Daily and spot reports from the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine

The SMM continued to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum and the work of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). Fighting surged ahead of diplomatic talks in Minsk. Multiple rockets struck Kramatorsk (95km north of Donetsk) with 7 killed and dozens injured...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to water infrastructure on both sides of the contact line, as well as to enable repair works to damaged houses in Marinka. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. Restrictions to the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted in Izvaryne. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a peaceful protest during which it heard participants expressing views critical of the Russian Federation and calling for banning Russian-owned businesses in Ukraine.

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. • Residential houses were damaged by mortar fire in Verkhnoshyrokivske. • Small-arms fire was assessed as directed at SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) near government-controlled Hnutove and Talakivka and non-government-controlled Obozne; near Obozne, the SMM mini-UAV was lost. • The SMM observed that demining works continued inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area; it saw, for the first time, a golf cart transporting people from the entry-exit checkpoint near Stanytsia Luhanska to the broken section of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. It also recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area.

Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. Small-arms fire damaged a functioning school in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka. The SMM recorded ceasefire violations and continued to observe an armoured combat vehicle and anti-aircraft guns inside the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted at a permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region and near a border crossing point in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region. The SMM observed a gathering related to LGBTI rights...

Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 11 and 12 January, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. Between the evenings of 12 and 13 January, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. Small arms were fired in the direction of an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near Chermalyk, Donetsk region. Small-arms fire damaged a house in a residential area of Chermalyk. The SMM recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area and near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk region. Participants of a gathering in Kherson demanded the release of a Crimean Tatar activist reportedly detained in Simferopol. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted at a railway station in Voznesenivka, an area near the border with the Russian Federation...

Tensions remained in parts of Donbas. The situation was calm elsewhere across the country...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period and fewer in Luhansk region. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including near Pervomaiske.* The Mission facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure near Shchastia, Zolote, Artema, Krasnyi Lyman and Luhanske.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 15 and 16 September compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 16 and 17 September, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and more in Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission followed up on reports of a civilian casualty and observed damage to residences in Donetsk. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including in non-government-controlled Novoazovsk near the border with the Russian Federation.* The Mission saw two tanks in violation of withdrawal lines near government-controlled Heivka. The SMM visited a border area not under government control in Luhansk region. The Mission monitored the situation in Odessa following reports of a fire at a children’s camp.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations both in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. In Donetsk region most ceasefire violations concentrated in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata area and areas north-east and east of Mariupol. The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and faced restrictions of its freedom of movement in all three areas.* The SMM’s freedom of movement was further restricted on seven occasions (three in government-controlled areas and four in areas not under government control). In Marinka the SMM saw school children and staff moving from classrooms to a shelter after they had heard explosions; during its observation in the school the SMM also heard explosions in close proximity. The SMM monitored two border areas currently not under government control. On the evening of 21 November in Kyiv, the Mission continued to monitor a public gathering, where incidents were registered...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The SMM observed damage caused by shelling and conducted crater analyses in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. In Donetsk there was a significant increase in ceasefire violations compared to the previous day...