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Ukraine

Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 24 June 2016

This report is for media and the general public.

In Donetsk region, the SMM observed fewer ceasefire violations, with nearly 90 explosions during the night of 23 June and four during the day. In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded some ceasefire violations compared with none during the previous day. It conducted crater analysis and observed damage to houses in Kirovskyi district and Kominternove. The SMM continued to observe long queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line, with civilians suffering from high temperatures. It reached the border in an area not controlled by the Government on one occasion. In Kharkiv, the SMM monitored a public gathering related to the status of volunteer participants in the Anti-Terrorism Operation. The SMM’s freedom of movement was restricted on two occasions – once in a government-controlled area and once in an area outside government control.*

The SMM observed fewer ceasefire violations[1] in Donetsk region compared to the previous day. The SMM recorded 87 explosions during the night of 23 June and four during the day. In the Avdiivka/Yasynuvata area, the SMM recorded no ceasefire violations.

Whilst in Donetsk city centre, the SMM recorded 61 undetermined explosions at locations ranging from north-west to north-north-east 10-15km of its position during the night of 23 June.

During the same night, whilst in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 19 undetermined explosions, 46 bursts of 30mm cannon (BMP-2) and heavy-machine-gun fire 8-10km north-north-west, and five explosions assessed as caused by outgoing 82mm mortar rounds 5-6km south-west of its position.

Before midnight, the SMM camera in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded one undetermined explosion, one air burst and seven bursts of tracer rounds (from south-west to north-east), all at an unknown distance north and north-east.

The following day, positioned at the “DPR”-controlled Donetsk central railway station (6km north-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 4-6km north-north-east and east-south-east of its position.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded some ceasefire violations compared with none during the previous day. Whilst in government-controlled Troitske (69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 32 undetermined explosions east-north-east of its position. Subsequently, a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier stopped the SMM and did not allow it to proceed further to north-east, referring the instructions from his commander*.

The SMM followed up on reports of shelling. In “DPR”-controlled Kirovskyi district (8km west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM saw four relatively fresh craters in a residential area and assessed them as caused by artillery (undetermined calibre) rounds – two of them fired from a north-north-easterly direction. The SMM saw the collapsed roof of a nine-storey building and shrapnel marks on the staircase of a hospital on the ground floor. Residents told the SMM that shelling had occurred during the previous night. Four residents (women aged between 60 and 80) showed the SMM their wounds, according to them, caused by broken glass from shattered windows during the shelling.

In “DPR”-controlled Kominternove (23km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM saw five fresh craters – four in the garden of an abandoned house and one on a tree next to a street. The SMM conducted analysis on one crater and assessed it as caused by an 82mm mortar round. The SMM also saw five-seven holes on the west-facing side of a gas pipeline and assessed them as caused by small-arms fire. Whilst in the village, the SMM saw one explosion in the air 1km north-west of its position.

In relation to the implementation of the Addendum to the Package of Measures, the SMM revisited a Ukrainian Armed Forces permanent weapons storage site whose location corresponded with the withdrawal lines, and noted two tanks (T-72) missing, as observed for the first time on 5 March.

Beyond the withdrawal lines, but outside storage sites, the SMM observed one stationary tank (T-64) near government-controlled Borivske (65km north-west of Luhansk), and four tanks (T-64) moving out of a training ground near “LPR”-controlled Kruhlyk (32km south-west of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of heavy weapons as foreseen in the Minsk Package of Measures.

In violation of the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM observed one towed howitzer (D-30, 122mm) in government-controlled Novozhelanne (34km north-west of Donetsk), and two self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) together with other hardware including one artillery fire control vehicle (1V13) and one battery command post vehicle (1V14), all stationary, in government-controlled Smolianynove (60km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM has yet to receive the full information requested in the 16 October 2015 notification. The SMM revisits locations known to the SMM as heavy weapons holding areas, even though they do not comply with the specific criteria set out for permanent storage sites in the notification.

In government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM revisited such a location and observed ten multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS; BM-27 Uragan, 220mm).

Beyond the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM observed two self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) together with other hardware loaded on trucks travelling north near government-controlled Sievierodonetsk (74km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles in the security zone. In government-controlled areas: the SMM saw two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV; BMP-2) and one armoured personnel carrier (APC; BRDM) near Novotoshkivske (53km west of Luhansk), and one IFV (BMP-2) near Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk). In “LPR”-controlled areas, the SMM observed one APC (MTLB) towed by a military-type truck traveling east near “LPR”-controlled Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50km west of Luhansk).

Near government-controlled Novohrodivka (42km north-west of Donetsk), the SMM for the first time observed a military camp consisting of buildings, two-three field tents, and three cargo truck, camouflage-painted sport utility vehicles (SUV), and multiple Right Sector flags hoisted on poles on the ground and Right Sector posters on walls of the buildings.

The SMM continued to observe long queues at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. At a “DPR” checkpoint near Olenivka (23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw approximately 128 cars and two buses queuing to travel towards government-controlled areas and approximately 153 cars and 13 buses waiting to travel in the opposite direction. Along the road leading up to the “DPR” checkpoint, the SMM saw residents selling water and food and six newly set-up portable toilets, which were overflowing and assessed not to have been cleaned.

At a government checkpoint near Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk), on the morning hours of 23 June, the SMM saw 547 vehicles and 500 pedestrians waiting to enter government-controlled areas, and 122 vehicles and 370 pedestrians queuing in the opposite direction.

At the government checkpoint north of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM observed a queue of 400 pedestrians waiting to enter government-controlled areas and 100-150 pedestrians waiting to walk in the opposite direction. Shortly after noon, between the recently established Ukrainian Armed Forces and “LPR” positions (see SMM daily report 13 June and 16 June 2016), the SMM saw employees of the State Emergency Service carrying a woman on a stretcher towards the south. Subsequently, an employee of the State Emergency Service at the government checkpoint told the SMM that the woman (aged 65) had suffered a heat stroke and at her own request she would be handed over to “LPR” members on the bridge. During its one-hour observation at the “LPR” checkpoint on the southern side of the bridge, the SMM saw a physician, present in a newly set-up tent for shelter, giving medical assistance to two elderly people (a man and a woman) affected by the hot weather (reaching 36 degrees Celsius in the shade).

On the railway near “LPR”-controlled Sentiakivka (formerly Frunze, 40km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM saw two trains – one made up of 58 freight cars and another made up of 48 freight cars, all loaded with coal – heading west.

The SMM monitored a border area not controlled by the Government at “DPR”-controlled Marynivka border crossing point (78km east of Donetsk), where it observed two commercial trucks, 32 passenger vehicles (20 with Ukrainian licence plates, 11 with Russian Federation licence plates, one with Georgian licence plates), and two buses waiting in a queue to cross to the Russian Federation.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential infrastructure and demining. The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to power lines in the area of “LPR”-controlled Holubivske (51km west of Luhansk). In government-controlled Shchastia and “LPR”-controlled Vesela Hora (20 and 17km north of Luhansk, respectively), the SMM facilitated and monitored demining and repairs to power lines. In “LPR”-controlled Slovianoserbsk and Krasnyi Lyman (28 and 30km north-west of Luhansk, respectively), the SMM facilitated and monitored repair works on water pipeline and gas pipeline.

On 23 June, in Kharkiv, the SMM monitored a public gathering of approximately 100 people (80 men and 20 women aged between 25 and 40) – 10-15 of them dressed in camouflage clothing and some of them carrying 15 Azov Civil Corp and five Right Sector flags – in front of the regional administration building. The activists demanded the status of Anti-Terrorism Operation (ATO) participants for volunteers who participated in fighting without being affiliated to the Ministry of Defence or the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The SMM saw 70 police officers present. At the same time, inside the building, the SMM observed as the regional council adopted a resolution addressing the Cabinet of Ministers and the Parliament to take measures for ATO participant status to be granted to the volunteers in relation to social benefits. Afterwards activists dispersed peacefully.

*Restrictions to SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to the fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring is restrained by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines and unexploded ordnance, and by restrictions of its freedom of movement and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations.

Denial of access:

At a “DPR” checkpoint near “DPR”-controlled Olenivka, an armed man, who identified himself as the checkpoint “commander”, told the SMM that it was not authorized to conduct monitoring within 300 metres of the checkpoint.

In Troitske, a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier stopped the SMM and did not allow it to proceed further to north-east, stating he had received instructions from his commander not to let anyone to go further.

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report.

  • Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions to SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to the fulfilment of its mandate”.

Contacts

Alexandra Taylor
Head of Press and Public Information Unit
OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine
26 Turhenievska Street
01054 Kyiv
Ukraine
Mobile: +380 67 650 31 57
alexandra.taylor@osce.org
smm-media@osce.org

Iryna Gudyma
Senior Press Assistant
OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine
26 Turhenievska Street
01054 Kyiv
Ukraine
Mobile: +38 067 4021716
Iryna.Gudyma@osce.org