“Last week we recorded a 45 per cent increase in the number of ceasefire violations,” said Alexander Hug, Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine at a press-briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. On May 24, the OSCE SMM monitors registered over 500 incidents of ceasefire violations as well as 170 explosions in the western outskirts of Donetsk. Small arms fire often amounts to several thousand cases per day, added Mr. Hug.
Mission’s monitors registered the Minsk-proscribed weapons beyond the agreed withdrawal sites. “On May 23 the SMM saw a 122-mm D30 howitzer in Donetsk city. The day before, west of Novoaydar we spotted a 152-mm D20 howitzer,” said Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE SMM to Ukraine.
“Disengagement in the three pilot areas has been only partial at best. Little or nothing has been done in terms of demining action. […] Last week we recorded 34 instances in which our patrols on the ground had their freedom of movement restricted. Twenty of those cases were in and around the three disengagement areas,” said Alexander Hug.
Last week the Mission confirmed nine civilian casualties: six women and three men were wounded. “Five in areas not within the government control – in Yakovlivka, Oleksandrivka, Holmivsky and on the south-western district of the Donetsk city. Four in government-controlled areas in Avdiivka and Krasnohorivka,” the Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE SMM to Ukraine said. In Krasnohorivka monitors of the OSCE SMM saw hospitals, schools and private houses damaged by the attacks.