Week 1: February 15 – February 21. As of February 18, there were almost no signs of Minsk agreement’s first three points being respected.

Week 2: February 22 – February 28. As of February 24, despite some light improvement, the overall situation did not change.

Week 3: March 1 – March 7. Fighting of variable intensity took place almost exclusively in Donetsk region.

Week 4: March 8 – March 14. No particular developments were noted; the parties were more compliant with Minsk II measures in Lugansk region than in Donetsk.

Week 5: March 15 – March 21. The situation in eastern Ukraine is still quite unpredictable and could easily change.

Week 6: March 22 – March 28.  There are little guarantees regarding full implementation of Minsk II agreement in the short period.

Week 7: March 29 – April 4. Both sides did not stop violating Minsk agreement measures.

Week 8: April 5 – April 11. Although it is possible to spot some positive developments, Minsk agreement’s measures have been violated on a daily basis.

Week 9: April 12 – April 18. The situation around Donetsk and Shyrokyne remains quite unstable.

Week 10: April 19 – April 25. Fighting between Ukrainian Armed Forces and DPR forces continued around Donetsk (especially in the airport area and around Avdiivka) and Shyrokyne.

Week 11: April 26 – May 2. Concern rises regarding the situation around Donetsk, while there may be positive signs regarding a potential stabilization of the area around Shyrokyne. Heavy weapons were used by both sides.

OSCE’s Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), have underlined the fact that the situation around Donetsk have been fluid and unpredictable since it got on the field. The fighting that occurred between the end of April and the very first days of May, forced the SMM to declare said situation as ‘seriously deteriorated’. On the contrary, the situation around Shyrokyne seemed to be returned to  a relative state of calm despite the fierce fighting that occurred between April 25 and April 26. There might be new chances for the creation of a demilitarized zone in the village. Finally, few ceasefire violations were also reported in some other areas.

Minsk agreement Measure 2 has not been fully respected. In many occasions, the SMM noted and reported the presence and movement of heavy weapons in both government-controlled and DPR/LPR-controlled areas (Donetsk People’s Republic, Lugansk People’s Republic). Both sides used this kind of weapon mainly in and around Donetsk and Shyrokyne. The SMM also reported some irregularities at heavy weapons holding areas consisting mainly in the absence of previously-recorded weapons and in the noncompliance of those locations with respective withdrawal lines.

SMM movement and freedom of access suffered from some restrictions imposed by both sides; however, it should be noted that the number of episodes regarding Measure 3 violations has been decreasing lately.

Besides the lack of food, medicines and other basic goods, it should be mentioned the fact that in the past couple of weeks both Ukrainian Armed Forces and DPR/LPR forces have been building new fortifications in and around different locations in Donetsk and Lugansk Oblasts.

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