Daily and spot reports from the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 17 and 18 August, compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 18 and 19 August, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more ceasefire violations in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM followed up on reports of recent damage caused by shelling and gunfire in a residential area of Yasynuvata. The Mission observed a ceasefire violation and recently dug trenches inside the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Kostiantynivka and Krasnohorivka, as well as in Mariupol. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs of residential houses in Avdiivka and firefighting activity south of the Zolote disengagement area. In Odessa, the SMM observed an “Odessa Pride March”.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, compared with the previous reporting period in Donetsk region. It recorded no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. The SMM observed fresh impact sites in residential areas of Dokuchaievsk and Holmivskyi. The SMM continued monitoring all three disengagement areas; it saw a man wearing military-style clothing entering the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas, as well as at a checkpoint near non-government-controlled Verkhnoshyrokivske.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Kostiantynivka and Sopyne. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to critical water infrastructure in Luhansk region on both sides of the contact line.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM heard explosions and small-arms fire 100-500m from their location in Holmivskyi, including two shots assessed as flying overhead. The SMM recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas, as well as in Horlivka and Mykolaivka, and near Kreminets*. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Ocheretyne, Sopyne and Sofiivka. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to critical water infrastructure in Luhansk region.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. Small-arms fire was assessed as directed at an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle near Berezivske. The SMM observed military positions and a recently extended trench inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas, near Starolaspa and Zolote-2/Karbonit, and again near Zaichenko. The SMM observed a weapon in violation of withdrawal lines near Sopyne. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to critical water infrastructure in Luhansk region.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of an injured girl in Katerynivka. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas, in Oleksandrivske and again near Zaichenko, Bezimenne, and Novoazovsk, near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to critical water infrastructure near Artema, Obozne, Novotoshkivske and Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, as well as near Stanytsia Luhanska.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a sharp increase in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. A member of the armed formations pointed his rifle at an SMM patrol near Smile. The SMM assessed that small-arms fire was directed at its unmanned aerial vehicle near Holubivske. The SMM observed damage caused by shelling near residential areas of Donetskyi. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and again near Zaichenko, Bezimenne and Voznesenivka, near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to critical water infrastructure near Obozne, Novotoshkivske and Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, as well as in Stanytsia Luhanska.

On 2 February 2018 at 13:00, an SMM patrol consisting of six SMM members and two armoured vehicles was positioned at an abandoned gas station on road M04 about 2.5km south-west of “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk), about 2km east of the contact line. Between 13:00 and 13:50, the SMM recorded five undetermined explosions, 11 shots of infantry fighting vehicle (BMP-2) cannon (30mm) fire and 34 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-2km west. Between 13:50 and 14:08, the SMM heard uncountable overlapping bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 1-2km west. At 14:08, five SMM members were standing in between the SMM’s armoured vehicles when they heard the hissing sound of three bullets flying west to east over their heads and saw one of the bullets land 10-15m east of the SMM. The SMM patrol immediately left the area and returned safely to its base in Donetsk city at 14:55.

Between the evenings of 10 and 11 August, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 11 and 12 August, the SMM again recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM observed the bodies of two men, one who appeared to be deceased, at separate checkpoints near the contact line. The SMM observed an armed man inside the Zolote disengagement area and ordnance disposal activity in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and again near Zaichenko, Bezimenne and Novoazovsk, near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. It also observed hundreds of crates of ammunition and rockets at a compound in Khrustalnyi. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station as well as repairs and maintenance works to critical water infrastructure in Obozne.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, and for the third day in a row, no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. The SMM observed damage to a residential house in Yasynuvata as the result of shooting. The SMM observed at least two armed probable Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel inside the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and again near Zaichenko and Bezimenne, as well as Izvaryne, Sievernyi, and Novoazovsk, near the border with the Russian Federation. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in Lobacheve. An SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle spotted for the first time four electronic warfare systems in Chornukhyne. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to critical water and electrical infrastructure in Luhansk region...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, and no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. The Mission observed fresh damage from gunfire to a garage door in a residential area of Yasynuvata. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. The SMM observed ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area and Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel inside the area, on the northern side of the road bridge. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and again near Bezimenne and Zaichenko.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to critical water and electrical infrastructure in Luhansk region...