Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), Based on Information Received As of 19:30, 10 May 2018
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The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM observed fresh damage caused by shelling in a residential area of Myronivskyi. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area, as well as near the Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted in all three areas.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate access to the Donetsk Filtration Station for Voda Donbassa water company employees; it heard ceasefire violations in the area despite security guarantees. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to high-voltage power lines near Almazna and a water pumping station near Artema. DAILY REPORT Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 10 May 2018 This report is for the media and the general public. The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM observed fresh damage caused by shelling in a residential area of Myronivskyi. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area, as well as near the Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted in all three areas.* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to facilitate access to the Donetsk Filtration Station for Voda Donbassa water company employees; it heard ceasefire violations in the area despite security guarantees. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to high-voltage power lines near Almazna and a water pumping station near Artema. In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1], including about 220 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 900 explosions). On the evening of 9 May, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 110 undetermined explosions and about 280 shots and bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-7km at directions ranging from east to west. On the evening and night of 9-10 May, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 20 undetermined explosions and about 70 shots and bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 0.3-6km south-south-west and west. On the evening and night of 9-10 May, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, 18 projectiles in flight from north to south, five undetermined explosions and two projectiles from south to north, all 1-3km west. Positioned at the DFS for about three and a half hours, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion and seven shots of small-arms fire, all 1km north-north-east and north, despite security guarantees. During the day on 10 May, positioned about 1km north-west of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk) for about five and a half hours, the SMM heard about 30 undetermined explosions 3-6km south-west and north-west. Positioned in Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) for about three and a half hours, the SMM heard about 30 undetermined explosions 2-4km east-south-east. (The SMM assessed that it heard the same explosions when positioned about 1km north-west of Yasynuvata (see above)). Positioned about 1km south-east of Kamianka (government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 2-3km north, four undetermined explosions 7-8km south, an undetermined explosion 1km east, as well as four shots and a burst of small-arms fire 1-3km south and west. On the evening of 9 May, while in Mariupol city centre (government-controlled, 102km south of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 40 explosions (23 assessed as outgoing rounds and the remainder undetermined), all at undetermined distances east. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 30 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (26 explosions). During the day on 10 May, positioned 1km south-south-west of Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions 5-6km north-west. The SMM followed up on reports of fresh damage caused by shelling to civilian properties in a residential area of Myronivskyi (government-controlled, 62km north-east of Donetsk). On 10 May, at 19 Enerhetykiv Street, the SMM saw a fresh crater in the yard of a one-storey house. The SMM assessed it as caused by a mortar (120mm) round (it could not, however, assess the direction of fire). The SMM also saw fresh shrapnel damage to the north-facing outer wall and four shattered windows (three north-facing and one east-facing) of the house at 19 Enerhetykiv Street. At 15 Enerhetykiv Street, the SMM saw fresh shrapnel damage to the north-facing outer wall of a one-storey house and two north- facing shattered windows. At 17 Enerhetykiv Street, the SMM saw fresh shrapnel damage to the north- facing outer wall and a north-facing part of the roof of a one-storey house, as well as two north-east- facing shattered windows. At 16 Matrosova Street, the SMM saw one south-east-facing shattered window of a one-storey house. The SMM assessed all the aforementioned damage as caused by a mortar (120mm) round, but it could not assess the direction of fire. The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), as foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted, but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.* During the day on 1 May, the SMM camera in Petrivske recorded an undetermined explosion 1.5km south-south-west (assessed as inside the disengagement area). On the evening and night of 9-10 May, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded, in sequence, seven projectiles in vertical flight 3-5km east (assessed as outside the disengagement area) and an illumination flare in vertical flight 3-5km south-east (unable to assess whether outside or inside the disengagement area), followed by a total of 18 explosions (six assessed as impacts and the remainder undetermined), a shot of small-arms fire and two projectiles (including one assessed as a round of a rocket-propelled grenade launcher (RPG-7)), all 0.5-7km east, south-east and south and assessed as outside the disengagement area. On the evening of 9 May, the SMM camera at Prince Ihor Monument south-east of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk) recorded two undetermined explosions 5-10km north (assessed as outside the disengagement area). During the day on 10 May, positioned near all three disengagement areas, the SMM observed a calm situation. The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Package of Measures and its Addendum, as well as the Memorandum. In violation of withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw a self-propelled howitzer (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) and three anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) at the junction of roads T0504 and H20 near Berestok (63km north of Donetsk) heading south-west, as well as ten self-propelled howitzers (2S3) being unloaded from flatbed trains at the railway station in Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk). An SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted on 9 May 16 self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) stationary at the railway station in Kostiantynivka. In a non-government- controlled area, the SMM saw two multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) about 2km north of Azarivka (32km south-west of Luhansk) heading south-west. Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, on 9 May, an SMM mini-UAV spotted six surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10) at the railway station in Kostiantynivka. In a non-government-controlled area, the SMM saw five towed howitzers (D-20, 152mm) about 2km north of Azarivka heading south-west. The SMM revisited a heavy weapons permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region, whose location was beyond the respective withdrawal lines, and noted that two MLRS (BM-21) were missing for the first time and that an additional weapon was present for the first time. The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] in the security zone. In a government-controlled area, the SMM saw an armoured personnel carrier (BTR-70) near Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM continued to facilitate the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to the DFS in order to keep the station operational. On 10 May, positioned at the DFS, as well as in nearby areas of Avdiivka, Yasynuvata and Kamianka, the SMM heard undetermined explosions as well as small-arms fire (see ceasefire violation section above), despite security guarantees. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repair works to high-voltage power lines near Almazna (non-government-controlled, 55km west of Luhansk) and to a water pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk). The SMM visited two border areas not under government control.