Daily and spot reports from the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine

At 14:28 on 22 August, an SMM patrol comprising four SMM staff members and a paramedic in two vehicles was stopped by three armed men at a checkpoint in “DPR”-controlled Lukove (72km south of Donetsk). One of them demanded in a hostile manner to search the SMM vehicles...

The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remained restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations. In Donetsk region the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations and explosions compared with the previous reporting period. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations. It followed up on civilian casualties treated at the Donetsk Trauma Hospital. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The SMM saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Donetsk city. It saw two tail fins of 82mm mortar rounds and pieces of unexploded ordnance for the first time near Sentianivka and Sakhanka. The Mission visited three border areas currently not controlled by the Government, in Marynivka, Uspenka and Ulianivske. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a public gathering. In Kherson region the Mission monitored the security situation at the administrative boundary line near Chaplynka...

On 20 August at 16:44, as the SMM was landing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in Novooleksandrivka (65km west of Luhansk) it heard at least five bursts of small-arms fire (possibly AK), from a wooded area approximately 50m to the west. On hearing the gunfire, four monitors operating the UAV, who were standing between the two SMM vehicles (positioned 60m apart), immediately lay flat on the ground and crawled back to the vehicles before rapidly leaving the area (all within a two-minute period). One SMM paramedic remained in one of the vehicles during the incident. No one was injured and no damage was caused to SMM vehicles or the UAV...

The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remained restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations. In Donetsk region the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations, but more explosions, compared with ceasefire violations recorded between the evenings of 20 and 21 May. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations. It observed damage from gunfire in residential areas in Dokuchaievsk. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The SMM saw for the first time a mine hazard sign near Kruta Hora. The Mission visited a border area currently not controlled by the Government. In Odessa the SMM monitored a protest by internally displaced persons. In Kyiv the Mission followed up on reports of an explosion at the office of a political party...

The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remained restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations. The Mission recorded more ceasefire violations between the evenings of 19 and 20 May compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 20 and 21 May the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24-hour period...

Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 19 May 2017

The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remained restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations. The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM continued to follow up on reports of shelling in Maiorsk. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; the Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. It observed demining activity and mine hazard signs. The Mission visited a border area currently not under government control. The SMM monitored peaceful gatherings in Kyiv and Kherson...

The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remained restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations. An unknown device was thrown towards an SMM patrol while driving in the north-eastern outskirts of Dokuchaievsk. The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM observed damage due to shelling in Novotroitske and Boikivske. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; the Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. It monitored the situation of civilians travelling across the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. In Kyiv, Kharkiv and Ivano-Frankivsk, the Mission observed public gatherings and followed up on incidents affecting religious communities...

The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remained restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations. The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. Near Verkhnoshyrokivske the SMM heard a shot of small-arms fire nearby. The SMM continued to follow up on a report of a civilian casualty in Chermalyk and observed damage to civilian property due to shelling in Sakhanka. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; the Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. It continued to monitor the situation of civilians travelling across the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. The Mission visited a border area currently not under government control. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored three peaceful gatherings...

The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remained restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations. The Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24-hour period. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons and observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines.