Daily and spot reports from the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine

The SMM observed ceasefire violations in southern Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM visited the area of Kominternove to monitor the security situation. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs of critical infrastructure. The SMM observed farmers’ protests in Kherson and Chernivtsi region...

At approximately 14:35hrs on 13 January the regional traffic police confirmed to the SMM that a Grad rocket struck close to a civilian bus when it stopped at a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint approximately 2km north of Volnovakha (35km south-west of Donetsk)...

The SMM observed ceasefire violations in limited locations in Donetsk region. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded no firing incidents except one controlled denotation. The SMM attempted, unsuccessfully, to reach Kominternove in order to observe the security situation in the village. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable infrastructure repairs...

The SMM observed a relative calm with only a small number of ceasefire violations recorded in Donetsk region and in Luhansk region. The SMM was able to reach Kominternove and observed craters that residents said had been caused on 31 December. “LPR” members in an area north of Troitske threatened to shoot the SMM if they did not leave the area. “LPR” members prevented the SMM from travelling towards the Izvaryne and Dolzhanskyi border crossing points. “DPR” members refused the SMM access to the village of Oktiabr on three successive days. The SMM observed that a pylon on the Kakhovka–Titan power line that had been felled on 30 December had been replaced by 3 January. Marches commemorating the birthday of Stepan Bandera were observed by the SMM throughout the country...

In Donetsk region, the SMM observed a small number of ceasefire violations– all but one were recorded around Donetsk airport. In Luhansk region, the SMM did not observe any ceasefire violations for the second consecutive day. In Kominternove and surrounding areas, the SMM observed a calm situation. The SMM experienced six freedom-of-movement restrictions, including denial of access to Kominternove from the east and to border areas not controlled by the Government*. The Ukrainian Armed Forces prevented the SMM from flying an SMM UAV...

At 08:40hrs on 22 January, the “Emergency Services Department” of the “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”) informed the SMM of an alleged shelling incident – involving multiple fatalities – at 42 Kuprina Street, 4.4km south-south-west of city-centre Donetsk.

In Donetsk region, the SMM observed a small number of ceasefire violations, most of which were recorded around Donetsk airport. In Luhansk region, the SMM registered mortar shelling. The SMM was again denied access to Kominternove, from the east and south-west*. The SMM followed-up on reports of tensions between religious communities in western Ukraine and the creation of a self-defence force in Kherson...

The SMM observed relative calm with a small number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. “DPR” members restricted the SMM’s movements during a patrol to Kominternove. The SMM observed weapons missing from storage sites and weapons in use at training areas...

At approximately 09:15hrs on 24 January, the SMM in government-controlled Mariupol heard at its location incoming massed Multi-Launch Rocket System (MLRS) attacks from a north-east direction, consisting of an extremely heavy barrage lasting 35 seconds. Twenty minutes later the SMM received information from the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) in Mariupol and other sources, that shelling had occurred in the area of Olimpiiska Street, in Ordzhonikidzevskyi district, 8.5 km north-east of Mariupol city centre, approximately 400 metres from a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint...

The SMM observed relative calm with a small number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions and no ceasefire violations in the area near Donetsk airport. In Horlivka, armed “DPR” members temporarily held SMM monitors, and forced them to the ground at gunpoint. In areas not controlled by the Government, the SMM was denied access on five occasions and was granted conditional access at one occasion...