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). In the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk the SMM visited areas impacted by recent shelling...

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...

On 10 February at 11:51hrs, the SMM heard a powerful explosion in Kramatorsk (95km north of Donetsk). From their position at Kramatorsk Boulevard #41, the SMM assessed that the sound of the explosion came from approximately 1.5 kilometres south-east, near Kramatorsk airport (where the Ukrainian authorities have deployed an “Anti-terrorist Operation” (ATO) base). The SMM also observed a white smoke trail in the direction of the explosion. At 12:00hrs, the SMM contacted the “ATO” command, which did not have further information. The SMM did not go to the airport for security reasons...

On 5 February, the SMM followed up on the shelling which reportedly struck the Kirovskyi district in Donetsk city on 4 February from 11:40 to 11:45hrs. The same shelling salvo reportedly hit the direct surrounding of the Kindergarten No. 381, a neighbouring street near the Kindergarten and Donetsk Hospital No. 27. The SMM inspected the three aforementioned different sites located in the Kirovskyi district on 5 February between 10:00 and 15:00hrs.

The SMM continued to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum. In the aftermath of shelling, the SMM observed the impacts of in Donetsk city and region. Military movements were also noted by the SMM around Donetsk. Plans to evacuate civilians from Debaltseve were developed at the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC).

The SMM continued to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum. The security situation in the Donetsk region remained tense, including continuous shelling observed by the SMM. The SMM lost contact with one UAV 16km north of Mariupol...

At approximately 18:15hrs and 22:45hrs on 27 January, the SMM, based in Luhansk city centre (“Lugansk People’s Republic” –“LPR”-controlled), heard intensive incoming shelling and impact explosions about 5km west of its location. On 28 January, upon receipt of information about shelling from the Russian Federation Armed Forces staff, assigned to the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) in Luhansk city, the SMM departed to the south-western suburbs of the city at 10:30hrs.