounds of an undetermined weapon from north-west to south-east, 3-4km north-east of the camera.

On the night of 13-14 December, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 15 undetermined explosions and three explosions assessed as impacts of mortar rounds (82mm) 5-7km south-south-west and south-west, and 20 bursts assessed as anti-aircraft-gun fire (ZU-23, 23mm) 4-5km south-south-east. During the evening of 14 December, the SMM heard 27 undetermined explosions 5-10km south-east and five shots assessed as automatic-grenade-launcher fire, all 4-10km south-east.

On the night of 13-14 December, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded in flight a total of 177 bursts of tracer rounds assessed as small-arms fire at undetermined distances north and north-east of the camera, beginning with ten bursts from east to west, and followed by an exchange of 93 bursts from west to east and 74 from east to west in total. On the afternoon of 14 December, the same camera recorded one rocket-assisted projectile of an undetermined weapon in flight from east to west, followed by an impact, both at an undetermined distance north-east of the camera.

In Luhansk region the SMM observed a similar number of ceasefire violations, including at least 30 explosions, as during the previous reporting period. Positioned near the Ukrainian Armed Forces forward position just north of the bridge in government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk) the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions 3-7km north-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area). Positioned north of the disengagement area in Stanytsia Luhanska the SMM heard two undetermined explosions 1-2km south-east (assessed as inside the disengagement area), and 17 undetermined explosions at an undetermined distance south, followed by multiple explosions at an undetermined distance (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

The SMM followed up reports of civilian casualties caused by shooting at a checkpoint near government-controlled Maiorsk (45km north-east of Donetsk). At approximately 11:45, accompanied by a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-operation (JCCC), the SMM arrived at the area between the government checkpoint and a “DPR” checkpoint. On the road about 25m from the government checkpoint lay the body of a man aged 60-70, in civilian clothing, with a wound below his right ear, along with blood on his body and the nearby asphalt. At the site, 250 pedestrians were queuing to enter government-controlled areas.

A person identified by checkpoint personnel as a military prosecutor, who was present at the site when the SMM arrived, told the SMM that, according to his preliminary assessment, shooting at sometime between 08:00 and 09:00 had resulted in the death of one civilian and the wounding of another, both of whom had been traveling on foot toward government-controlled areas. At the hospital in government-controlled Bakhmut (formerly Artemivsk, 67km north of Donetsk), the deputy director told the SMM that the hospital had received a man aged 40-50, who had received treatment to a wound in his shoulder but had subsequently left the premises of his own accord.

Accompanied by a Russian Federation Armed Forces officer of the JCCC, at 12:11 the SMM visited the “DPR” checkpoint south-east of the Maiorsk checkpoint, where a “commander” told the SMM that at 08:30 he had heard a burst of assault-rifle fire.

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas of Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote (60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske (41km south of Donetsk), as foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three areas, but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.* The SMM noted no demining or fencing off of mines in any of the three areas during the reporting period.

On the morning of 13 December, the SMM camera in “DPR”-controlled Petrivske recorded one shot of small-arms fire about 100m west-south-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area). Positioned in Petrivske during a period of about 2.5 hours on 14 December, the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions and uncountable overlapping bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire 7-8km north-west, outside the disengagement area. An armed “DPR” member was present at a checkpoint previously observed by the SMM as abandoned at the village’s northern entrance. (See SMM Daily Report 14 December) The SMM did not observe any demining activities and thus, due to the potential mine threat, could not travel west from Petrivske.*

On the night of 9-10 December, the SMM camera in Stanytsia Luhanska recorded an exchange assessed as occurring inside the disengagement area, beginning with one flash assessed as small-arms fire 1.8km south-south-east and including, in total, three impacts assessed as caused by mortar rounds (unknown calibre) 0.6-1.8km south, two undetermined explosions 0.4-1.2km south, and two explosions assessed as impacts of rounds from undetermined weapons about 1.7km south.

At the “LPR” forward position on the bridge, the SMM observed five fresh impacts assessed to have been caused by small-arms or light-machine-gun fire from a northerly direction. A small wooden shed observed as intact most recently on 12 December at the position appeared to have been destroyed as the result of automatic-grenade-launcher or rocket-propelled-grenade fire from a northerly direction, which had caused complete structural collapse but had not left a crater. The SMM observed fresh damage to the hand rail of the wooden ramp on the northern side of the bridge’s broken section, along with shrapnel fragments, assessed to be from an undetermined weapon fired from a northerly direction. Later, while positioned at the Ukrainian Armed Forces forward position north of the bridge, the SMM heard ceasefire violations occurring in and around the disengagement area (see above).

At the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM crossed from the “LPR”-controlled side to the government-controlled side and noted a calm situation, but was unable to access secondary roads due to the possible presence of mines and lack of demining activities.*

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

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines the SMM observed four towed howitzers (D-20, 152mm) in a convoy of six military trucks, traveling east in government-controlled Kurakhove (40km west of Donetsk).

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 lines, the SMM observed 12 multiple rocket launcher systems (BM-27 Uragan, 220mm). In “DPR”-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM observed 13 towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm), one of which was present for the first time, and noted that five towed howitzers (D-30) were missing, two of which were noted as absent for the first time.  

The SMM revisited permanent storage sites, whose locations corresponded with the withdrawal lines. At a Ukrainian Armed Forces site, the SMM observed as missing 20 tanks (T-64, 125mm) and ten mortars (seven 2B9 Vasilek, 82mm; two BM-37, 82mm; and one 2B14 Podnos, 82mm), all previously noted as absent. The SMM also observed as present a weapon not previously recorded. At an “LPR” site, the SMM noted that four towed howitzers (D-30) and one multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS; BM-21 Grad, 122mm) were still absent.

The SMM observed the following armoured combat vehicles [2] in the security zone: two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV; BMP-2) near government-controlled Novotoshkivske (50km north-west of Luhansk) and one IFV (BMP) near “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk), all stationary. Near “LPR”-controlled Kalynove (60km west of Luhansk), the SMM observed fresh tracks assessed to be from an armoured vehicle traveling north.

The SMM continued to observe the presence of mine hazard signs. Along a road near government-controlled Novomykhailivka (28km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed several red mine warning signs (reading “Danger: Mines” in Ukrainian and English) fixed to trees, as well as plastic cordon marking tape tied around trees between those supporting the signs.

The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to essential infrastructure, co-ordinated by the JCCC. The SMM monitored repair works on a section of the Shypilovo-Sentianivka railway line near government-controlled Orikhove (57km north-west of Luhansk). In Zolote, the SMM monitored repair of a pipeline. Near “LPR”-controlled Krasnyi Lyman (30km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM’s monitoring facilitated repairs to water wells.

The SMM continued to observe queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. At the Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint in government-controlled Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed about 183 civilian vehicles and about 135 pedestrians queuing to enter government-controlled areas, with no vehicles or persons queuing to travel in the opposite direction. At the entry-exit crossing point in government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed about 155 civilian vehicles and about 130 pedestrians queuing to enter government-controlled areas, as well as 90 pedestrians and 140 civilian vehicles queuing to travel in the opposite direction. At the entry-exit crossing point in government-controlled Pyshchevyk (25km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM observed about 30 civilian vehicles and 150 pedestrians queuing to enter government-controlled areas and about 250 civilian vehicles and 130 pedestrians queuing to travel in the opposite direction. 

The SMM monitored the passage of civilians travelling across the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. At an “LPR” checkpoint south of the bridge, prior to the checkpoint’s opening time, the SMM observed around 600 people queuing to travel toward government-controlled areas. Later in the morning, at the government checkpoint north of the bridge, the SMM observed around 80 people queuing to enter government-controlled areas and around 100 people queuing to travel in the opposite direction.

The SMM monitored the Ukraine–Russian Federation border in areas currently not controlled by the Government. During 45 minutes at the border crossing point near “DPR”-controlled Novoazovsk (40km east of Mariupol), the SMM observed three commercial trucks with covered storage areas and 12 civilian vehicles (two of which had “DPR” plates) exit Ukraine, and two commercial trucks with covered storage areas and two civilian vehicles (all with Ukrainian licence plates) enter.

At the Dovzhanskyi border crossing point (84km south-east of Luhansk) the SMM observed 25 covered cargo vehicles and 18 passenger vehicles (one of which had an “LPR” plate) queuing to exit Ukraine. Twenty-three passenger vehicles (12 with Ukrainian licence plates, two with Russian Federation licence plates, one with Georgian licence plates, and the rest with undetermined plates) and four trucks (all with Ukrainian licence plates) with covered storage areas queued to enter Ukraine.

At the border crossing point in government-controlled Taniushivka (137km north of Luhansk), there were 21 passenger vehicles (18 with Ukrainian licence plates, three with Russian Federation licence plates) queuing to exit Ukraine, and seven vehicles (plates not visible to the SMM) queuing to enter. Over the course of 45 minutes, four vehicles exited Ukraine and four vehicles entered.

The SMM monitored a gathering in Kyiv of around 1,000 people on Hrushevskoho Street, protesting plans for privatisation of a state-owned enterprise. At least 20 buses of law enforcement personnel were parked near the building, and at least 200 law enforcement personnel were on foot in the area. The gathering ended peacefully.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Chernivtsi.

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

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance, 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. They have also agreed that the JCCC should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance.

Denial of access:

• In Petrivske the SMM noted that no demining had taken place on the road toward the disengagement area. The threat of mines and the absence of security guarantees prevented the SMM from using the road. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM was unable to access secondary routes in the Zolote-Pervomaisk disengagement area. At a checkpoint north of the area, a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that the secondary roads have not been cleared of mines and UXO. At a checkpoint south of the area, armed “LPR” members said they could not guarantee the safety of the SMM. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel at a checkpoint near government-controlled Katerynivka (64km west of Luhansk) told the SMM they had no orders to allow the SMM to proceed toward government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk). The SMM informed the JCCC.
• At the Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint east of Popasna, anti-tank obstacles prevented the SMM from traveling toward Katerynivka, and Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel told the SMM they had no orders to allow the SMM to proceed. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• The SMM was denied passage across the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) in either direction. North of the bridge, Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel told the SMM there were mines in the area. South of the bridge, an armed “LPR” member said there might be mines or UXO in the area. The SMM informed the JCCC.
• Armed “DPR” members denied the SMM access to a heavy weapons holding area, stating that the SMM needed to be accompanied by the JCCC. After 45 minutes the SMM left the location. 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.

[2] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.