Daily and spot reports from the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine

At 11:07 on 28 March, an SMM patrol composed of six members and two armoured vehicles approached a compound where the SMM had previously observed armed “DPR” members, at the eastern edge of “DPR”-controlled Kozatske (36km north-east of Mariupol). (See SMM Daily Report 11 February 2017.)...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations but more explosions in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period. It recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM camera at the Donetsk filtration station recorded a round exploding very close to the camera. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska and Petrivske disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including near Kreminets.* The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in Shymshynivka and Bohoiavlenka. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure in Shchastia, Vesela Hora and Novozvanivka. The Mission visited three border areas outside of the control of the government. The SMM followed up on media reports that a car belonging to the Consul General of the Russian Federation Consulate in Kharkiv had been damaged...

At 12:45 on 26 March, an SMM patrol of four mission members in two armoured vehicles stopped 500m north-east of government-controlled Orikhove-Donetske (44km north-west of Luhansk). At about 13:10, a couple minutes after launching a mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the SMM observed another UAV almost directly above the patrol’s position, approaching from the south-south-west at a height of approximately 100 metres. The UAV was slightly larger than the SMM UAV and darker in colour, with a larger wingspan and vertical wingtips. It sounded like it had an electric motor. The SMM immediately began the landing procedure for its own UAV. The other UAV flew over the SMM patrol’s position, circled three times – steadily gaining altitude – and then departed to the west...

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; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Stanytsia Luhanska and Petrivske disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere.* The SMM observed weapons in violations of the withdrawal lines near Berestove and Orlivka. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure in Shchastia and Artema, and near Zalizne, Stanytsia Luhanska and Vesela Hora. It visited two border areas not under government control...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Marinka. It observed a fresh impact site in Popasna. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including in Novolaspa.* The SMM observed weapons in violations of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure in Shchastia and Dovhe, and near Zalizne, Novozvanivka, and Vesela Hora. It visited a border area not under government control...

At 12:10 on 24 March, an SMM patrol of four mission members in two armoured vehicles stopped at an abandoned bus stop about 800m west of “LPR”-controlled Znamianka (36km north-west of Luhansk) to monitor the ceasefire. On disembarking the SMM heard eight single shots of small-arms fire approximately 1km south...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region between the evenings of 10 and 11 November compared with the previous reporting period and fewer between the evenings of 11 and 12 November compared with the previous 24 hours. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations between the evenings of 10 and 11 November compared with the previous reporting period but more between the evenings of 11 and 12 November compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission observed damage to civilian properties from shelling in residential areas in Pikuzy. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including to a compound in Kadiivka, and in Siedove near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure near Novozvanivka, Artema and Zalizne. It visited three border areas not under government control. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a march...

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 heard small-arms fire near the area where it was flying an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near the Petrivske disengagement area, assessed as aimed at the UAV*, and spotted military presence inside the Petrivske disengagement area, as well as previously seen mines. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including near Horlivka and at five heavy weapons holding areas.* The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Dovhe, Marianivka and Novooleksandrivka. The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure near Shchastia, Novozvanivka, Stanytsia Luhanska and Zalizne. It visited a border area not under government control...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of persons injured and killed from the explosion of hand grenades in Khartsyzk and Makiivka, and observed damage caused by shelling in residential areas of Sakhanka. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including at two permanent storage sites, a heavy weapons holding area, and a compound, all in areas outside government control.* It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure near Shchastia, Novozvanivka, Yuzhna-Lomuvatka, Artema, and Zalizne...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. In Pikuzy, a man in military-style clothing fired shots in the air within 50m of the Mission. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations in the Petrivske disengagement area and near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including near Kreminets and at two heavy weapons holding areas.* The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Sievierodonetsk. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure near Shchastia, Novozvanivka, Artema, and Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM visited a border area not under government control. It continued to monitor a gathering outside the Parliament in Kyiv...