Daily and spot reports from the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up further on reports of civilian casualties in Shyrokyi and Sakhanka. It observed damage to residences in Novoluhanske due to shelling. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas and recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote and Petrivske areas. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas – in Petrivske, an armed man required the Mission to end an unmanned aerial vehicle flight – and elsewhere, including in Siedove and Verkhnoshyrokivske.* The SMM observed a mine hazard sign and unexploded ordnance near Nova Marivka. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance to infrastructure in Shchastia and Artema. It monitored a peaceful gathering in Kyiv.

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas and recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area; its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Stanytsia Luhanska and Sakhanka. The Mission facilitated and monitored ongoing repairs to essential infrastructure in Luhansk region.

Between the evenings of 11 and 12 August the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 12 and 13 August the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. In the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, an armed man pointed his assault rifle at SMM patrol members and threatened to shoot them.* The Mission followed up on a report of a civilian casualty in Dokuchaievsk; a “DPR” member told the Mission he could not provide detailed information about the incident without the permission of other “DPR” members.*

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; its access was restricted there and elsewhere, including in Novoazovsk.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in Luhansk city. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor repair and maintenance of infrastructure in Shchastia and Zolote. It again facilitated and monitored mine and unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance, co-ordinated by the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), enabling the SMM to travel the M03 road between Svitlodarsk and Debaltseve. The Mission visited two border areas not under government control in Luhansk region...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. In Pikuzy, the SMM heard small-arms fire in the area where it was flying an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), assessed as aimed at the UAV whose footage “DPR” members later threatened to “seize”. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske where the possible presence of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) continued to restrict the SMM’s access. Armed men continued to deny the SMM access into Novoazovsk and restricted its freedom of movement in Verkhnoshyrokivske and Staromykhailivka. The Mission visited one border area not under government control in Luhansk region...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, but more explosions in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas. The SMM camera in the Zolote disengagement area recorded one ceasefire violation on the night of 5 August, assessed as outside the disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere. Armed “DPR” members impeded the SMM’s access to areas south and east of Novoazovsk near the border with the Russian Federation not under government control. The Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) was unable to facilitate the demining of the Shchastia bridge where the SMM was again denied access and its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) again spotted anti-tank mines south of the bridge.* The Mission confirmed reports of civilian casualties in Dachne and followed up on reports of shelling in Zaporozhets. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs of a water pipeline in Zolote. The Mission visited two border areas not under government control*.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere*, including at Verkhnoshyrokivske, where armed “DPR” members impeded the SMM’s access to areas east of Mariupol for a seventh consecutive day. SMM personnel and civilian contractors installing an SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station were forced to take shelter when small-arms fire erupted nearby, despite written security guarantees provided by the sides. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to infrastructure, including a water pipeline, a pumping station and a power plant in Luhansk region. At a government-controlled checkpoint near Popasna, the SMM observed a mortar explosion 500m from its position; no injuries or damage were reported. The SMM monitored two border areas not under government control...