- 1 - Daily Report 122/2020 23 May 20201 Summary Compared with the previous reporting period, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Small-arms fire was assessed as directed at SMM mini-UAVs near Petrivske and Vesela Hora, where bullets also flew over SMM members. The SMM followed up on reports of a man injured due to shelling in Shyroka Balka on 9 April, Donetsk region. Members of the armed formations continued to deny the Mission passage at checkpoints along official crossing routes in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.* The SMM saw craters, assessed as recent, near residential houses in Staromykhailivka, Donetsk region. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. It recorded ceasefire violations inside the disengagement area near Petrivske and spotted during evening hours a person at a former position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces inside the disengagement area near Zolote. It saw mines, including some for the first time, near Maiorsk and Petrivske and in Zaitseve, Holmivskyi, and Staromykhailivka. The Mission continued following up on measures taken amid the COVID-19 outbreak, including at entry-exit checkpoints and their corresponding checkpoints in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.* 1 Based on information from the Monitoring Teams as of 19:30, 22 May 2020. All times are in Eastern European Summer Time. - 2 - Ceasefire violations 2 Number of recorded ceasefire violations 3 Number of recorded explosions4 2 For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, the SMM camera in Petrivske was not operational. 3 Including explosions. 4 Including from unidentified weapons. - 3 - Map of recorded ceasefire violations - 4 - In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions (about 220), compared with the previous reporting period (about 65 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas north and north-east of Shyrokyne (government-controlled, 100km south of Donetsk), at northerly and westerly directions of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), and in areas south- east of the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk) (see below). In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions (about 125), compared with the previous reporting period (about 50 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas east and north-east of Vesela Hora (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Luhansk), south-west of Pervomaisk (non- government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), and close to the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk), including about 40 explosions near the area’s southern edge (see below). Small-arms fire assessed as directed at SMM UAVs near Vesela Hora and Petrivske On 22 May, while conducting a mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight over areas near Vesela Hora (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Luhansk), the SMM heard 50 shots of small-arms fire at an assessed distance of about 2km north-west, assessed as aimed at the UAV, which was flying about 2km north-west of the patrol’s position. Shortly thereafter, while in the process of landing the UAV, the SMM heard an additional 20 shots of small- arms fire, passing about 10m overhead, assessed as originating at a distance of about 300m north-north-west. The patrol immediately left the area without retrieving the UAV, which was still flying at an assessed distance of about 300m west-south-west (see SMM Spot Report 26/2020).* On the same day, while conducting a mini-UAV flight over areas near the disengagement area near Petrivske, the SMM heard about 40 bursts of small-arms fire at an assessed distance of about 1.5km south-west and four shots of small arms-fire at an assessed distance of 1.5km south, all assessed as aimed at the UAV, which was flying about 1km south-south- west. The SMM safely landed the UAV and left the area.* Man injured due to shelling in Shyroka Balka on 9 April The SMM followed up on reports of a man injured due to shelling in Shyroka Balka (non- government-controlled, 34km north-east of Donetsk) on 9 April. On 29 April, the man (59 years old) told the SMM that he had been outside of a family house in Shyroka Balka on the afternoon of 9 April with his father and his nephew’s fiancée (25 years old) when they had all heard an explosion and ran for cover inside of the house. Shortly thereafter, he said that he saw and heard a projectile strike the summer kitchen outside, and that shrapnel from the explosion entered the house, striking himself and his nephew’s fiancée. He added that his father transported him to hospital no. 2 in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk). On 22 May, the man shared his hospital-issued medical certificate with the SMM, which states that he had suffered shrapnel injuries to the left side of his chest, spine, neck, ear, and shoulder, as well as a broken left shoulder blade, all due to shelling. The SMM previously reported on the nephew’s fiancée, who died due to injuries sustained from shelling in the same incident (see SMM Daily Report of 20 April 2020). - 5 - Craters near residential houses in Staromykhailivka On 20 May, an SMM mini-UAV spotted two craters in a cultivated field, about 20m south- west of a residential house in Staromykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 15km west of Donetsk), assessed as recent. About 200m south-east of the aforementioned craters, the UAV also spotted another crater in the yard of another residential house, assessed as recent, as well as visible shrapnel damage on the outer wall of an outhouse in the yard and shrapnel damage to vegetation and a nearby fence, which was unable to be assessed if recent. About 50m further east, the same UAV spotted an additional crater in a playground. The SMM assessed the damage as caused by impacts of mortar rounds. Members of the armed formations continued to deny the SMM passage at checkpoints along the contact line in Donetsk and Luhansk regions Members of the armed formations continued to deny the SMM passage at checkpoints in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions along official crossing routes. These restrictions constitute an impediment to the implementation of the Mission’s mandate.5 In Donetsk region, on two occasions at a checkpoint near Olenivka (non-government- controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage – the first time towards government-controlled areas, stating that the SMM did not have permission to pass, and the second time towards non-government-controlled areas, referring to quarantine restrictions due to the COVID-19 outbreak. At a checkpoint near Oleksandrivka (non-government-controlled, 20km south-west of Donetsk), a member of the armed formations denied the SMM passage towards non-government-controlled areas, referring to quarantine restrictions due to the COVID-19 outbreak (see SMM Spot Report 25/2020).* In Luhansk region, at a checkpoint south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage towards government-controlled areas (see SMM Spot Report 25/2020).* Disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske6 On 21 May, inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government- controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw two members of the armed formations (wearing armbands with “JCCC” written on them) between the new span of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge and their checkpoint south of it. On the evening of 21 May, inside the disengagement area near Zolote, an SMM long- range UAV spotted a person in a trench within a former position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, about 80m south of the area’s northern edge and about 500m west of its eastern edge. On the night of 21-22 May, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded about 40 undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 4-6km south-south-east, as well as about ten projectiles in flight at an assessed range of 3-5km south-east, all of which were unable to be assessed if 5 The Mission began facing repeated denials when attempting to cross into non-government-controlled areas at checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk region on 21 March and Luhansk region on 23 March. For more information, see SMM Daily and Spot Reports. 6 Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016. - 6 - inside or outside of the disengagement area. It also recorded an undetermined explosion at an assessed range of 1-3km east-south-east, assessed as outside the disengagement area but within 5km of its periphery. On the night of 21-22 May, the SMM camera 2km east of Bohdanivka (government- controlled, 41km south of Donetsk) recorded about 20 projectiles in flight at an assessed range of 2-5km east and east-south-east, all assessed as inside the disengagement area near Petrivske. The camera also recorded five projectile at an assessed range of 3-5km east- south-east, which were unable to be assessed if inside or outside of the disengagement area. During the day on 22 May, while positioned at three locations close to the disengagement area, the SMM heard about 20 undetermined explosions, heard and saw an explosion assessed as an airburst, and about 50 shots and bursts of small-arms fire, all assessed as outside the disengagement arear but within 5km of its periphery.