Central Europe

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The SMM recorded few ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM revisited Ukrainian Armed Forces and “DPR” heavy weapons holding areas and found weapons missing. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a protest of journalists.

The SMM observed a relatively calm situation in the Donetsk region with some ceasefire violations recorded in the area of the Donetsk airport and Debaltseve. At the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) observation point at “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled Donetsk railway station (8km north-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM heard 12 explosions 3-7km north-east and saw one explosion 3-5km north of its position. The SMM also heard heavy machine gun and pistol fire at locations at 3-10km south and north-east of its position at the observation post.

In “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (56km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard six undetermined explosions 3-4km north-west of its position in the town’s centre. According to the Russian Federation Armed Forces JCCC officer, the sounds of explosions were coming from a shooting range. The SMM was unable to verify this claim.

While in “DPR”-controlled Oleksandrivka (20km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard three single small-arms shots; approximately 300m north of its position (in front of the school in Marinskyi district), close to the line of contact.

In Oleksandrivka the SMM visited the school in Marinskyi district, located on the contact line and exposed to repeated shelling (last shelled on 27 August). According to the school director there were 194 pupils (six to 16 years old) attending the school and living near the contact line. The majority of the windows were covered in plastic sheeting and the gym was heavily damaged. The director said the curriculum in the school was being delivered in both Ukrainian and Russian languages.

The “chief” of Debaltseve “police” told the SMM that ongoing demining activities conducted by “DPR” “ministry of emergency services” and “DPR” engineers within the city were not completed, but that unexploded ordnance were clearly marked with warning signs.

In government-controlled Berezove (35km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM followed up on reports that two middle-aged women had been injured by an explosive device on the side of the highway near a checkpoint on 15 September. The deputy head doctor of the hospital in Volnovakha confirmed that two females had been treated for minor shrapnel-related injuries that day. The doctor added that there had been ten cases of injuries from explosive devices in the last three months.

At the weekly civil-military co-ordination meeting in government-controlled Artemivsk (66km north-east of Donetsk) the senior engineer of the Agricultural Unit in government-controlled Bakhmutske (75km north-east of Donetsk) raised the urgent need to demine agricultural fields in the areas neither under government nor under “DPR” or “LPR” control. The engineer explained that out of 2,500 hectares of agricultural land, only 1,500 are currently cultivated. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer stated that the two demining teams in the area were both engaged elsewhere. He also cautioned that demining in areas where control is disputed was difficult as it required co-ordination between the sides controlling adjacent areas.

In the Luhansk region, the SMM observed a relatively calm situation with two ceasefire violations recorded. While between government-controlled Nyzhnie (56km north-west of Luhansk) and Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint 3km east of government controlled Novotoshkivske (52km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard four explosions approximately 10km north-east of its position.

In government-controlled Muratove (50km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM heard one to two hundred bursts of small-arms and light-machine-gun fire south-east of its position, in the vicinity of the government-controlled village of Orikhove-Donetske (44km north-west of Luhansk). The firing lasted for approximately five minutes.

The SMM monitored the repairs of the electric station in "LPR"-controlled Raivka (16km north-west of Luhansk), carried out by the Luganskvoda company. Due to damage from shelling on 27 August the company had to replace a pylon supporting the transformer of the station. The SMM also observed the repair works to the electricity lines in "LPR"-controlled Vesela Hora (16km north of Luhansk) carried out by Luhansk Electricity Network.

The SMM revisited two “DPR” heavy weapons holding areas whose locations corresponded with respective withdrawal lines. At the first site all previously recorded weapons were present. At the second site two howitzers (152mm, 2A65 MSTA-B) were missing.

The SMM also revisited two Ukrainian Armed Forces heavy weapons holding areas whose locations corresponded with respective withdrawal lines. At the first site ten anti-tank guns (nine 100mm, 2A29 MT-12 Rapira, and one 100mm, 2A19 T-12) were missing. At the second site all previously recorded weapons were present. The SMM also recorded additional weapons at this site.

The SMM observed the following weapons’ movements in areas that are in violation of respective withdrawal lines. In the area of government-controlled Novotoshkivske (53km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed three infantry fighting vehicles (BMP-2). One of them was equipped with an anti-tank guided missile (9K111 Fagot).

In Kharkiv, the SMM attended a conference on “Ways of achieving peace through religious practices in the Ukrainian context”. Representatives of the Roman and the Greek Catholic Churches, the Ukrainian Muslim Association (UMMA), the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church and the German Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ukraine participated. The role played by religious communities in providing assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) was also discussed.

In Odessa the SMM visited two Roma tent campsites at Kulykove Pole. One group (six women, six men and one child) told the SMM they were from the Mykolaiv region and in Odessa family reasons after which they plan to return home. Another group consisted of 12 women, four men and two children. They informed the SMM that they were from Sloviansk in the Donetsk region, but had arrived to Odessa from Kyiv. Their intent was to return to Kyiv, as they consider it better in terms of support from local authorities.

In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a gathering of approximately 150 journalists (various ages, both male and female) commemorating the 15th anniversary of the murder of Heorhii Gongadze. The journalists demanded that cases of attacks and intimidation of journalists be effectively investigated. They pointed out that of 36 cases of assaults on journalists in 2015 only three cases were submitted to courts. 

The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Dnepropetrovsk, Kherson, Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk and Lviv.

*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 the presence – and lack of information on the whereabouts – of mines, and damaged infrastructure. The security situation in Donbas is fluid and unpredictable and the ceasefire does not hold everywhere. Self-imposed restrictions on movement into high-risk areas have impinged on SMM patrolling activities, particularly in areas not controlled by the government. Members of the “LPR” continue to prevent the SMM from monitoring most areas close to the border with the Russian Federation.

Delayed access:

• At a checkpoint on Leninskyi Avenue/H15 near “DPR”-controlled Shyrokyi (6.6km south-west of Donetsk city centre), an armed “DPR” “police officer” stopped and told the SMM to wait until he got “permission” for the SMM’s passage from his superior. After 30 minutes the SMM was allowed to pass.

Conditional access:

• In “DPR”-controlled Debaltseve (56km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM were not allowed to move without escort. It was escorted by the Russian Federation Armed Forces JCCC officer. 

• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 15 September 2015
• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 14 September 2015
• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 13 September 2015

KYIV, 17 September 2015 – The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) will present its new thematic report “Access to water in conflict‐affected areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions” at a press conference tomorrow in Kyiv, Luhansk and Horlivka.

Alexander Hug, the SMM’s Deputy Chief Monitor, and Anna Gay, the SMM Human Rights Officer, will present the main findings of the report that examines the negative impact of the conflict on access to water and SMM’s efforts to facilitate ceasefires to allow for the repairs to provide conflict‐affected civilians with sufficient, safe, acceptable and affordable water.

Journalists are invited to attend the press conference tomorrow, 18 September, at 15:00 (Kyiv time), at the OSCE SMM Head Office, at 26 Turhenevska street, Kyiv.

Journalists should request accreditation by sending an e-mail to Iryna.Gudyma@osce.org by 12.00 on 18 September, with the following information: name, media outlet, contact details (e-mail and phone number).

Any possible changes in timings and places will be communicated via social media (@OSCE_SMM, www.facebook.com/oscesmmu).

Live online streaming of the news briefing will be available at http://ustre.am/1jT6S

• OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine to hold news briefing in Kyiv tomorrow
• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 15 September 2015
• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 14 September 2015

BISHKEK, 17 September  2015 -  A two-day OSCE-supported international conference focusing on 15 years of an agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan on the use of the shared water management facilities along the Chu and Talas rivers, concluded today in Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan.

More than 100 representatives of ministries and agencies from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, along with the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), and international organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), GIZ, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation attended the event.

"Water is a strategic resource and an essential element of national and regional security, which is equally important for all countries in the Central Asian region,” said Yulia Minaeva, Senior Officer at the OSCE Centre in Bishkek. “It is important to make water a resource for co-operation as opposed to competition."

The meeting  agenda included the  67th session of the Interstate Commission for Water Сo-ordination of Central Asia and the 20th session of the Chu-Talas Water Commission as well as a meeting of experts on environmental monitoring of the Chu and Talas rivers timed to coincide with the jubilee conference.

Participants examined the lessons learnt by the Chu-Talas Commission and the further prospects for improving water co-operation in the basin of these rivers.

The conference was organized with the support of the UNDP’s Enabling Trans-boundary Co-operation and International Water Resources Management in Chu-Talas River Basins’ Project.

• OSCE Centre in Bishkek supports workshop for Eurasian Group on combating money laundering and financing of terrorism
• OSCE Centre in Bishkek contributes to timely crisis management response in Kyrgyzstan
• VIth coordination meeting on combatting organized crime and violent extremism

ULAANBAATAR, 17 September 2015 – The deepening refugee crisis in Europe and the potential of the OSCE and its parliamentarians to help mitigate the situation was the focus of debate today at the conclusion of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Autumn Meeting.

Dozens of parliamentarians, including from countries of arrival, transit and destination for refugees, addressed the scope and nature of the crisis; exchanged ideas on short- and long-term responses; and underscored the role of parliamentarians in generating the needed political will.

“We are now witnessing things that we never thought we would witness,” said Italian parliamentarian Marietta Tidei, the Rapporteur of the OSCE PA’s Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment.

“People who are fleeing war are being fired on with tear gas… But it is not enough to express anger. We need a common political vision,” she said.

Tidei was among multiple parliamentarians who argued that the OSCE and its parliamentary branch, in bringing together representatives of 57 countries, are ideally placed to facilitate the sharing of best practices, to chart commonly agreed policies and to inspire action.

Batchimeg Migeddorj, the Head of Mongolia's Delegation to the OSCE PA, said:

“Although we are geographically far away, it is painful for us to see this human suffering every day. We understand that this is a complex issue, but the OSCE should send a clear message to the world on how we should deal with this crisis.”

Several parliamentarians noted that their connection with constituents would be crucial in generating public support for burden-sharing policies, guarding against xenophobia and educating people on the driving factors behind the refugee crisis.

Metin Baydar, the Acting Head of Turkey’s Delegation of the Assembly, projected the image of a drowned Syrian toddler onto a screen for parliamentarians to view. He was one of several lawmakers who underscored that the refugee crisis must be not be considered a European problem only.

“This should be seen as a joint responsibility of humanity… It is the international community working as a whole that will solve this problem,” he said.

Derek Keating, a Member of Ireland’s Delegation to the OSCE PA, said:

“This is not a crisis of borders, but a crisis of solidarity… That Syrian boy was silenced through death, and yet is speaking to the world. We must continue to listen to him.”

In his intervention, OSCE PA Vice-President Peter Bowness (MP, United Kingdom) said, "It is too easy to condemn countries for not responding as we might like them to in an ideal world.” 

Countries dealing with an influx of refugees require increased administrative support,  Bowness said, while emphasizing that “the long-term element is promoting secure and peaceful environments in home countries so that people do not become refugees.”

Spanish parliamentarian Ignacio Sanchez Amor, the OSCE PA’s Special Representative on OSCE Border Issues, stressed that one immediate way for the OSCE to assist countries in dealing with the crisis is to make its Border Management Staff College in Dushanbe more available to all participating States.

The final session of the 2015 Autumn Meeting also featured a presentation by Bold Luvsanvandan, a Member of the Mongolian Delegation to the OSCE PA, on his country’s human rights record.

United Nations Development Programme Representative Beate Trankmann also addressed the Assembly, focusing on the role of parliaments in promoting the UN’s new Sustainable Development Goals.

Hosted by the State Great Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia, the Autumn Meeting has addressed continuing and emerging security concerns for the OSCE area and the role of parliamentarians in fostering co-operation to address those concerns. 

For news, video, photos and speeches from the Meeting visit: http://www.oscepa.org/meetings/autumn-meetings/2015-mongolia.

• OSCE Central Asia roundtable features at Parliamentary Assembly Autumn Meeting
• Mongolian President, Parliament Chairman open OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Autumn Meeting
• OSCE PA Special Representative notes recent progress, challenges in Balkans

VIENNA, 17 September 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today said the sanctions introduced in Ukraine, banning several dozen foreign journalists from entering the country, is a severe threat to the rights of journalists to freely collect information.

“I fully respect governments’ legitimate right to fight terrorism and to protect their national security and their citizens,” Mijatović said. “But introducing over-broad restrictions that curb free movement of journalists is not the way to ensure security”. 

On 16 September, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree introducing sanctions against several hundred companies and individuals that pose a “threat to national interests” or promote “terrorist activities”. The decree also lists members of the media, primarily originating from OSCE participating States, including United Kingdom, Germany and Russia, and bans them from entry into Ukraine. 

“I call on President Poroshenko to amend his decree and exclude journalists from it,” Mijatović said. “The authorities should facilitate the work of journalists and abstain from creating administrative obstacles to the entry."

The Representative also reminded of her recent communique on the denial of entry of journalists from one OSCE participating State to another (www.osce.org/fom/117092). 

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.

• Murder of Gongadze must be fully investigated, Mijatović says, calls on authorities in Ukraine to end climate of impunity
• OSCE Representative calls on authorities in Hungary to ensure the safety of journalists covering the refugee crisis
• OSCE Representative encourages authorities in Iceland to preserve strong and independent media

VIENNA, 17 September 2015 – Hungarian law enforcement authorities must stop threatening and obstructing the work of journalists reporting on the refugee crisis, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović said today.

“I call upon Prime Minister Orban to instruct law enforcement to respect the rights of journalists to report on issues of public interest and ensure their safety,” Mijatović said.

"Hungarian police beat reporters with batons, forced journalists to delete heir footage, broke their equipment, and threw teargas," Mijatović said. “Such behaviour is totally unacceptable, as it disregards the essential role of the media, and endangers the safety of journalists.” 

On 16 September Hungarian police attacked cameraman Vladan Hadži Mijailović, and sound engineer Miroslav Djurašinović, both from Radio Television of Serbia, at the Horgoš border crossing. Their colleague, reporter Jovana Djurović, suffered a hand injury. The crew was attacked while they were filming between the police cordon and a group of refugees at the Hungarian-Serbian border, even though they had identified themselves as journalists. 

Also on 16 September, journalist Jacek Tacik from Poland's public broadcaster TVP was beaten by the police. He received medical assistance from Hungarian doctors for head injuries before he was arrested for illegally crossing the border. On the same day a crew with the Serbian media outlet B92 suffered from tear gas fired at the refugees by the police, while they were covering the events.

On 12 September, Associated Press cameraman Luca Muzi reported that he was briefly detained near the border town of Roszke by Hungarian police who forced him to delete photos he took of a police dog threatening a Syrian refugee. He said police did not allow him to call his colleagues. This incident is disputed by the Hungarian authorities.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more atwww.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.

• Murder of Gongadze must be fully investigated, Mijatović says, calls on authorities in Ukraine to end climate of impunity
• OSCE media freedom representative deplores sanctions in Ukraine banning entry of journalists
• OSCE Representative encourages authorities in Iceland to preserve strong and independent media

Capacity-building seminar for judges-developers of educational courses and programs on application of the European Convention on Human Rights (Convention) and the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (Court) was held on 27-29 August in Truskavets, a town in Lviv region, western Ukraine.

The training provided participants with a set of skills to develop courses aimed at protection of property rights, rights of internally displaced persons, refugees, persons undergoing extradition, deportation. They were also acquainted with case-law hierarchy and jurisdictional issues under the European Convention on Human Rights.   

 “The courses developed with the OSCE support address the educational needs of judges and are aimed at ensuring human rights protection in courts” - said Ambassador Vaidotas Verba, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.

The seminar is part of the “Safeguarding Human Rights through Courts” project, implemented by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine with the financial support from the Government of Canada.

A range of educational courses for judges, including distance learning ones, were developed with involvement of Ukrainian judges.

• OSCE facilitates dialogue between judges and advocates on human rights protection in Ukraine
• OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine trains teachers on educating about human rights principles
• OSCE Supports Discussion of Constitutional Amendments Affecting Ukraine’s Justice System

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The SMM recorded an increase in the number of ceasefire violations compared to previous days in Donetsk region, and one ceasefire violation in Luhansk region.

The overall situation observed by the SMM in Donetsk region remained calm. At the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) observation point at “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled Donetsk railway station (8km north-west of Donetsk city centre), on 5 September the SMM recorded 19 ceasefire violations – mostly explosions assessed as incoming 82mm and 120mm mortar 3-5km west of its position. On 6 September, at the same observation point the SMM recorded one ceasefire violation[1].  

On 5 September, the SMM together with senior representatives of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Russian Federation Armed Forces at the JCCC, and a “DPR” member visited “DPR”-controlled Oleksandrivka (22km south-west of Donetsk), which was reportedly shelled on 4 September, around 16:00hrs. The SMM was told by 10-15 residents (mixed gender, aged 65-75) that an 86-year-old man had died after a shell fragment had hit him. The SMM observed no crater or other traces of fresh explosion in the vicinity. The SMM visited the morgue on Illicha Street in Donetsk city, where a pathologist confirmed the date of death and said that it had been caused by a fragment of highly-explosive ordnance.

On 6 September, at the Donetsk railway station, a woman in her fifties told the SMM that residents in the area had requested support from “DPR” for the repair of their damaged houses, but had been told that this would only be done once “the conflict was over”. The SMM spoke with a male resident of Donetsk city’s Kuibyshivskyi district in his sixties who said that his house had been damaged by shelling in May 2014 and that he only received reconstruction material more than a year later. The SMM talked to a male shop owner in Kuibyshivskyi district, who said that the prices have not changed in his shop as a consequence of the new Ukrainian Hryvnia to Russian Rouble exchange rate. He still accepted Hryvnia, he said, but most customers paid with Russian Roubles.

At the humanitarian and logistic centre at the checkpoint in government-controlled Zaitseve (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM spoke with bank and pharmacy employees, who stated that on 6 September they had had approximately 50 customers, whereas the previous two days, they had had approximately 100-150. A bank employee said that there were no restrictions on withdrawal amounts. The pharmacy employee stated that people can place orders by phone and pick up their medicines in one or two days.

In Luhansk region, the situation observed by the SMM remained calm with no ceasefire violations recorded on 5 September and one ceasefire violation recorded on 6 September.

On 5 September, at a “Lugansk People’s Republic” (“LPR”) training area near Krasnyi Luch (55km south-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed 11 static multi-launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21). At another location within the same training area, the SMM observed 16 self-propelled howitzers (“Gvozdika” 2S1), 11 MLRS (BM-21), and four towed howitzers (D20, 152mm). On 6 September, at a training area in "LPR"-controlled Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk) the SMM observed 28 static tanks (T-64 and T-72) compared to 30 observed at the same location on 5 September.  On 6 September at a training area in "LPR"-controlled Uspenka (23km south-west of Luhansk) the SMM observed 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S1), and 11 towed howitzers (D-30) compared to six self-propelled howitzers (2S1, 122mm) observed at the same location on 5 September. The three training areas are behind withdrawal lines.

On 5 September,  a window of silence  jointly facilitated by the SMM and the JCCC office in Luhansk and observed by the SMM resulted in the completion of repairs to electrical lines in "LPR"-controlled Raivka (16km north-west of Luhansk) that were destroyed by shelling on 27 August 2015. Some 200 people from neighbouring “LPR”-controlled Vesela Hora (16km north of Luhansk) and Vesna (15km north-west of Luhansk) benefitted from the restoration of electricity.

On 5 September, the SMM revisited two “DPR” heavy weapons holding areas whose locations corresponded with the respective withdrawal lines. At both areas, the SMM found all previously-recorded weapons present. On 6 September, the SMM revisited three “DPR” holding areas. At two areas, the SMM found that all previously-recorded weapons were present. At the third area, the SMM found that three artillery guns (122mm, D-30) were missing and there were three other guns with serial numbers differing from the weapons the SMM previously recorded. The SMM also observed at this location that one of two previously-recorded towed artillery systems (100mm, MT-12 Rapira) was absent. A “DPR” member did not permit the SMM to check the serial number of the second.

The SMM observed the following weapons’ movements in areas that were in violation of the respective withdrawal lines. On 5 September, near government-controlled Berezove (35km south-west of Donetsk) the SMM saw one armoured vehicle (BMP2) with an anti-tank guided missile launcher (Spandrel or Spigot, both over 100mm in calibre). On 5 September, in the area of government-controlled Novoaidar (49km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM observed a convoy heading east composed of 14 vehicles, including four trucks towing four howitzers (D-30, 122 mm), one truck towing an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) and eight armoured vehicles (Cougars) with machine guns. On 5 September, the SMM observed a convoy heading west in the area of government-controlled Novoaidar (49km north-west of Luhansk) composed of three trucks with military personnel towing three anti-tank guns MT-12 (100mm).

On 4 September in Lviv, the SMM monitored a peaceful protest by ten young women (aged 15-18), against the Russian-affiliated VS Bank. The protesters held placards with the following statements: “Do not give money to occupants”, “VS Bank raiders get out of Lviv”. No police presence was observed. This was one of a series of similar protests by young women and men against the bank that the SMM monitored on 17 and 20 August, and daily on 1-4 September.

The Head of the Department of Education of the Storozhynets district (25km south-east of Chernivtsi) told the SMM they have increased the number of hours dedicated to the subject “protection of the motherland” this year, from 1.5 to 2 hours per week. In addition, school nurses provide lessons on first aid in emergency situations for pupils from grades 1-11 and their teachers. The interlocutor emphasized that the purpose was “to educate patriots”.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Kharkiv, Dnepropetrovsk, Odessa, Kherson, Ivano-Frankivsk and Kyiv.

*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 the presence – and lack of information on the whereabouts – of mines, and damaged infrastructure. The security situation in Donbas is fluid and unpredictable and the ceasefire does not hold everywhere. Self-imposed restrictions on movement into high-risk areas have impinged on SMM patrolling activities, particularly in areas not controlled by the government. Members of the “LPR” continue to prevent the SMM from monitoring most areas close to the border with the Russian Federation.

Denied access:

• In “DPR”-controlled Naberezhne (32km north-east of Mariupol), ten “DPR” members did not allow the SMM to proceed. They said the movement of the SMM was not cleared by the “DPR”, and took photos of the number-plates of the SMM vehicles.
• At a “DPR” checkpoint 3.5km east of Kominternove (20km north-east of Mariupol), “DPR” members denied the SMM passage, saying that they did not get clearance from their superior for the SMM to pass.

Delay:

• At a “DPR” checkpoint 5km south of Donetsk, an armed “DPR” member stopped the SMM for ten minutes and allowed the SMM to proceed after he received a phone call ostensibly from his supervisor.
• At a “DPR” checkpoint south of Olenivka (23km south-west of Donetsk) “DPR” members inspected the SMM vehicle trunks. A female “DPR” member took her picture with an assault rifle in front of one of the OSCE vehicles without the SMM’s permission. The delay lasted six minutes.
• At a “LPR”-controlled checkpoint in Irmino (54km west of Luhansk) the SMM waited one hour for an escort by “LPR” members to Pervomaisk (57km west of Luhansk).

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.

* 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”.

• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 4 September 2015
• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 3 September 2015
• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 2 September 2015

COPENHAGEN, 7 September 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Vice-President and Special Representative on South East Europe Roberto Battelli (MP, Slovenia) today welcomed important progress made over the summer months in the Balkans, while urging continued work on regional challenges.

Battelli highlighted the agreements between Belgrade and Prishtine/Pristina reached on 25 August as beneficial.

“All four agreements – on energy, telecommunications, the establishment of an Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities and sharing of the Mitrovice/Mitrovica bridge – are milestone agreements which add constructive momentum to regional co-operation,” he said.

The Special Representative also welcomed the European Union’s political support for the European aspirations of the region, as reconfirmed at the recent Western Balkans Summit in Vienna, and called for the removal of remaining obstacles. 

“A spirit of compromise must prevail in the search for mutually acceptable solutions to remaining issues, such as the name dispute between the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Greece. Bilateral disputes should not hold back Skopje’s progress along its accession track to the EU.

“At the same time, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia must continue to address its internal challenges. In this context, I welcome the return to parliament of the opposition and I hope that the EU-brokered agreement of 2 June will be implemented in good faith,” Battelli said.

The Special Representative also highlighted a Western Balkans Summit side event on the “Follow Us” initiative, an effort to promote dialogue between prominent women from Belgrade and Prishtine/Pristina that was launched with the support of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the OSCE Mission in Kosovo in 2012.  

“Reconciliation needs to be inclusive. As has been demonstrated in other regions, women can and must play an active role in reconciliation processes in this region, too. The more we support this perspective, the sooner we will achieve results,” Battelli said.

He also noted the acute challenge posed by the record influx and transit of refugees in South East Europe: 

“Refugees go through the Balkans because the EU has blocked other routes. The EU must therefore display maximum solidarity with the region in addressing this challenge, in the best interest of the refugees, as well as of the countries of transit and of destination.”

• OSCE PA President Kanerva condemns Kyiv violence
• Secretaries General of OSCE PA, NATO PA, PACE meet for consultations
• Building walls won't solve migrant crisis, says OSCE PA humanitarian Chair

CHERKASY, 7 September 2015 – An advanced training course for Ukrainian border control officers aimed at increasing their practical abilities to detect forged travel documents started today in Cherkasy.

These two back-to-back one-week intensive training courses are designed to update and sharpen the skills of 42 border control officers in detecting forged travel documents by disseminating knowledge on security features of passports common in the region, diverse visas, framework of various visa regimes and many other document security features.

The first two trainings in a series of five courses aim to build on the existing skills of officers related to travel document security, seek to complement and add to them through in-depth knowledge about the manufacturing process, as well as the latest trends in counterfeiting methods and means of identifying them.

“Travel documents are desirable tools for criminals and terrorist groups to facilitate trafficking, financial fraud, espionage, people smuggling or other crimes,” said Simon Deignan from the OSCE Transnational Threats Department. “Without the ability to travel freely that a travel document allows, terrorists and criminals can be impeded, thereby reducing their reach and impact.”

A key focus of the interactive sessions will also be on exercising practical work on original, forged and false documents, as well as understanding and using forensic equipment to identify document forgery.

This training course has been well received by the OSCE participating States and the OSCE has organized a similar course for the Turkish border guards in Istanbul in 2014 followed by a study visit of Turkish officers to Vienna.

The courses are organized by the OSCE Secretariat's Transnational Threats Department/Action against Terrorism Unit (TNTD/ATU), in co-operation with the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) of the US Department of Justice. They are conducted by two document advisors from the Austrian Ministry of the Interior.

• A number of achievements and good practices on gender equality in Russia, says OSCE Senior Gender Adviser on working visit to Moscow
• Proportionate measures and partnerships needed to safeguard charities from terrorist abuse in South Eastern Europe
• OSCE supports co-operation among law enforcement agencies in South East Europe

COPENHAGEN, 4 September 2015 – Nearly 200 lawmakers from across the OSCE’s 57 participating States will gather in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on 15-18 September for the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 2015 Autumn Meeting.

The Meeting will focus on continuing and emerging security concerns for the OSCE area and the role of parliamentarians in fostering co-operation to address those concerns. 

Hosted by the State Great Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia, the Meeting is the final major gathering of the Assembly this year. 

Mongolian Parliament Chairman Enkhbold Zandaakhuu and Mongolian President Elbegdorj Tsakhia are scheduled to address the Assembly during the opening session on 16 September. 

OSCE PA President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland), members of the Mongolian Delegation to the Assembly and officials from the United Nations and Shanghai Cooperation Organization will be among other keynote speakers.

The Autumn Meeting will also feature a special roundtable event on Central Asia with the Heads of OSCE field operations in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Topics to be addressed in presentations and parliamentary debate include: counter-terrorism, human trafficking, food and water security, the development of democratic institutions, human rights and freedom of the media.

Mongolia, the most recent country to become an OSCE participating State (in 2012), will be hosting an OSCE PA meeting for the first time.

Parliamentarians from several OSCE Partner for Co-operation states will also be in attendance.

• Azerbaijan in ‘anti-democratic free fall,’ says OSCE PA’s Santos following Yunus verdict
• OSCE PA Special Representative notes recent progress, challenges in Balkans
• OSCE PA President condemns attacks in Tajikistan

COPENHAGEN, 5 September 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) today issued the following statement on the 4 September gun attacks in and around Dushanbe, Tajikistan:

"I condemn in the strongest terms the attacks in Tajikistan, which apparently targeted police and other personnel. Such senseless violence has no justification and no place in our world. The perpetrators must be held accountable for their crimes following a transparent investigation. On behalf of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, I express my sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims."

• OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to convene in Mongolia for 2015 Autumn Meeting
• OSCE PA human rights Chair calls for release of Azerbaijan’s Ismayilova
• OSCE PA President Kanerva condemns Kyiv violence

The OSCE Office in Tajikistan, jointly with the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan, organized a half-day roundtable on 4 September 2015 for expert discussions on enhancing technical capacity of the newly-established State Service for Supervision of Hydro Technical Facilities.

The purpose of the event was to discuss the key ideas and best practices in dam safety laws and regulations on national and international levels, thus contributing to the development of a five-year work plan for the State Service.

“This project would enhance the security of the population living in the proximity of hydrological infrastructure, and would also maximise the efficiency of the hydraulic power stations in Tajikistan,” said George Sand, Acting Head of the Economic and Environmental Department. He added that the OSCE Office in Tajikistan plans to support the work of the State Service also in the next year.

The event brought together some 50 participants, including government representatives from the Agency of Irrigation and Land Reclamation; the Ministry of Water Resources and Energy; the State Committee for National Security; the State Committee for Safety in Industry and Mining, the Tajik Hydrometeorology Agency as well as representatives of several hydro power plants including Kairakum, Vakhsh, Sangtuda-1, Sangtuda-2, Nurek, Varzob.

Representatives from Tajik electricity utilities and international organizations also took  part in the event.

• OSCE supports trade facilitation in Central Asia and Afghanistan
• Annual Government-Civil Society Conference on Key Human Rights Issues in Tajikistan
• OSCE trains Tajikistan border troops on patrol leadership

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The SMM observed few ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, and none in Luhansk.

The SMM observed a calm situation overall in the Donetsk region. At the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) observation point at “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled Donetsk railway station (8km north-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM recorded only one ceasefire violation – an airburst from an anti-aircraft gun 4km north-north-west of its position[1]. At a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint near government-controlled Marinka (23km west-south-west of Donetsk) located 3km west of the first “DPR” checkpoint on the road to Donetsk city, the SMM saw and heard two incoming explosions by 82mm mortars approximately 200m north of its position.

In a field 4km north-west of “DPR”-controlled Yenakiieve (37km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM observed an on-going field exercise with live ammunition, conducted with main battle tanks (MBT), and saw at least four airbursts and four impacts 2-3km west of its position. In addition, the SMM heard intensive outgoing heavy-machine gun and small-arms fire at distances ranging between 3 and 5km north-west of its position.

In government-controlled Pavlopil (26km north-east Mariupol), the SMM spoke to three school children and their mothers. The children had started attending school in government-controlled Talakivka (17km north-east of Mariupol) from 1 September due to the closure of the only school in Pavlopil (see SMM Daily Report 1 September). The interlocutors told the SMM that starting from the coming week the children would be on a special list used by Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint personnel in government-controlled Hnutove (20km north-east of Mariupol) allowing them to cross the checkpoint without waiting in line. Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel at the checkpoint in Hnutove confirmed this information to the SMM. The mothers told the SMM that they crossed the checkpoint, where they had to wait for one and a half hours to proceed in both directions, to take their children to school every day.

On 3 September, in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM met with the deputy “chief” of the city “police department” who informed that the “department” had only approximately 30 percent of its pre-conflict staff as most had left the job due to the conflict and that the “department” faced difficulties in recruiting new staff due to low numbers of applicants. However, the population in the city had also decreased to 210,000 people compared to 300,000 people before the conflict, he noted. 

At a checkpoint in government-controlled Zaitseve (50km north-north-east of Donetsk) the SMM observed a queue of 163 civilian vehicles waiting to enter “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-north-east of Donetsk) and 540 civilian vehicles waiting to enter government-controlled area.

At a checkpoint on the southern outskirts of government-controlled Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM observed a queue of approximately 230 civilian vehicles waiting to enter from “DPR”-controlled to government-controlled area.

In Luhansk region, the SMM observed a calm situation overall and recorded no ceasefire violations.

In a training area in “Lugansk People’s Republic” (“LPR”)-controlled Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed five MBT tanks (T-64).

In government-controlled Krymske (43km north-west of Luhansk), a Ukrainian Armed Forces commander informed the SMM about shelling by 120mm mortar in the government-controlled northern area of Zholobok  (48km north-west of Luhansk) near the contact line, during the night of 2 September. Due to security reasons, the SMM could not observe possible impact areas, which were mined according to signs.

At the Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint on the government-controlled northern side of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (16km north-east of Luhansk), the commander told the SMM that only those who had a special permit were allowed to cross the checkpoint. The interlocutor showed the SMM a list of medical staff who lived on the “LPR”-controlled southern side and were allowed to cross the bridge to work on the government-controlled side.

The SMM visited school number 14 in government-controlled Zolote 3 (60km north-west of Luhansk), where the school director told the SMM that there were 12 enrolled pupils – compared to 65 pupils before the conflict and 47 pupils at the end of the previous academic year. The interlocutor added that the school – located about 700-800m from the contact line – had been severely damaged by shelling, but its gymnasium had been renovated and new windows and a new roof had been installed with funding from the Norwegian Refugee Council and Germany before the academic year had started.

In government-controlled Kolesnykivka (30km east-north-east of Luhansk), at the international Ukraine-Russian Federation border, two Ukrainian Border Guard servicemen informed the SMM that the situation had been calm in the village and the Ukrainian side had closed the border crossing point since May this year.  

On 3 September, the SMM met with the owner of a pasta factory in “LPR”-controlled Luhansk city who said the factory had employed 80 personnel and had annually produced more than 1,000 tons of pasta before the conflict. The interlocutor told the SMM that now, the factory had 25 active employees and operated at only 6-8 percent of its capacity and faced problems with raw material supplies, as the main flour supplier was located in government-controlled Novoaidar (49km north-west of Luhansk).   

The SMM visited again two Ukrainian Armed Forces heavy weapons holding areas, whose locations corresponded with the respective withdrawal lines. In both areas, the SMM observed that all previously registered weapons were present and their serial numbers matched the SMM’s records.

The SMM visited for the first time one “LPR” heavy weapons holding area and visited again one “LPR” heavy weapons holding area, whose locations corresponded with the respective withdrawal lines. At the first area, the “LPR” members allowed the SMM to see weapons only from a distance and the SMM could not verify the serial numbers.* At the second area, the SMM saw that all weapons previously observed on 1 July (six multiple rocket launcher system (MLRS) (Grad, 122mm)) were absent. “LPR” members told the SMM that all weapons had been relocated to a new holding area.

The SMM observed the following weapons’ movements in areas that are in violation of respective withdrawal lines. In “DPR”-controlled areas, the SMM saw two military type trucks (KRAZ) towing howitzers (D-30, 122mm).

On 3 September in Kharkiv, the head of the special police rapid response battalion of Kharkiv regional police informed the SMM that the battalion personnel operated in the districts adjacent to the Anti-Terrorism Operation area. He added that during the first half of 2015, the regional police, mainly his battalion, had seized a number of weapons and ammunition, including 21 grenade launchers, 5 machine guns, and 331 hand grenades.

In Kyiv, the SMM met with the chief administrator of Hospital Number 17 to follow up on media reports on casualties during the grenade blast outside the Parliament building on 31 August (see: SMM Spot Report 31 August). The interlocutor informed the SMM that three National Guard members who were reported by media to be in critical condition were recovering and described their prognosis as “favourable”.

In front of the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ main investigative department for organized crime, the SMM monitored the gathering of approximately 50 members and supporters of Svoboda party (men and women equally, different age groups) who accused Minister Avakov of what they referred to as reprisals against political opponents. They also expressed their support for Svoboda party leader, Oleh Tiahnybok who was at the time of the gathering questioned inside the Ministry about the protest outside the Parliament building on 31 August. The SMM observed that around 26 police officers were present, with additional police officers on hold in three busses parked nearby. The protest ended peacefully.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Dnepropetrovsk, Kherson, Odessa, Chernivtsi and Ivano-Frankivsk and Lviv.

*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 the presence – and lack of information on the whereabouts – of mines, and damaged infrastructure. The security situation in Donbas is fluid and unpredictable and the ceasefire does not hold everywhere. Self-imposed restrictions on movement into high-risk areas have impinged on SMM patrolling activities, particularly in areas not controlled by the government. Members of the “LPR” continue to prevent the SMM from monitoring most areas close to the border with the Russian Federation.

Denied access:

-   At an “LPR” heavy weapons holding area “LPR” members allowed the SMM to see weapons only from a distance and the SMM was thus unable to verify serial numbers.

Delay:

• At a “DPR” checkpoint at Olenivka (23km south-west of Donetsk) a “DPR” “traffic police officer” together with an armed “DPR” member stopped and delayed the SMM for 33 minutes before he received “permission” from relevant superiors and let the SMM proceed.

At a “DPR” checkpoint near Shirokyi village (6.5km south-south-west of Donetsk city) a DPR “police officer” stopped the SMM and asked for IDs and names of the SMM drivers. After 10 minutes the SMM was allowed to pass.

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.

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

• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 3 September 2015
• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 2 September 2015
• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 1 September 2015

The Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) supported the  visit of 16 representatives of environmental authorities and environmental experts from Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine to Switzerland, to learn about good practices in restoring ecosystems in flood-prone areas. The visit, which took place from 31 August to 4 September 2015, is part of a joint OSCE – UNEP project initiated during the 2014 Swiss Chairmanship of the OSCE and funded by Switzerland within the framework of the Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC).  The project aims to increase the potential for ecosystem restoration, in order to mitigate flood risks in the transboundary river basins in Eastern Europe. It also envisions a pilot ecosystem restoration activity in one of these transboundary river basins, building on the experience acquired in Switzerland.

During the visit and in order to better explore and learn from from the Swiss experience in, and  approach to flood management, participants met with representatives of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment, as well as flood protection and ecosystem experts of the Canton of Geneva and Canton of Valais. A number of field visits to both cantons were organized to showcase and assess concrete examples of ecosystem restoration in Switzerland. The  combination of discussions, targeted presentations and field visits facilitated a continued exchange of experience among the three countries, which share transboundary rivers and work to strengthen transboundary co-operation in their basins with the support of ENVSEC partner organizations, including the OSCE.

As part of the broader efforts undertaken by the OSCE to address various aspects of water governance, this project will also contribute to the implementation of the Ministerial Council (MC) Decision on “Enhancing Disaster Risk Reduction”, adopted at the 2014 Ministerial Council in Basel.

• OSCE supports Belarus and Ukraine in assessing environmental risks to facilitate safe border demarcation in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone
• Sustainable water management key to security, OSCE Secretary General says on World Water Day

Radicalization of youth and countering violent extremism in focus of OSCE Chairmanship conference of Youth Ambassadors in Belgrade

BELGRADE, 4 September 2015 – Best ways to tackle the radicalization of youth were the focus of a two-day conference hosted by Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship, which concluded in Belgrade today and gathered representatives of Youth Ambassadors, OSCE structures and NGO sector.

“We must continue to foster discussions on combating radicalization using the potentials of the OSCE, including its cross-dimensional approach to security threats,” Roksanda Ninčić, Serbia’s State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, adding that she was encouraged by the engagement of young people and the OSCE Youth Ambassadors Network. “I am convinced that we have chosen the right path when we decided to include youth engagement in the OSCE priorities,” said Ninčić.

Ninčić stressed that security threats do not only manifest themselves in violence and barbaric acts of terror: “Threats have different root causes that need to be discussed and understood if we are to take any effective measures to protect our youth and our societies at large.”

Snezana Klasnja, Serbia’s Assistant Minister of Youth and Sport, noted: “In order to create a more peaceful, more secure and tolerant society, as a follow-up to our intensive joint work and efforts to empower young people and to encourage them to take an active part in all important processes of society, we must act now. We must intensify communication with young people at the grassroots level and engage youth in addressing challenges facing them on a daily basis in security sector.”

Milena Stosic, Chairperson-in-Office Special Representative on Youth and Security, stated: “Young people are especially vulnerable in this context, therefore inclusion of youth is a must when it comes to creating counter-narratives and successful measures to combat radicalization.” Anna-Katharina Deininger, Chairperson-in-Office Special Representative on Youth and Security, concluded that credible alternatives to violent extremism are much needed.

The OSCE’s United in Countering Violent Extremism, #UnitedCVE campaign was presented at the conference. It was stated that terrorism is a crime that has no justification, and it should not be associated with any race, ethnicity, nationality or religion.

• OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Dačić calls for furthering political process to resolve the crisis in and around Ukraine at meeting with high OSCE officials in Belgrade
• OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Dačić condemns spate of recent terrorist attacks, urges redoubling of efforts to address factors conducive to terrorism
• OSCE Chairperson Dačić and Secretary General Zannier condemn terrorist attack in Turkey

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The SMM observed one explosion in Donetsk region and recorded no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region.

The SMM observed a calm situation in Donetsk region. At the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) observation point at “DPR”-controlled Donetsk railway station (8km north-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM heard what it assessed was a controlled explosion[1].

The “DPR” announced at a press conference and on “DPR” websites that, from 1 September, the Russian rouble had become the “sole accounting currency” in “DPR”-controlled areas. The “finance minister” said the “DPR” was shifting to the floating rouble exchange rate – which is closer to three-to-one to the Ukrainian Hryvnia than the current two-to-one rate on offer at exchange bureaus in “DPR”-controlled areas.

The SMM observed that 18 of 20 checkouts at a grocery store in Donetsk city were accepting roubles only. Several female shop assistants and a male shop owner (in their thirties, forties and sixties) and two male bus drivers (40 and 60 years old) informed the SMM that prices remained the same. The shop assistants also told the SMM that people were worried and wondering if their pensions and wages would be raised accordingly. 

The SMM visited the humanitarian and logistic centre near government-controlled Zaitseve (50km north-east of Donetsk). The SMM observed a newly-constructed underground shelter for 40 people, 20m from the centre. The centre includes a military security station, a police station, and a customs/fiscal station. The prices at the market are comparable to or lower than those in government-controlled Artemivsk (67km north of Donetsk) and Kramatorsk (80km north of Donetsk) and are much cheaper than in non-government-controlled areas. Customers that the SMM spoke to come from government and non-government-controlled (Antratsyt, Horlivka and Makiivka) areas.

In Luhansk, the SMM recorded no ceasefire violations.

In government-controlled Bolotene (21km east of Luhansk), two women and two men (aged 60) told the SMM that the whole area around the village was mined and full of booby-traps, therefore the villagers could not collect firewood and were concerned about the upcoming winter. Also in Bolotene, the SMM met the Ukrainian Armed Forces commander who said the situation was calm in the area since 1 September.

A female 40-year-old teacher at a school in government-controlled Troitske (69km west of Luhansk) said the roof and windows of the school were repaired after heavy shelling, but not the heating system and water pipes. All repairs were funded by parents of pupils, she said. In government-controlled Popasna (69km west of Luhansk), the SMM met the director and deputy director (male and female aged 60) of School #1. They stated that the windows and heating system were repaired after shelling but the roof still requires repairs. The interlocutors said both schools have basements for shelter.

The head of the primary and secondary school in “Lugansk People’s Republic” (“LPR”)-controlled Zhovte (17km north-west of Luhansk) told the SMM that a total of 85 children were enrolled compared to 130 in 2014. The “LPR” “ministry of education” delivered textbooks for pupils of grades 1, 2, 10 and 11. The head said as per a decision of the school council in 2015, all subjects were now taught in Russian, and Ukrainian lessons were reduced from five to four hours per week. According to the head, all pupils received mine awareness and safety briefings from a trained teacher. The head of the school in “LPR”-controlled Metalist (6km north of Luhansk) told the SMM that the school council adopted a new curriculum this year and now all subjects are taught in Russian. According to the interlocutor 120 pupils attend the school compared to 220 in 2014 and all pupils received mine awareness and safety briefings.

At an “LPR” training area in "LPR"-controlled Uspenka (23km south-west of Luhansk) the SMM counted seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1 "Gvozdika" 122mm) compared to four tanks and four self-propelled howitzers on 1 September. The SMM revisited an “LPR” training area in "LPR"-controlled Myrne (28km south-west from Luhansk) and again  did not see five main battle tanks (T-64) normally present (absent since 23 August). 

The SMM revisited nine Ukrainian Armed Forces heavy weapons holding areas whose locations corresponded with the respective withdrawal lines. In the first area all previously recorded weapons were present. At a second area, the SMM observed one anti-tank gun (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) missing. At a third area, the SMM observed that two self-propelled artillery guns (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) and a self-propelled howitzer (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) were missing. At a fourth area, the SMM observed three anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) were missing and six others had different serial numbers from what the SMM had previously recorded. At a fifth area, the SMM observed one anti-tank gun (MT-12 Rapira, 100 mm) was missing. The SMM found a sixth area abandoned. At the seventh area, the SMM was allowed to record the serial numbers of every weapon for the first time. At the eighth area the SMM was denied access. At the ninth area the SMM was told by the Ukrainian Armed Forces commander that the collection point had moved and he would not provide the SMM with any further information

The SMM revisited three “DPR” heavy weapons holding areas whose locations corresponded with the respective withdrawal lines but all previously recorded weapons were present at only one area. At a second area, the SMM was denied access and the SMM found a third area abandoned.

The SMM observed weapons’ movements in areas that are in violation of respective withdrawal lines. The SMM saw a BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle with a 30mm cannon and an anti-tank guided missile system (AT-4 "Fagot” 135mm) loaded on top of a BMP-2 on the T103 road approximately 500m east of government-controlled Novotoshkivske (53km north-west of Luhansk).

On 2 September, the SMM met with the deputy head of the district administration in Pavlohrad (61km east of Dnepropetrovsk) who stated that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) had stopped and seized two trucks with over a million pieces of ammunition (5.45 and 7.62 rounds) from a local factory in the area. This was confirmed to the SMM by the chief of police in Pavlohrad. 

On 2 September, the SMM visited Brody (103km east of Lviv) where the deputy mayor informed the SMM that 14 servicemen from Brody had died in the conflict zone. He said that there were no more land plots available for Anti-Terrorism Operation servicemen as the 12 available plots were had been allocated to the families of fallen servicemen.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Kharkiv, Kherson, Odessa, Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Kyiv.

*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 the presence – and lack of information on the whereabouts – of mines, and damaged infrastructure. The security situation in Donbas is fluid and unpredictable and the ceasefire does not hold everywhere. Self-imposed restrictions on movement into high-risk areas have impinged on SMM patrolling activities, particularly in areas not controlled by the government. Members of the “LPR” continue to prevent the SMM from monitoring most areas close to the border with the Russian Federation.

Denied access:

• At a Ukrainian Armed Forces heavy weapons holding area, Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel denied access to the SMM.
• At a “DPR” checkpoint 2.3km east of government-controlled Staromarivka (46km north-north-east of Mariupol), an armed “DPR”-member denied the SMM passage citing insecurity in the area.
• At a “DPR” checkpoint 1.4km east of Hryhorivka (“DPR”-controlled, 44km north-east of Mariupol) an armed “DPR” member refused the SMM passage, citing insecurity and fighting in the area.

Delay:

• At “DPR” Checkpoint Shyrokyi (10km south of Donetsk city centre) a “DPR” member affiliated with the “DPR” “ministry of interior” stopped the SMM and delayed them for 30 minutes.
• At a “DPR” checkpoint near highway H15 (“DPR”-controlled, 12km south-west of Donetsk) a “DPR” member stopped and delayed the SMM without explanation for 30 minutes.
• At a “DPR” controlled checkpoint in Bezimenne, (30km east of Mariupol). a “DPR” member delayed the SMM for 22 minutes.

Other impediments:

• At the checkpoint 1km west of “LPR”-controlled Stakhanov (50km west of Luhansk) “LPR” armed members stopped the SMM and escorted them by vehicle to “LPR” controlled Kalynove (58km west of Luhansk) and back to the checkpoint in Stakhanov.
• At a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint the SMM in Hranitne (government-controlled, 47km north-north-east of Mariupol), checkpoint personnel stopped the SMM and insisted that Ukrainian Armed Forces escort the SMM .

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.

* 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”.

• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 2 September 2015
• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 1 September 2015
• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 31 August 2015

VIENNA, 4 September 2015 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, will visit Iceland on 7-8 September to discuss media freedom issues with senior government officials, civil society and media representatives.

During her visit, Mijatović will meet with Foreign Minister Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson, Minister of Education, Science and Culture, Illugi Gunnarsson, and other senior government representatives.

On 7 September, the Representative will give an open lecture on the main challenges facing free media and free expression in the OSCE region. The event starts at 12.15 at the National Museum of Iceland, Suðurgata 41, 101 Reykjavík.

No press conference is anticipated during the visit.

Contact person for members of the media:
Gunnar Vrang, Senior Adviser to the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
Mobile: +43 664 134 2828
E-mail: gunnar.vrang@osce.org

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on facebook.com/osce.rfom.

• Safety of Journalists: Closing the Implementation Gap
• The Expression Agenda
• International Declaration & Self-Regulatory Guidelines on Journalists' Safety

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties – with its UAV experiencing severe jamming – and security considerations*. Ceasefire violations were recorded in numerous locations, especially at and around Donetsk airport.

The situation at and around the destroyed “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled airport (9km north-west of Donetsk) remained volatile. Positioned 1km south-east of the airport between 09:00 and 13:00hrs, the SMM heard 28 explosions and more than 400 rounds of small-arms and light-weapons fire, most emanating from the airport. From 13:00 to 17:55hrs, the SMM observed 135 explosions.

The SMM observed fresh craters and heard a number of explosions and small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire as it facilitated ongoing repair work to water infrastructure between “DPR”-controlled Horlivka and government-controlled Maiorsk (39 and 45km north-north-east of Donetsk, respectively).

Positioned 5km west-north-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol), the SMM heard two explosions, of an undetermined nature, approximately 10km to the north-east. Later, on the north-western outskirts of the village, the SMM heard small-arms fire approximately 500m to the north-east. Positioned 1.5km west-north-west of Shyrokyne, the SMM subsequently heard heavy machine-gun fire 500 metres to the north-east, assessed to have been fired around the last Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint before Shyrokyne (1km north-west of Shyrokyne).

On its first day of flying – since a jamming incident on 22 July which caused the destruction of another SMM unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and its camera – an SMM UAV experienced what the SMM assesses as severe military-grade video signal and Global Positioning System (GPS) jamming in numerous areas east, north-east, north and west of government-controlled Mariupol (100km south of Donetsk). Both camera-feed and control over the vehicle were affected*.

The SMM UAV did, however observe shell impacts in an area east of government-controlled Starohnativka (51km south of Donetsk, 53km north-east of Mariupol). To the east of “DPR”-controlled Bila Kamyanka (52km south of Donetsk, 54km north-east of Mariupol), the UAV spotted three armoured personnel carriers (APC). One APC was observed by the UAV in “DPR”-controlled Novolaspa (49km south of Donetsk, 58km north-east of Mariupol), and a further two APCs in “DPR”-controlled Starolaspa (52km south-east of Donetsk, 61km north-east of Mariupol). East of government-controlled Starohnativka (53km south of Donetsk, 53km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM UAV noted signs of shelling. In government-controlled Mykolaivka, 14km north-north-west of Starohnativka, local interlocutors told the SMM that shelling from 152mm artillery guns, and later from Grad multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), had occurred in the area the previous night. The SMM did not hear or see anything to indicate fighting was taking place while it was in the area.

In government-controlled Artemivsk (66km north-north-east of Donetsk), the deputy director of the town’s labour and social protection service told the SMM that the number of registered internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the town – 49,000 in April – had risen to 65,049, of whom 52,221 were pensioners. She said the majority of these people still lived in “DPR”-controlled areas, registering in Artemivsk only to collect pensions. She added that of the 120,000 current residents of nearby Horlivka, approximately one third were pensioners.

In government-controlled Staryi Aidar (20km north-north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two heavy artillery explosions 5-6km to the south-east in a “Lugansk People’s Republic” (“LPR”)-controlled area. In government-controlled Nyzhni (58km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard – all within a minute – eight explosions 8-10km to the south-east. 

Close to an “LPR” checkpoint south of government-controlled Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed and carried out analysis on 37 craters, all of which appeared to be fresh and the majority of which were caused by 82mm mortars fired from the north.

Near government-controlled Krymske (40km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed eight craters 100m from a Ukrainian Armed Forces position. It carried out analysis on all of them, assessing they had been caused by 122mm artillery shells fired from the south-east. A Ukrainian Armed Forces brigade commander present told the SMM that approximately 70 rounds had been fired on the position on the night of 9 August.

Five kilometres east of “LPR”-controlled Raivka (15km north-north-west of Luhansk), the SMM monitored the successful repair of electrical cables which, according to one of the repair crew members, has restored electricity to residents of Raivka and the nearby “LPR”-controlled villages of Vesela Hora (15km north of Luhansk) and Metalist (6km north of Luhansk).

The SMM re-visited two Ukrainian Armed Forces’ and four “DPR” heavy-weapons holding areas, the locations of which comply with the respective Minsk withdrawal lines. At one Ukrainian Armed Forces’ area, all weapons previously registered were present. At the other, however, four Grad MLRS were absent. At two “DPR” sites, all weapons previously recorded were present. At the third “DPR” site, however, two artillery pieces were absent; and at the fourth, six 100mm anti-tank guns were absent.

At SMM-facilitated focus group discussions in Zaporizhzhia (71km south of Dnepropetrovsk), a number of IDPs said they had been forced to leave their homes in areas not controlled by the government. One said she had refused to pay “taxes” to Cossack armed personnel in Luhansk city. They confiscated her shop as a result, she said. Another IDP, from Snizhne (72km east of Donetsk), said he had been threatened – and continued to receive threats via social media – because of his pro-Ukrainian views.

In Horodok in the Khmelnytskyi region (107km north-north-east of Chernivtsi), five men – some dressed in military-type clothing and some claiming to be reporters and later civil society activists – insisted on being present at a scheduled meeting the SMM had arranged with municipal officials in the town. The men accused the SMM of lacking independence. They said the SMM should only patrol in and report from areas not under government control. The men followed the SMM into the municipal building, maintaining an aggressive demeanour. Later, the police arrived and escorted the SMM from the building.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation in Kharkiv, Odessa, Kherson, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv and Kyiv.

*Restrictions on SMM monitoring, access and freedom of movement:

The SMM is restrained in fulfilling its monitoring functions by restrictions imposed by the parties and security considerations, including mine threats, and damaged infrastructure. The security situation in Donbas is fluid and unpredictable and the ceasefire does not hold everywhere. Self-imposed restrictions on movement into high-risk areas have impinged on SMM patrolling activities, particularly in areas not controlled by the government. Members of the “LPR” continue to prevent the SMM from monitoring most areas close to the border with the Russian Federation.

Delayed access:

• “DPR” armed members at a checkpoint close to “DPR”-controlled Olenivka (23km south-west of Donetsk) delayed the SMM for almost an hour, insisting they fill in “emigration” forms before leaving the “DPR”-controlled area. A number of the “DPR” members behaved aggressively towards the SMM, with two of them taking the safety-catch off their AK-47s and another screaming at the SMM, accusing the SMM of “lying”.

Denied access:

• At a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint outside government-controlled Troitske (69km west of Luhansk), checkpoint personnel told the SMM it was unsafe for them to proceed to the village.
• Three armed “DPR” members in a vehicle blocked the SMM’s passage on a road near Horlivka, and aggressively ordered them to leave the area, accusing them of dropping transponders used as locators for shelling.

Conditional access:

• Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel at a checkpoint near government-controlled Krymske (41km north-west of Luhansk) insisted on seeing the passports of SMM monitors and on visually inspecting their vehicle before allowing them to proceed.
• At a “DPR” checkpoint approximately 8km north-west of Horlivka, armed “DPR” members demanded to see SMM monitors’ IDs and to open the trunk of their vehicle.
• Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint personnel near the government-controlled towns of Marinka and Kurakhove (23km west-south-west and 40km west of Donetsk, respectively) demanded to know the name and nationality of the SMM patrol leader.

For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations observed, please see the annexed table.

• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 11 August 2015
• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 10 August 2015
• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 19:30 (Kyiv time), 9 August 2015

KYIV, 13 August 2015 – The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) will hold its regular news briefing today in Kyiv.

Alexander Hug, the SMM’s Deputy Chief Monitor, will talk about the recent Mission’s activities and the general security situation throughout Ukraine.

Journalists are invited to attend the news briefing today, 13 August, at 13:30 (Kyiv time), at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Centre, at 2 Khreshchatyk street, Ukrainian house.

Live online streaming of the news briefing will be available at http://uacrisis.org/ru/stream/#eng

• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 11 August 2015
• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 10 August 2015
• Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 19:30 (Kyiv time), 9 August 2015