OSCE SMM presents the next results of monitoring in Ukraine

Focusing on the implementation of the Minsk Protocol/Memorandum, the OSCE Special Monitorig Mission (SMM) continued monitoring Donetsk and Luhansk areas where sporadic artillery shelling was still reported and observed. The SMM also gathered additional information about the concrete future implementation process in Ukraine of the newly adopted Law on Lustration. OSCE official web-site informs about this. 

The situation remained calm in Kharkiv.

On 13 October the SMM heard sporadic mortar fire while speaking with Ukrainian armed forces personnel at a checkpoint located in the outskirts of Shchastya (23km north of Luhansk). The SMM observed that the mortar fire was outgoing from a sector located north of Shchastya and incoming to the western areas of Luhansk.

In Popasna (85km west of Luhansk), the SMM spoke with the commander in charge of the local Ukrainian armed forces. The interlocutor reported that he had observed intermittent mortar shelling targeting the most advanced Ukrainian checkpoint deployed on the eastern flank of Popasna on 12 October from 05:00 to 17:00hrs. On 13 October the SMM heard incoming shelling, 15 distinct blasts, in the eastern sectors of the aforementioned advanced Ukrainian position in Popasna.

On 13 October the SMM visited the Head of the Department of Social Protection of Svatove district (150km north-west of Luhansk), who stated that approximately 6,700 internally displaced people (IDPs) were registered in the district. The interlocutor also explained that Svatove administration has a sufficient supply of winter clothes for the IDPs and assured that they would supply local IDPs with electricity and gas. However, the interlocutor said that Svatove administration is currently struggling with limited food and medical supplies.

In Donetsk and its surroundings the overall security situation was calm. The SMM facilitated the collection of personal belongings of the victims of flight MH17 at the crash site.

In Mariupol the security situation continues to be highly fluid. High ranking Ukrainian Military Officers reported to the SMM that ingoing shelling had hit Ukrainian positions in the eastern suburbs of Mariupol on 13 October morning. The SMM could not verify the report.

In the town of Kramatorsk the situation remained generally calm. However, on 13 October from 11:35 to 11:45hrs, the SMM heard in Debaltseve (70km north-east of Donetsk) 20 artillery explosions. According to the SMM’s assessment, the explosions originated from a howitzer artillery system and occurred approximately 2km north of Debaltseve.

In Dnepropetrovsk, Kherson and Odesa, the situation remained calm.

In Kyiv the SMM attended a press conference organised by the Ukrainian Minister of Justice and the Head of the Lustration Committee (activist/civic platform). The conference focused on the implementation of the Law on Lustration recently adopted by the Ukrainian Parliament on 25 September. The Minister of Justice announced the establishment of a new Lustration Commission and Inspection Council that would enforce the lustration process. The Minister stated that the Ministry of Internal Affairs also expressed its willingness to initiate the lustration process within its own departments.

The situation remained calm in Chernivtsi, Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk.