Daily and spot reports from the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine

The SMM continued to observe a tense situation around Donetsk city and Svitlodarsk, while the situation in Luhansk region remained stable. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure. It reached two border crossing points not controlled by the Government. The SMM faced restrictions of its freedom of movement in areas not controlled by the Government. Long queues of vehicles were observed at a checkpoint near the contact line. In Kyiv, the Mission monitored events related to the General Prosecutor’s Office...

The SMM observed a decrease in the number of ceasefire violations on both 19 and 20 March compared with 18 March, and notably registered no violations overnight from 19-20 March in Donetsk region. The situation remained stable in Luhansk. The SMM followed up on allegations of shelling and conducted crater analysis. It facilitated the repair of essential infrastructure. The Mission monitored border areas not controlled by the Government and observed a calm situation. The SMM was restricted in its freedom of movement mainly in areas not controlled by the Government, including in border areas.* The Mission observed the Festival of Equality and violent counter-demonstrations in Lviv.

In Donetsk region, the SMM continued to observe numerous ceasefire violations. It observed no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. It was restricted in its freedom of movement, including at one heavy weapons holding area and at a border crossing point in an area not controlled by the Government.* The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians in the vicinity of the contact line...

In Donetsk region, the SMM continued to observe numerous ceasefire violations, while their number decreased in Donetsk city compared to the number in the previous reporting period. The situation remained stable in Luhansk. Repair works to the gas pipeline in Marinka were suspended due to security concerns. The Mission reached border crossing points in areas not controlled by the Government in both Luhansk and Donetsk regions. It was restricted in its freedom of movement, mostly in areas not controlled by the Government, including in border areas...

The SMM observed a sharp increase in ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared to the previous day. The situation remained stable in Luhansk. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and conducted crater analysis. It continued to facilitate repair work to essential infrastructure. The SMM reached border crossing points in areas not controlled by the Government in both Luhansk and Donetsk regions. It encountered freedom-of-movement restrictions in areas not controlled by the Government, including in border areas.* The SMM observed physical confrontations at a courthouse in Odessa between Right Sector and pro-Maidan activists, and people accused of participating in 2 May 2014 clashes near the Trade Union building.

The SMM observed an increase in ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared to the previous day. The situation remained stable in Luhansk. The Mission continued to facilitate repair work to essential infrastructure. The SMM monitored training areas on both sides of the contact line. The Mission reached border crossing points in areas not controlled by the Government in both Luhansk and Donetsk regions. It encountered freedom-of-movement restrictions on both sides of the contact line, including in border areas.*

The SMM observed ceasefire violations in Donetsk region at a level similar to the previous day. The situation remained stable in Luhansk. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. It continued to facilitate demining and repair work to essential infrastructure. The Mission reached border crossing points in areas not controlled by the Government in both Luhansk and Donetsk regions. The SMM encountered freedom-of-movement restrictions.* It monitored demonstrations in support of Nadiya Savchenko in Kramatorsk, Odessa, Kharkiv and Kyiv...