- 1 - Daily Report 300/2019 19 December 2019 1 Summary • Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. • The Mission saw personnel of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine driving inside the disengagement area near Zolote and de-miners from non-government-controlled areas exiting it. • The SMM saw four multiple launch rocket systems in violation of withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region. • The Mission saw long queues of civilians at checkpoints along the contact line. • It facilitated and monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to facilitate repairs to power lines near Luhanske, a water pipeline near Zaitseve and the drilling of water wells near Pankivka, • The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at checkpoints of the armed formations near Oleksandrivske and Novoazovsk in southern Donetsk region * Ceasefire violations 2 Number of recorded ceasefire violations 3 Number of recorded explosions 4 1 Based on information from the Monitoring Teams as of 19:30, 18 December 2019. All times are in Eastern European Time. 2 For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, the SMM camera at the Prince Ihor Monument south-east of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge was not operational. 3 Including explosions 4 Including from unidentified weapons - 2 - Map of recorded ceasefire violations - 3 - In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions (about 190), compared with the previous reporting period (about 105 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including explosions, were recorded at southerly directions of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk) and the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk). On the evening and night of 17-18 December, the SMM camera at the DFS recorded 48 ceasefire violations in areas 100-500m south and south- south-west. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions (34), compared with the previous reporting period (two explosions). All of the ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south and south-south-west of Kriakivka (government- controlled, 38km north-west of Luhansk). Disengagement areas near Petrivske, Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska 5 Positioned about 1.8km north of Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions at a range of 4-5km south-south-west and two shots of small-arms fire about 700m south-west, all assessed as outside the disengagement area near Petrivske but within its 5km periphery. Inside the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk), the Mission saw five State Emergency Service (SES) of Ukraine de-miners and one vehicle drive towards Katerynivka (government-controlled, 64km west of Luhansk). It also saw 17 workers and two de-miners from non-government-controlled areas exit the area with two vehicles. Throughout the day, the SMM saw up to six members of the armed formations (wearing armbands with “JCCC” written on them) on the southern edge of the disengagement area. Inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw that seven metal poles had been placed on the western side of the road around 200m south of the metal span of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. It also saw nine members of the armed formations (wearing armbands with “JCCC” written on them) between the new section of the bridge and the checkpoint of the armed formations south of it. Withdrawal of weapons The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum. The Mission observed four weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in a non-government- controlled area of Luhansk region (for further details, see the table below). 5 Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016. - 4 - Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone 6 The SMM observed military presence inside the security zone in government-controlled areas, including infantry fighting vehicles in a residential area (for further details, see the table below). Mine hazard signs in Verkhnotoretske On 17 December, about 150m north-west of a checkpoint in Verkhnotoretske (government- controlled, 23km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw for the first time three red mine hazard signs with “Mines” written on them in Cyrillic letters in a field about 3m west of the road. On the side of the road , the SMM also saw three boards with mine hazard information written on them. Long queues at checkpoints along the contact line At a checkpoint of the armed formations near Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM again observed at least 200 vehicles queuing to travel to government-controlled areas. At checkpoints of the armed formations near Kreminets (non- government-controlled, 16km south-west of Donetsk) and Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 85km south of Donetsk), the SMM also saw at least 150 and 200 vehicles, respectively, queuing to travel to government-controlled areas. Border areas outside government control While at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) for 50 minutes, the SMM saw 23 cars (two with Ukrainian and five with Russian Federation licence plates, as well as 16 with “DPR” plates), two covered cargo trucks with “DPR” plates, two buses (one with Russian Federation licence plates and one with “DPR” plates), and 19 pedestrians (mixed ages and genders) entering Ukraine. It also saw nine cars (four with Ukrainian and three with Russian Federation licence plates, as well as two with “DPR” plates), two covered cargo trucks with Russian Federation licence plates, four buses with “DPR” plates, and seven pedestrians (mixed ages and genders) exiting Ukraine. While at a pedestrian border crossing point near Ulianivske (61km south-east of Donetsk) for 20 minutes, the SMM did not see any pedestrians entering or exiting Ukraine. SMM facilitation of repairs to and operation of critical civilian infrastructure and demining activities The SMM monitored and facilitated adherence to localized ceasefires to facilitate the drilling of water wells near Pankivka (non-government-controlled, 16km north of Luhansk), repairs to power lines near Luhanske (government-controlled, 59km north-east of Donetsk) and repairs to a water pipeline in a non-government-controlled part of Zaitseve (50km north-east of Donetsk). The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS. 6 The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons. - 5 - The Mission continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv. *Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) 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. They have also agreed that the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, see below ). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb ; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations. Denial of access: - At a checkpoint on the eastern edge of Oleksandrivske (formerly Rozy Liuksemburh, non-government-controlled, 90km south-east of Donetsk), four armed members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage towards Markyne (non-government- controlled, 94km south of Donetsk) and a border crossing point outside government control. - At a checkpoint north of Novoazovsk (non-government-controlled, 102km south-east of Donetsk), two armed members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage towards a border crossing point outside government control. Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO: - The sides continued to deny the SMM full access, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines, UXO and other obstacles. Other impediments: - An SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) experienced GPS signal interference, assessed as caused by probable jamming, while flying over areas near the disengagement area near Petrivske (government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk).7 7 The interference could have originated from anywhere within the radius of kilometres from the UAV’s position.