OSCE

Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan

Promoting rural entrepreneurship for women was the focus of a two-day training seminar and roundtable discussion co-organized by the OSCE Programme Office that concluded on 29 March 2019 in Shymkent, Kazakhstan.

The event was conducted in partnership with the Union of Women Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan for some45 participants from the parliament, the local administration, the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs – Atameken, civil society and women entrepreneurs from the rural areas of the Turkestan Region.

Participants discussed current government-supported business programmes, challenges faced by women in pursuing business projects and the importance of gaining financial and managerial skills to obtain credit resources. The discussion was complemented by a  visit to companies run by women entrepreneurs of the Turkestan Region, which provided the opportunity to consider key challenges and opportunities in doing business locally.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s longstanding efforts to promote gender mainstreaming and economic empowerment initiatives in the host country.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region.
• The SMM followed up on reports of a woman and a boy injured due to shelling in Sentianivka.
• The Mission recorded a ceasefire violation inside the disengagement area near Zolote.
• It observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
• The SMM saw anti-tank mines for the first time near Vodiane and Pikuzy.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. In addition, it was restricted at a checkpoint near Novolaspa and at a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region, as well as near Zaichenko, Izvaryne and Sievernyi close to the border with the Russian Federation.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including 70 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 330 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south and south-east of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol) and at northerly and westerly directions of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 500 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (75 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations and explosions were recorded at north-easterly directions of Hannivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk) and in areas around the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) (see below).

Woman and boy injured due to shelling in Sentianivka

The SMM followed up on reports of injuries to a woman and a boy in Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, non-government-controlled, 44km west of Luhansk) due to shelling, at two locations where the SMM had previously observed damage and fresh craters (see SMM Daily Report 27 March 2019 and SMM Daily Report 29 March 2019). At 22 Shevchenka Street, a resident (woman, 81 years old) told the SMM that she had bruises on her left shoulder and that she had been injured while standing outside the house at around 18:30 on 25 March when shelling occurred. At 20 Shevchenka Street, a resident (man, around 38 years old), who said that he was the woman’s grandson, told the SMM that on the same day, while he was at work, his 12-year-old son had been struck by the pressure wave of an explosion during shelling as he was trying to reach a basement in the yard of the house to take shelter. Medical staff at an ambulance service in Sentianivka said that they had treated a boy suffering from a concussion and shock and an elderly woman with bruises on 25 March.

Disengagement areas[2]

On the evening of 28 March, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded a projectile in flight at an assessed range of 1.5-3km south-east, assessed as inside the disengagement area, as well as an undetermined explosion and four projectiles near the disengagement area. On the same evening, positioned on the northern edge of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 15 undetermined explosions near the disengagement area. During the day on 29 March, positioned on the northern edge of Popasna, the SMM heard 44 explosions (21 assessed as outgoing rounds of undetermined weapons and 23 as outgoing artillery rounds) near the disengagement area.

Positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk) and near the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM observed calm situations.[3]

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.

Weapons in violation

Non-government-controlled areas

29 March

The SMM again saw two self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and four towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) near Bile (22km west of Luhansk).

Government-controlled areas

29 March

The SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) near Popasna.

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[4]

Non-government-controlled areas

28 March

An SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (probable BMP variant) and an armoured combat vehicle (ACV) (type undetermined) near Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol).

Government-controlled areas

28 March

An SMM long-range UAV spotted an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-70), at least two probable ACVs (type undetermined) and an IFV (BMP-2) near Nevelske (18km north-west of Donetsk).

An SMM mini-UAV spotted an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) and for the first time a 150m-long westward extension to a trench system near Popasna (not seen in imagery from 7 March 2019).

29 March

The SMM saw:

• six IFVs (BMP-1) near Popasna and
• four Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel digging new trenches 20-25m north of road H-15 about 300m south-south-east of the most forward Ukrainian Armed Forces position at the entry-exit checkpoint near Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk).

On 29 March, the SMM saw a fixed-wing UAV flying about 10m above the ground from south to north near Kapitanove (49km north-west of Luhansk), which landed close to four Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel who subsequently packed up the UAV and left the area.

Presence of mines

On 28 March, an SMM mid-range UAV again spotted 32 anti-tank mines laid out in two rows in a field near Vodiane (government-controlled, 94km south of Donetsk), as well as 36 anti-tank mines in two fields and across a road about 2km north of the aforementioned mines and for the first time at least 75 anti-tank mines in a field about 200m north of the same mines. On the same day, the same UAV spotted for the first time at least 150 anti-tank mines in a field near Pikuzy.

On 29 March, the SMM saw for the first time five anti-tank mines in a single row about 10m south of road T-0504 and about 400m from a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint in the eastern outskirts of Popasna.

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk). It also continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) and to monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Donetsk).

Border areas outside government control

On 29 March, while at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw 37 cars (13 with Ukrainian, 14 with Russian Federation and three with Georgian licence plates, as well as seven with “LPR” plates) and 35 covered cargo trucks (13 with Ukrainian, three with Russian Federation, seven with Belarusian, one with Lithuanian and one with Azerbaijani licence plates, as well as ten with “LPR” plates) queueing to exit Ukraine. After about five minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

On 29 March, while at a border crossing point near Sievernyi (50km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed no cross-border traffic. After about 15 minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

The Mission continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of 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 JCCC 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 north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), an armed member of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage south to Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol) and west to Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol), citing risks to the security of the patrol as a reason for the denial.
• At a checkpoint near Novolaspa (non-government-controlled, 50km south of Donetsk), two armed members of the armed formations again denied the SMM access to the village, citing risks to the security of the patrol as a reason for the denial.
• A man in civilian clothing denied the SMM entry into a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region, citing “orders from his superiors”.
• At a border crossing point near Sievernyi (non-government-controlled, 50km south-east of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations again told the SMM to leave the area.
• At a border crossing point near Izvaryne (non-government-controlled, 52km south-east of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations again told the SMM to leave the area.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, 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 and UXO.
• North of the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk), a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that he was not aware of any demining activities having taken place in the past 24 hours.

 

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, the SMM camera in Krasnohorivka was not operational.

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

[2]Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] Due to the presence of mines, including on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM cannot access its camera in Petrivske, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.

[4] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

Željka Šulc

Progress on implementing the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) Law on Youth in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton was the main topic of a co-ordination meeting organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 29 March 2019 in Mostar.

The meeting gathered local government and youth council representatives from the municipalities of Citluk, Jablanica, Konjic and the City of Mostar as well as members of youth associations from the municipalities of Ravno, Stolac, Capljina, Neum and Prozor-Rana where youth councils have not been established yet. Representatives of the executive and legal branches of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton government and the FBiH Youth Council were also present at the meeting.

The participants expressed their commitment to investing more efforts in applying the Law across the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton because it has been recognized as one of the mechanisms that can help address some of the negative trends related to youth such as unemployment and lack of mobility.

Since its adoption in 2010 only four of the nine units of local self-governance have established a youth council in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton while there is no council at the cantonal level. This has made it difficult for young people living in the Canton to reap the benefits guaranteed by the Law and network with their peers within similar youth structures in other parts of the FBiH.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

KYIV, 30 March 2019 – The Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, Ertugrul Apakan, expressed his gratitude to all 57 OSCE participating States for their support for the Mission, following a consensus decision yesterday to extend the SMM’s Mandate for another year.

“The Mission will continue implementing its Mandate and contributing to reducing tension, and fostering peace and security in Ukraine,” said Ambassador Apakan.

VIENNA, 30 March 2019 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia, Miroslav Lajčák, welcomed yesterday's OSCE Permanent Council decision to renew the mandate of the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) by another year, and called for continued support for the international monitors and national staff on the ground.

The Chairperson-in-Office recalled that the SMM was mandated to establish and report facts in response to specific incidents and to report incidents, including those concerning alleged violations of fundamental OSCE principles and commitments, throughout Ukraine.

“I want to express my sincere gratitude to the women and men of the Mission, who - for five years now - have been working every day, under challenging circumstances, to carry out their crucial tasks as the principal and largest international monitoring presence on the ground. They deserve our gratitude and our support,” Mr. Lajčák said. “The monitors are the eyes and ears of the organization – and indeed, of the international community - and they directly contribute to the prevention of further escalation,” he added.

VIENNA, 29 March 2019 - The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan met today in Vienna for the first time under the auspices of the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stéphane Visconti of France, and Andrew Schofer of the United States of America).  The meeting was also attended by Foreign Ministers Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Elmar Mammadyarov.  Andrzej Kasprzyk, the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, also participated in the meeting.

The meeting took place in a positive and constructive atmosphere and provided an opportunity for the two leaders to clarify their respective positions.  They exchanged views about several key issues of the settlement process and ideas of substance.

The two leaders underlined the importance of building up an environment conducive to peace and taking further concrete and tangible steps in the negotiation process to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.

Recalling their conversation in Dushanbe, the leaders recommitted to strengthening the ceasefire and improving the mechanism for direct communication.  They also agreed to develop a number of measures in the humanitarian field.

The Prime Minister and President instructed their Ministers to meet with the Co‑Chairs again in the near future.  They also agreed to continue their direct dialogue.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and Luhansk region.
• The SMM saw fresh damage to a residential building in Chermalyk, as well as fresh craters close to residential buildings in Sentianivka.
• The Mission saw military presence inside the Petrivske disengagement area.
• Small-arms were fired in the direction of an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle near Lozove.
• It observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. In addition, it was restricted at a checkpoint near Verkhnoshyrokivske and near Dovzhanske close to the border with the Russian Federation.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 330 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 115 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south-east of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), north-north-west of the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), as well as south-east of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol).

During the day on 28 March, while conducting a mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight near Lozove (non-government-controlled, 52km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard five shots of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 1-2km north-east, assessed as aimed at the UAV which at the time was flying over an area 250-300m east of the SMM’s position. The SMM landed the UAV safely.*

On the evening and night of 27-28 March, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded approximately 60 ceasefire violations, including an impact of a mortar (type undetermined) round at an assessed range of 400-800m south-south-west.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, however, fewer explosions (75), compared with the previous reporting period (about 230 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas north-north-west of Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km north-west of Luhansk), north-east of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk) and at westerly directions of Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, non-government-controlled, 50km west of Luhansk).

Fresh damage to a residential building in Chermalyk

In Chermalyk, the SMM followed up on reports of shelling in the evening of 27 March. At an inhabited one-storey residential house at 68 Chervonoarmiiska Street, the SMM observed two freshly shattered windows (one east-facing and one north-facing), fresh damage to a west-facing wooden fence, as well as a fresh crater with a tail fin assessed as from a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG-7) inside it about 6m east from the house. The SMM assessed the damage as caused by an RPG round fired from an easterly direction.

Fresh craters close to residential buildings in Sentianivka

On 27 March, an SMM mini-UAV spotted 17 fresh craters in a field near Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, non-government-controlled, 44km west of Luhansk), three of which were located about 30m from residential buildings. The SMM was unable to assess the weapon type or direction of fire.

Disengagement areas[2]

On 27 March, positioned in Kadiivka, the SMM heard 33 explosions at an assessed range of 10-15km north-west, assessed as outside the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk). On the same day, positioned about 1.5km south-west of Molodizhne, the SMM heard 250 shots of heavy-machine-gun and small arms fire at an assessed range of 1-2km north-north-west, assessed as outside the disengagement area near Zolote.

The SMM again saw two infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) (BMP variants) and a red-and-black flag near a previously observed position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces inside the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), about 600m south of the northern edge and about 2.5km east of its western edge.[3]

Positioned in the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed a calm situation.

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.

Weapons in violation

Government-controlled areas

27 March

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• two surface-to-air missile systems (9K35, Strela10), one near and one in Novoselivka (31km north of Donetsk) and
• a probable mortar (type undetermined, 120mm) near Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk).

The SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K35) near Krasnohorivka (24km north of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

27 March

An SMM-mini UAV spotted a multiple launch rocket system (BM-21, Grad, 122mm) near Bohdanivka (44km west of Luhansk).

28 March

The SMM saw two surface-to-air missile systems (9K33 Osa) near an airstrip in the south-eastern outskirts of Luhansk city.

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites

Non-government-controlled areas

28 March

The SMM saw three towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm), three self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and four tanks (T-72) in a training area near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk).

Indications of military and military-type presence inside the security zone[4]

Government-controlled areas

27 March

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• four IFVs (BMP-2) near Nyzhnoteple (26km north of Luhansk) and
• an IFV (BMP variant) and two anti-aircraft guns (ZU-23, 23mm) near Novoselivka.

The SMM saw an IFV (BMP-1) and an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRM-1K) near Nevelske (18km north-west of Donetsk).

28 March

The SMM saw an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-70) near Novobakhmutivka (28km north of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

27 March

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

•  an APC (MT-LB) east of Sentianivka and
•  an APC (MT-LB) near Bohdanivka.

On 27 March, the SMM saw:

• an automatic jamming system (R-330Zh Zhitel) and an additional electronic countermeasure/electronic warfare system (ECM/EW) (type undetermined) near Brianka (46km south-west of Luhansk) and
• an APC (BTR-80) with a mounted heavy machine gun in Luhansk city.

Presence of mines

On 27 March, an SMM mini-UAV again spotted about 23 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid out in two rows running north to south in a field about 220m west of road H-20 and about 2km north-east of Berezove (government-controlled, 31km south-west of Donetsk).

Mine hazard signs seen for the first time

The SMM saw two improvised mine hazard signs (rectangular shaped on wooden stakes with “MINES” written in black in Russian) about 15m north-west of road M04 and about 2km south of Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), to gas pipelines near Novoluhanske (government-controlled, 53km north-east of Donetsk) and to the Phenol Sludge Reservoir near Zalizne (government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk). It continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS (15km north of Donetsk) and to monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka.

Border areas outside government control

On 28 March, while at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw five covered cargo trucks (licence plates not visible) entering Ukraine. The SMM also saw 25 cars (ten with Ukrainian, eight with Russian Federation and three with Georgian licence plates, as well as three with “LPR” and one with “DPR” plates), 20 covered cargo trucks (13 with Ukrainian and two with Russian Federation licence plates, and five with “LPR” plates), and two pedestrians exiting Ukraine. After ten minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

On 27 March, while at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) for about two hours, the SMM saw seven cars (one with Ukrainian and three with Russian Federation licence plates, as well as three with “DPR” plates) and a bus with Russian Federation licence plates with 40 passengers (mixed ages and genders) entering Ukraine. The  SMM also saw 15 cars (four with Ukrainian and eight with Russian Federation licence plates, as well as three with “DPR” plates) exiting Ukraine.

The Mission continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of 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 JCCC 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:

• While at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (non-government-controlled, 84km south-east of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.
• At a checkpoint west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), a member of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage east, citing security concerns. During the approximately 20 minutes that it was present, the SMM observed 10-15 civilian vehicles travel through the checkpoint headed east.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, 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 and UXO.

Other impediments:

• While conducting a mini-UAV flight near Lozove (non-government-controlled, 52km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard five shots of small-arms fire, assessed as aimed at the UAV (see above).*

 

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

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

[2]Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] Due to the presence of mines, including on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM cannot access its camera in Petrivske, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.

[4] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons, unless otherwise specified.

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The participation of a representative of the Tashkent city administration (Khokimiyat) and a representative of Uzbekistan’s cycling federation at the Fourth International Cycling Congress in St. Petersburg from 28 to 30 March 2019 was supported by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan. During the congress, they learnt about effective and sustainable mobility policies as well as international experiences in enhancing urban mobility.

The Fourth International Cycling Congress was organized by the Russian Ministry of Transport and the St. Petersburg City Municipality and supported by a number of international organizations and embassies. It was attended by some 150 people and speakers from countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Canada, Denmark, France, the Netherlands and Romania.

Presentations during the congress covered issues such as current and future trends in urban mobility, providing a safe environment for non-motorized means of transport, and the economic aspects of developing a cycling culture. There were also site visits to urban bike-sharing stations, the St. Petersburg Centre for Transport Planning, and new cycle lanes built in the city in recent years.

“There are different views and opinions on why and how to use the bicycle,” said a representative of the Russian Ministry of Transport in his address to the congress participants. “For the health ministry - it would be a device for physical exercise and leading a healthy lifestyle; for the ministry of labour – a device for leisure time; for the ministry of trade - a technological commodity; and for the transport ministry: a separate mode of transport.”

The participation of the officials from Uzbekistan in the congress was organized under the Project Co-ordinator’s project this year on supporting the implementation of green economy policies in Uzbekistan, specifically, the efforts of the Tashkent city Khokimiyat to establish a cycling network and promote sustainable mobility policies.

KYIV, 29 March 2019 – The international observers for the presidential election in Ukraine will present their preliminary post-election statement at a news conference on Monday, 1 April, in Kyiv.

The mission is a joint undertaking of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) and the European Parliament (EP).

The statement will be delivered by Ilkka Kanerva, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission, followed by Angela Smith, Head of the PACE delegation, Doris Barnett, Head of the OSCE PA delegation, Michal Szczerba, Head of the NATO PA delegation, Dariusz Rosati, Head of the EP delegation, and Ambassador Peter Tejler, Head of the ODIHR election observation mission.

The international election observation mission comprises some 970 observers from 45 countries, including 795 long- and short-term observers deployed by ODIHR, 107 parliamentarians and staff from the OSCE PA, 32 from PACE, 19 from the NATO PA and 12 from the EP.

Journalists are invited to attend the press conference at 15:00, Monday, 1 April, in the Grand Ballroom of the InterContinental Kyiv Hotel, Velyka Zhytomyrska St. 2A, Kyiv.

Livestreaming of the press conference will be available at: www.facebook.com/osce.odihr and www.oscepa.org.

For further information, contact:

Nat Parry, OSCE PA, +380 98 046 71 82 or +45 60 10 81 77, nat@oscepa.dk

Thomas Rymer, ODIHR, +380 67 339 62 93 or +48 609 522 266, thomas.rymer@odihr.pl

Bogdan Torcatoriu, PACE, +380 96 429 48 91 or +33 6 50 39 29 40, bogdan.torcatoriu@coe.int

Henrik Bliddal, NATO PA, +32 475 75 27 25, hbliddal@nato-pa.int

Karl Minaire, EP, +380 97 918 38 35 or +32 477 85 45 78, karl.minaire@europarl.europa.eu

Joana Karapataqi, OSCE Presence in Albania OSCE Presence in Albania

A technical workshop on corruption prevention tools and integrity planning for public officials of central level institutions was held on 28 and 29 March 2019 in Tirana.

The event was organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania and the Italian National Anti-corruption Authority (ANAC) in co-operation with the National Co-ordinator against Corruption.

The workshop – tailored to the needs of the anti-corruption focal points in line ministries and other central institutions – was developed by the ANAC and the National Co-ordinator against Corruption.

It focused on providing tools and guidance to promote integrity in public institutions, using data and transparency to fight corruption in public procurement, providing skills for the development and implementation of prevention plans, understanding the risk approach in the development of integrity and anti-corruption policy. The participants also exchanged best practices and experiences in specific fields.

The technical workshop was the last activity of the Presence-implemented project Support Anti-Corruption Measures in Albania (2014-2019), which was supported by the Italian Agency for Development Co-operation (AICS) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), with an in-kind contribution by the Italian School of Public Administration.  The Presence’s work to further strengthen anti-corruption capacities and awareness of public employees will continue.

415541 Edita Buçaj

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo has started a set of three-month Albanian and Serbian language classes for youth belonging to Kosovo Albanian, Kosovo Serb, Kosovo Bosniak, and Kosovo Roma communities residing in the municipality of Obiliq/Obilić. The courses will run from March to June 2019.

20 Kosovo Serb, Kosovo Bosniak, and Kosovo Roma youth attended their first Albanian language class on 18 March in the village of Plemetin/Plemetina, while the group of 11 Kosovo Albanian youngsters started their Serbian classes on 21 March. The Deputy Mayor for Communities; the Communities’ Committee Chairperson; the Director of the Youth Centre; and the President of the Local Youth Action Council of Obiliq/Obilić are also attending the classes.

During the three-month period, participants will have the unique opportunity of getting familiar with the language of their peers from other communities. As such activities are still not a part of the formal education system, extra-curricular language learning helps youth from different communities acquire basic skills in each other’s language, enabling easier communication and overcoming language barriers.

“I am very happy with this initiative, especially because so many young people have shown interest in learning each other’s language,” said the Deputy Mayor for Communities in Obiliq/Obilić, Slaviša Jakovljević, adding that although he already partly speaks Albanian, he decided to participate to inspire others to join the language classes.

The initiative is part of the OSCE Mission’s ongoing efforts to promote and enhance inter-community relations, dialogue and tolerance. Additionally, this activity is a follow-up to the Inter-municipal Declaration signed in 2016, whereby the municipalities of Prishtinë/Priština, Gračanica/Graçanicë, Shtime/Štimlje, Lipjan/Lipljan, Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje and Obiliq/Obilić committed themselves to enhancing their co-operation on inter-community issues, specifically among youth.

VIENNA, 29 March 2019 – Representatives of the 57 OSCE participating States, civil society and international organizations will meet in Vienna on Monday for the two-day conference “Upholding the Principles of Tolerance and Non-Discrimination, Including in the Promotion and Protection of Freedom of Religion or Belief.”

This Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting, organized by the Slovak OSCE Chairmanship, with the support of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), will offer a platform to the participating States and civil society, as well as intergovernmental organizations, educational experts, religious or belief communities and civil society to discuss the progress  made by participating States in implementing OSCE commitments to address all forms of discrimination, including racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and intolerance against Muslims, Christians and members of other religious or belief communities.

The meeting will also provide an opportunity to present and discuss good practices that show how key actors can prevent and respond to intolerance and to explore the differing impact that such intolerance has on women and men.

Journalists are invited to attend the opening of the conference from 15:00 to 16:00 on 1 April in the Neuer Saal of the Hofburg Conference Centre. To register, please send an e-mail confirming your attendance to press@osce.org by 11:00, 1 April.

VIENNA, 29 March 2019 - OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today publicly denounced threats against journalists of the N1 news channel in Serbia. In a letter sent on 27 March to the Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, the Representative expressed his concern about the threats and pressure against the N1 news channel.

On a number of occasions in recent days, the Serbia Programme Director of N1, Jugoslav Ćosić, and other journalists have been threatened, including by being portrayed as foreign mercenaries, “anti-Serb”, “traitors” and a “CIA media outlet”. Several political figures in the country have accused N1 of supporting violence following its live coverage of protestors storming the headquarters of the public service broadcaster, RTS, on 16 March. Moreover, N1 was accused by one tabloid for calling for the murder of the President of Serbia. As a result, N1 journalists have received numerous threats.

“ I am seriously concerned by the tone of the accusations against N1. Such allegations could put journalists’ safety at risk,” Désir said. In his letter to the Prime Mnister the Representative expressed hope that Serbian authorities will ensure that N1 journalists will be able to do their job without any kind of pressure.

He also recalled that at the 2018 OSCE Ministerial Council the OSCE participating States adopted a decision on Safety of Journalists in which they “urge political leaders, public officials and/or authorities to refrain from intimidating, threatening or condoning – and to unequivocally condemn – violence against journalists, in order to reduce the risks or threats that journalists may face and avoid undermining trust in the credibility of journalists as well as respect for the importance of independent journalism”.

PODGORICA/VIENNA, 29 March 2019 - OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger will visit Montenegro on 1 and 2 April 2019.

Greminger will meet with President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović, Speaker of the Parliament Ivan Brajović, Prime Minister Duško Marković and Deputy Prime Minister Zoran Pažin, Minister of Culture Aleksandar Bogdanović, Minister of Sports and Youth Nikola Janović and State Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Zoran Janković. He will also meet opposition party leaders.

Secretary General will meet representatives of media, the Media Council for Self-Regulation, the Electronic Media Agency and the Media Trade Union for a discussion and exchange of information on freedom of the media, freedom of expression and state of media development in the country.

Greminger will also meet with representatives of the NGO sector in Montenegro.

For additional information, media representatives can contact Marina Živaljević, National Public Affairs Officer at the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, at marina.zivaljevic@osce.org or +382 67 626 010.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region.
• Small-arms fire was directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near Nevelske.
• Near the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM saw the body of man.
• The SMM observed ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area.
• The SMM observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas.
• The Mission observed mines near checkpoints on both sides of the contact line.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. In addition, it was denied access at a checkpoint near Zaichenko.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including 115 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 260 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south and south-south-east of Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol), south-east, south-west and north of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), as well as at south-easterly directions of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol).

During the day on 27 March, positioned in Nevelske (government-controlled, 18km north-west of Donetsk) while conducting a mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight in the area, the SMM heard at least eight shots of small-arms fire at an assessed distance of 1km south. The Mission assessed the fire as aimed at the UAV. It recalled and safely landed the mini-UAV.*

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 230 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 60 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including the majority of explosions, were recorded in areas south of Sievierodonetsk (government-controlled, 74km north-west of Luhansk), south, north-west and north-east of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), as well as close to the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk). (See Disengagement areas.)

Man died near Stanytsia Luhanska bridge

The SMM observed the covered body of a man lying on the ground 100m north of the checkpoint of the armed formations located south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk). A member of the armed formations told the SMM that the man, about 60 years old, had died in the morning of 27 March after passing the checkpoint of the armed formations towards government-controlled areas. After about two hours, a member of the armed formations told the SMM that a van would be transporting the body of the deceased to Luhansk for further examination.

Disengagement areas[2]

During the day of 27 March, positioned in Zolote-1/Soniachnyi (government-controlled, 61km NW of Luhansk), the SMM heard four bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire at an assessed range of 2-3km south, assessed as inside the Zolote disengagement. During the same day, positioned in three different locations near the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM heard two undetermined explosions, 33 bursts and 47 shots of small arms fire, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On the morning of 27 March, positioned north of the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM heard a shot of small-arms fire at an assessed distance of 2km west-south-west, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

The same day, positioned near the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed a calm situation.

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.

Weapons in violation of withdrawal lines

Non-government-controlled areas

On 26 March, an SMM mini-UAV spotted three tanks (T-72) near Kalynove (60km west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites:

Government-controlled areas

On 27 March, an SMM mid-range UAV again spotted five tanks (type undetermined) near Tymofiievka (39km north-west of Donetsk).

Indications of military and military-type presence inside the security zone[3]

Government-controlled areas

27 March

The SMM saw:

• an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-70) near Kamianka (20km north of Donetsk) and
• an APC (BTR-70) near Krasnohorivka (24km north of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

On 26 March, an SMM mini-UAV spotted an armoured combat vehicle (type undetermined) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm), mounted on an APC (MT-LB), near Kalynove.

On 27 March, the SMM saw two infantry fighting vehicles (BMP-1) near Smile (31km north-west of Luhansk).

While flying a mini-UAV near Nyzhnoteple (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), the SMM observed a black UAV (quadcopter, 30cm x 30cm) flying at an altitude of 100m.

On 25 March, aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of a 40m trench extension (not visible in imagery from 14 March 2019) running south-west off of a previously seen 45m-long trench located about 1km east of the eastern edge of the Petrivske disengagement area.

Presence of mines and unexploded ordnance

On 26 March, an SMM mini-UAV again spotted 18 anti-tank mines (probable TM-62M) laid in two rows across a road on the northern edge of Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk). On the same day, the SMM again observed 17 anti-tank mines (assessed as TM-62) near a checkpoint of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on road H15 near Marinka, and also again saw six anti-tank mines (TM-62) 15m north of the same road near the aforementioned checkpoint. The Mission also observed two anti-tank mines (assessed as TM-62M) 5m west of the aforementioned four anti-tank mines.

Also on 26 March, the SMM observed six members of the armed formations assessing the terrain in order to carry out demining activities near a checkpoint of the armed formations near Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk). The Mission again saw at least seven anti-tank mines in a field about 25m west of road H-20, near the aforementioned checkpoint. It also observed, for the first time, 13 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid in two rows, about 190m south of the aforementioned anti-tank mines and about 20m west of road H-20.

On the same day, the SMM observed a metal tube (122mm diameter) assessed as a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) (Grad, type undetermined) rocket protruding from the asphalt on the eastern side of road H-20 on the southern edge of Donetsk city, about 600m from the nearest residential houses.

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

On the 26 and 27 March, the SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire in order to facilitate demining activities near a checkpoint of the armed formations near Kreminets (non-government, controlled, 16km south-west of Donetsk). On both days, it saw about five members of the armed formations conducting demining activities in an area east of Kreminets and north of road H-15. On 27 March, the SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk).

The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) and to monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).

The Mission continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of 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 JCCC 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 SMM Daily Report 25 March 2019). 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 north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), two armed members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage westwards to Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol), citing the risks to the security of the patrol as a reason for the denial.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, 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 and UXO.

Delay:

• At a checkpoint west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), a member of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage. After about 20 minutes of waiting at the checkpoint, the Mission was allowed to proceed.

Other impediments:

• While conducting a mini-UAV flight near Nevelske (government-controlled, 18km north-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard eight shots of small-arms fire assessed as aimed at the UAV. The SMM safely landed the mini-UAV.*

 

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as a map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report.

[2]Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons, unless otherwise specified.

415448 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

Good practices for strengthening inter-agency co-operation to effectively address hate crimes were the focus of a training session organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights of Greece on 27 and 28 March 2019 in Athens.

Participants from 14 OSCE participating States, representing government institutions, equality bodies and civil society, as well as OSCE field operations and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) (14 women and 12 men), learned how to secure the support of diverse actors, conduct a baseline assessment, draft an inter-agency agreement and ensure its sustainable implementation. 

“This workshop is an opportunity to share the expert knowledge and real, hands-on experience our partners and ODIHR developed when drafting the inter-agency agreement on addressing hate crimes here in Greece as part of the ODIHR project ‘Building a Comprehensive Criminal Justice Response to Hate Crime’,” said Tome Shekerdjiev, the project manager. “By demonstrating the success of this approach to people from so many different countries, we hope to provide a positive example for other states to emulate.”

Maria Giannakaki, Secretary General at the Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights of Greece, said: “The inter-agency agreement we signed in 2018 gave us the legal basis for a co-ordinated effort against hate crimes. It raised awareness across the government, improved recording systems and ensured better support for victims. The agreement is a result of collective work and negotiations within the government and of close co-operation with civil society. I am pleased to share this experience and good practice with other officials from across the OSCE region.”

Developing inter-agency co-operation plans to address hate crime is one component of a new ODIHR toolkit. The toolkit also includes training packages for police and prosecutors, methodologies and guidelines on how public institutions and civil society can address hate crime based on the project's experience in Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and Poland.      

THE HAGUE, 28 March 2019 – OSCE PA President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) was in The Hague yesterday for meetings aimed at reinforcing bilateral co-operation with the Dutch parliament and joint work between the Parliamentary Assembly and the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM).

At the Binnenhof, President Tsereteli met with Khadija Arib, President of the House of Representatives, Ankie Broekers-Knol, President of the Senate, and members of the delegation of the Netherlands to the OSCE PA, including Albert van den Bosch, Madeleine van Toorenburg and Achraf Bouali.

Discussions touched on major international issues, including the situation in Ukraine, humanitarian consequences of active and protracted armed conflicts in the OSCE region, and relations with Russia. President Tsereteli also outlined OSCE PA events and activities, such as election observation and the work of the PA’s ad hoc committees on migration and on countering terrorism. He welcomed Dutch initiatives aimed at resolving practical issues between opposing OSCE countries. 

“The Netherlands has demonstrated its strong commitment to multilateralism, through continued engagement in organizations such as ours and their hosting of numerous international institutions,” said President Tsereteli. “This engagement is matched by the active work of our colleagues in the Dutch parliament to help us respond together to the many challenges facing the OSCE region.”In a visit to the High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM), President Tsereteli was briefed by Ambassador Lamberto Zannier and HCNM staff on current regional and thematic issues, as well as future projects and events. The visit was also an occasion to discuss ways to concretely increase co-operation between OSCE parliamentarians and the HCNM, through participation in joint visits and events.

In discussions, President Tsereteli voiced strong support for the work of the HCNM. Tsereteli also committed the PA to engage with OSCE parliaments in order to ensure that HCNM recommendations and guidelines are taken into account when developing national legislation, with a view of easing inter-ethnic tensions across the OSCE area. 

Photos of the visit are available on Flickr.

415445 Mirvete Islam, OSCE Mission to Skopje Ilona Kazaryan

SKOPJE, 28 March 2019 – Some 60 judges from North Macedonia, Croatia, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia and Slovenia, gathered in Skopje today to discuss preconditions and challenges the Western Balkan countries face on the path towards the application of European judicial standards in their countries.

The Regional Judicial Conference, organized to mark the National Day of the Judiciary, is an annual event organized by the Association of Judges and supported by the OSCE Mission to Skopje.

“Judges in the country face serious challenges, but they must persevere and show that they possess the capacities and the accountability to enforce judicial independence and impartiality,” said Jeffrey Goldstein, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje.  “In all the textbooks on leadership, it is written that good leaders lead by example, and it is very important that judges do lead in international judicial standards implementation practice.”

The President of the Judges’ Association, Xhemali Saiti, said: “The political context surrounding the judiciary only confirms our real needs and I hope that this trend will be subdued by means of a standardized and universally acceptable legal system created whilst progressing towards full accession to the Euro-Atlantic organizations, with particular acknowledgement of the obligations under Chapter 23.”  

MINSK, 27 March 2019 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG ‎and its Working Groups in Minsk on 27 March 2019:

“As of today, four days are left before the elections in Ukraine. In my observations of the election campaign and in communication with people, I became convinced that achieving peace in the east of Ukraine is one of the main topics of the pre-election discussion. I have also noticed this during my recent trip to western Ukraine. This proves that our work here, in Minsk, is essential, and many people in Ukraine expect real results from us, namely peace. I just would like to say that both the OSCE and I personally shall continue to make every effort to achieve this goal.

As you know, on 20 March 2019 sixty detainees not related to the conflict were transferred from certain areas of Luhansk region to the government-controlled areas of Ukraine.

Welcoming this fact, I would like to emphasize the need for the further transfers of such detainees so that they can serve their sentences closer to their families and friends.

The Humanitarian Working Group continued discussions related to the exchange of detainees, as well as necessary improvements to the conditions for crossing the contact line.

In his report on the work of the Security Group, Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan expressed his deep concern about the growing number of ceasefire violations.

He stressed the need for additional measures to ensure safety for the civilian population, in particular by humanitarian demining.

The Economic Working Group continued its search for solutions to topical issues of water supply in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions on both sides of the line of contact. Certain aspects of restoring and improving mobile communications based on the Vodafone system were also duly considered.

The Political Working Group took forward its exchanges on its well-known agenda, namely the implementation of the ‘Steinmeier formula’, amnesty and the modalities of local elections in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions as stipulated by the Minsk agreements.”

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM saw fresh craters in Sentianivka and damage to a house in Marinka.
• The Mission recorded ceasefire violations, including explosions, inside the Zolote disengagement area. Inside the same area, it also observed military presence and hardware, as well as anti-tank mines across road T-1316.
• It observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. In addition, it was restricted at a checkpoint near Verkhnoshyrokivske, in a non-government-controlled area of southern Donetsk region.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 260 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 160 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south-east of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol), south-east and south-west of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), as well as in areas west of Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 60 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 30 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including the majority of explosions, were assessed as inside the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) (see Disengagement areas).

Craters in Sentianivka and damage to a house in Marinka

The SMM saw three fresh craters in a field about 50m north of a one-storey house at 20 Shevchenka Street in Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, non-government-controlled, 44km west of Luhansk). Due to security concerns, the SMM could not approach the craters to assess the calibre and direction of fire. About 20m north of the house, the SMM also saw a hole (150mm in diameter) in the west-facing outer wall of a henhouse and another hole (30mm in diameter) in its roof. At 22 Shevchenka Street, the SMM saw four shattered window panes: one in the north-facing window, one in the east-facing window and two in the south-facing window.

At 1 Moskalevskoho Street in Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw a hole in the north-facing part of the roof on a one-storey house (the SMM noted that a sheet of plywood had been placed over the hole to repair the roof). The SMM assessed the hole as caused by a round of an undetermined weapon fired from a north-easterly direction.

Disengagement areas[2]

On 25 March, inside the Zolote disengagement area, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) again spotted an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) about 600m south of its northern edge. The same day, an SMM mini-UAV spotted an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) south of the railway tracks, about 550m south of the area’s northern edge, and another IFV (BMP-1) about 500m south-west of the aforementioned vehicle, both assessed as belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces (for previous observations see, SMM Daily Report 20 March 2019 and SMM Daily Report 26 March 2019). The same UAV again spotted ten anti-tank mines (TM-62) on road T-1316, about 1km south of the disengagement area’s northern edge. It also again spotted about 60 anti-tank mines (TM-62) in fields inside the disengagement area, about 90m south of its northern edge and about 70m east of road T-1316.

During the evening of 25 March, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded an undetermined explosion at an assessed range of 2-3km south-east (assessed as inside the disengagement area). During the day on 26 March, positioned on the south-western edge of Berezivske (non-government-controlled, 53km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard about 40 undetermined explosions and about 80 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all at an assessed range of 4-6km west (assessed as inside the Zolote disengagement area).

The same day, positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed a calm situation.

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.

Weapons in violation

Government-controlled areas

26 March

The SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) heading south on road H-21 near Voitove (33km north-west of Luhansk).

Non-government-controlled areas

25 March

An SMM mini-UAV spotted two mortars (type undetermined, 120mm) near Donetskyi (49km west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites:

Government-controlled areas

26 March

The SMM saw six tanks (T-72) in a training area near Andriivka (61km south of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

25 March

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• 21 tanks (11 T-64 and ten T-72), nine self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), 12 towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm),  six anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm), 15 towed mortars (probable 2B11 Sani, 120mm) and nine surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10) in a training area near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk), and
• five self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and two anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) in a training area near Shymshynivka (27km south-west of Luhansk).

Indications of military and military-type presence inside the security zone[3]

Government-controlled areas

25 March

An SMM mini-UAV spotted four IFVs (three BMP-1 and a BMP-2) and an armoured combat vehicle (type undetermined) near the Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint north of the Zolote disengagement area.

An SMM mid-range UAV spotted:

• an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB), five IFVs (four BMP-1 and one BMP-2) and two anti-aircraft guns (ZU-23) near Novooleksandrivka (65km west of Luhansk). The same UAV also spotted a 15m-long extension of a trench south-west of the settlement (not seen in imagery from 5 March 2019), a recently dug 20m-long extension of a trench east of it, as well as a recently dug 190m-long trench system north of it (both trenches not seen in imagery from 15 October 2018).
• an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRM-1K) and recently-dug trenches (totalling 200m in length) and firing positions (not visible in imagery from 5 September 2018) about 150m from residential houses in Chermalyk.

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• two IFVs (BMP-2) in Zolote-4/Rodina (59km west of Luhansk) and
• an IFV (probable BMP-2) east of Popasna (69km west of Luhansk).

26 March

The SMM saw an APC (type undetermined) 2km south of Nyzhnoteple (26km north of Luhansk).

Non-government-controlled areas25 MarchAn SMM long-range UAV spotted five APCs (MT-LB) near Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk).

26 March

The SMM saw:

• an APC (MT-LB variant) in Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, 50west of Luhansk) and
• an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) in Kalynove (60km west of Luhansk).

Mine hazard signs

On the eastern edge of Nova Marivka (non-government-controlled, 64km south of Donetsk), the SMM saw a fallen tree spanning more than half of the width of a road, with an improvised mine hazard sign fastened to it and a white board with “Stop! Mines” written in Russian. Near Kalynove-Borshchuvate (non-government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk), the SMM saw for the first time three red signs with “Stop! Mines” written in Russian attached to wooden planks in fields north and south of road H-32.

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to water wells at the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), water pipelines near Popasna and power transmission lines near Myrna Dolyna (government-controlled, 67km north-west of Luhansk). The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) and monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).

Border areas outside government control

While at a border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) for about an hour, the SMM saw nine cars (two with Ukrainian and five with Russian Federation licence plates, as well as two with “DPR” plates), two minibuses (one with Ukrainian licence plates and one with “DPR” plates) and two pedestrians (a man and a woman, aged 60-70) entering Ukraine. The SMM saw 17 cars (six with Ukrainian, six with Russian Federation and one with Georgian licence plates, as well as four with “DPR” plates), four minibuses (one with Ukrainian, one with Russian Federation and one with Armenian licence plates, as well as one with “DPR” plates), two covered cargo trucks (one with Belarusian licence plates and one with “DPR” plates) and two buses (with “DPR” plates and about 20-30 people on board) exiting Ukraine. 

The Mission continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of 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 JCCC 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 SMM Daily Report 25 March 2019). 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:

• A member of the armed formations denied the SMM passage at a checkpoint about 600m west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), citing ongoing demining activities in Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol).

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, 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 and UXO.

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, the SMM camera in Krasnohorivka was not operational.

[2]Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons, unless otherwise specified.