Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30hrs, 11 December 2015
This report is for media and the general public.
The SMM recorded an increased number of ceasefire violations compared to the previous day, with the majority assessed as training related. It experienced four freedom-of-movement restrictions, mainly in areas not controlled by the Government*. The SMM followed up on security-related matters in Odessa, Kharkiv and Ivano-Frankivsk.
The SMM recorded ceasefire violations in several areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Positioned 6km north-west of Donetsk, the SMM heard 77 undetermined explosions mostly in the area of Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled airport (9km north-west of Donetsk city center), and several bursts and single shots of small-arms fire, at locations one to 20km north-north-west, south-west and south. Out of 77, 38 explosions were assessed as training related. A number of other explosions were recorded elsewhere. Near “Lugansk People’s Republic” (“LPR”)-controlled Pervomaisk (57km west of Luhansk), for example, the SMM heard eight undetermined explosions approximately 500m north-east 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, where it found three mortars (2S12, 120mm) missing, as was previously recorded on 25 November.
The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of heavy weapons foreseen in the Minsk Package of measures. “DPR” members have yet to provide the requested inventory of heavy weapons and locations of designated permanent storage sites for these weapons, as requested by the SMM on 16 October. Members of the “LPR” had provided the SMM with an inventory of heavy weapons, their serial numbers and the locations at which they are said to be stored, as requested by the SMM. The Ukrainian military authorities had earlier provided an inventory list of military equipment featuring weapons systems as well as their serial numbers, but not the locations to which the weapons are to be permanently withdrawn.
The SMM revisited locations beyond the respective withdrawal lines known to the SMM as heavy weapons holding areas, even though they did not comply with the specific criteria set out in the 16 October notification.
At such Ukrainian Armed Forces holding areas, the SMM observed: 22 anti-tank guns (MT-12, 100mm); six self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), 11 howitzers (152mm), 12 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (9K51 Grad, 122mm), and ten mortars (2B11, 120mm). At a “DPR” holding area, the SMM observed: nine MLRS (9K51 Grad, 122mm).
Upon the request of Ukrainian Armed Forces representatives at the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), the SMM observed the recovery of the body of a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier from a location 700 metres from a Ukrainian Armed Forces position in Luhanske (government-controlled, 59km north-east of Donetsk) in close proximity of the contact line. According to the Russian Federation Armed Forces representatives at the JCCC, the soldier was killed on 10 December after stepping on an improvised explosive device. From an observation point in the village, the SMM observed two Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers carrying the body on a stretcher. In a mirror patrol, in “DPR”-controlled Loginove (85km north-east of Donetsk) on the other side of the contact line, the SMM saw officers of the Russian Federation Armed Forces at the JCCC and “DPR” members observing the ceasefire in order to enable the recovery.
The SMM monitored the movement of civilians across the contact line. At a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint near government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed around 170 civilian cars (majority with Ukrainian registration plates) waiting to cross into government-controlled areas. At a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint near Maksimilianivka (19km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed 50 civilian cars (predominantly with Ukrainian registration plates) waiting to cross into government-controlled areas and in the opposite direction around 200 civilian cars (majority with Ukrainian registration plates) waiting to cross into “DPR”-controlled areas. At a government checkpoint in Hnutove (20km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM saw 20 civilian vehicles, including seven buses, (all with Ukrainian registration plates) waiting to cross into government-controlled areas. At the government checkpoint in Novotroitske (32km south of Donetsk), SMM observed 191 civilian vehicles with mainly Ukrainian registration plates and a convoy of 26 trucks with “Rinat Akhmetov humanitarian aid” labels waiting to cross into “DPR”-controlled areas and about 70 civilian vehicles with mainly Ukrainian registration plates waiting in the opposite direction.
In government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM followed up on allegations that civilians had spent the night of 10 December in front of the government checkpoint and spoke to the respective Ukrainian Armed Forces commander. According to him, about 400 civilians were present at the checkpoint on 10 December at 16:00hrs when the checkpoint closed. He said that people had been offered shelter in three different locations: a tent next to the checkpoint, the local hospital, and the administration building. However, about 50 elderly people had refused to leave the queue and had stood there all night. A woman in her fifties confirmed the information to the SMM. While at the checkpoint, the SMM observed 250 civilians waiting in a queue to enter government-controlled areas and 300 in the opposite direction, waiting to enter “LPR”-controlled areas.
The SMM followed up on media reports about a large-scale operation conducted by Ukrainian Armed Forces and Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on 9 December in Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk). Several residents said they learnt about this event through media and none of the interlocutors actually witnessed an arrest. In the village the SMM observed five Ukrainian Armed Forces foot patrols (each of 3-4 soldiers), fully equipped and armed.
In Kharkiv, the SMM followed up on media reports about an explosion on 11 December in an apartment in Nauka Avenue 35. At the site, the SMM observed a casement area of an apartment with windows shuttered with a rolling metal cover, which had been pushed inwards ostensibly by the force of an explosion. The SMM saw shrapnel impacts on plastic weather covering above a window. The SMM assessed the damage being caused by a hand grenade explosion. According to an adviser of the head of the regional state administration in charge of security issues as well as a representative of the prosecutor’s office to whom the SMM spoke, the explosion had been caused by a hand grenade (RGD-5). According to them, the police had started investigation on the basis of article 194 of the Criminal Code (intentional damage to or destruction of property). No casualties were reported.
The SMM followed up on media reports about bomb threats in Ivano-Frankivsk. The SMM spoke to the deputy chief of the regional police and the deputy chief of the city police, who both confirmed that six bomb threats at different locations in the city had been received. The State Emergency Services had evacuated each location. At three locations supposedly affected by the threats, namely the regional administration, the railway station and the city hall, the SMM observed a calm situation. According to the police, all threats appeared to have been bomb hoaxes.
In Odessa, the SMM followed up on media reports about a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier returning from the conflict zone, threatening to detonate explosives. According to the local police spokesperson, on 11 December a suspect had locked himself into an apartment in Observatorny Lane 6 and threatened to set off an explosion. After negotiations, the police had succeeded to have the suspect surrender and arrested him. According to the interlocutor, police found in the apartment five rocket-propelled hand-grenades (three RPG-5 and two F1). The SMM could not as of yet verify which charges have been brought against the suspect.
The SMM observed on 11 December in Kyiv, at the front entrance of the Parliament about 600 people (majority men, different ages) protesting, among them activists and supporters of Svoboda party, Party of Ordinary People, Financial Maidan movement, etc. The protestors asked for the resignation of the Prime Minister. The SMM saw ten police officers guarding the entrance to the Parliament and 50 buses with approximately 2,000 riot police and National Guard officers. The SMM did not observe any incidents. The SMM observed at the same time opposite of the Cabinet of Ministers buildings in Mariinskyi Park, about 400 people (mixed gender, mainly elderly people) gathered. Some protestors told the SMM that they just stood there without any special reason, whereas others said they had been informed through internet about the gathering.
The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Kherson, Lviv, Dnepropetrovsk and Chernivtsi.
*Restrictions to SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to the fulfilment of its mandate
The SMM is restrained in fulfilling its monitoring functions by restrictions imposed by the parties and security considerations, including mine threats, damaged infrastructure, and the unpredictability of the situation in Donbas. “LPR” members continue to prevent the SMM from monitoring many areas alongside the international border in parts of Luhansk region not controlled by the Government.
Denial of access:
- In Lukove (“DPR”-controlled, 41km north-east of Mariupol), four armed “DPR” members denied the SMM access to the office of the village council without any explanation and escorted the SMM to Prymorske (“DPR”-controlled, 39km north-east of Mariupol) and further on until 2km before Krasnoarmiisk (33km north-east of Mariupol).
- At a checkpoint in Oktiabr (28km north-east of Mariupol), “DPR” members, who were visibly intoxicated, denied the SMM access to the village.
- Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint personnel in Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north of Mariupol) requested the SMM to leave the village citing permission by their superior in order to visit the area.
For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.