FIGHTING IN EASTERN UKRAINE
Donetsk Oblast
Almost all through May, although ceasefire violations were reported on a daily basis, the situation around Donetsk city remained relatively calm and stable. However, from May 23 to May 25, shelling increased: 8 episodes were registered on May 23, 11 on May 24 and 19 on May 25 (previously, 5 episodes had been the daily average). Things calmed down until the end of the month, but then the situation worsened again and a peak of 42 episodes was reached on June 4. In the following days, fighting continued with different levels of intensity; June 29 was the most critical day as 57 episodes were reported. In June, the deployment of heavy weapons – such as 120mm mortars, 122mm artillery and Multi Rocket Launcher Systems (MRLS) – increased as well.
Due to security concerns, the SMM could not regularly visit the area of Shyrokyne. However, this proves that the village is still theatre of intense fighting between Ukrainian Army and DPR forces. On June 29, the SMM confirmed that all civilian had left and that about 80% of Shyrokyne buildings were destroyed. Inevitably, heavy weapons (tanks, anti-tank missiles, 120mm mortars, 122mm artillery pieces and MRLS) were repeatedly used. About 15-20 km north of Shyrokyne, fighting involved Ukrainian Army and DPR positions near Sartana, Gnutove, Pyshchevik (Gov-controlled), Oktyabr and Krasnoarmiiske (DPR-controlled). Another 25-30 km north, shelling was reported in the area of Gov-controlled Anadol and Hranitne and in DPR-controlled Lukove.
Shelling involved government and DPR positions in eastern Donetsk Oblast (in the area of Gov-controlled Kirove, Semyhirya, Myroniv’skyi, Luhanske and DPR-controlled Horlivka, Yenakieve, Savelivka and Debaltseve) as well as LPR positions in Lugansk Oblast.
On May 23, the SMM heard outgoing bursts of small arms and light weapons in DPR-controlled Ternove; on June 20, the SMM heard 8 explosions coming from the area of DPR-controlled Krynychky but was unable to determine the source of the explosions; in DPR-controlled Shakhta a man died in a direct hit on his garage on June 27. Unfortunately, since there is no relevant information available, it is almost impossible to contextualize these three episodes properly.
Lugansk Oblast
Generally speaking, the overall situation in Lugansk Oblast was quieter than in Donetsk region: in May, 1,5 episodes were averagely reported; 3,4 episodes in June[1]. Fighting involved mainly LPR-controlled areas around Lugansk city, Slovianoserbsk, and Pervomaisk; and government-controlled villages along the contact line from Troitzke to Bobrove, as well as Trokhizbenka, Shchastya and Stanytsia Luhanska.
SHORTAGE OF WATER, ELECTRICITY, GAS AND FUEL
Lugansk Oblast
Shelling in mid-western Lugansk Oblast damaged water pipes and a water-pump station in Zolote. As of June 23, according to the deputy head of the Luhansk regional state administration, around 20000 people had been without access to water in many villages (Lomuvatka[2], Yuzhne Lomuvatka[3], Toshkivka[4], Popasna[5], Bobrove, Nyzhne, Novotoshkivske and Pervomaisk). Shelling caused a lack of electricity in Troitzke and Novozvanivka.
In central part of Lugansk Oblast, Trokhizbenka and Kyristove faced the most serious situation[6]. On May 24, the SMM was informed that an alleged shelling hit the water pumping station at the Raivka causing a water shortage in an area inhabited by around 30,000 people. In the following days, water shortage became a real issue in Lugansk it became the most pressing problem in the city until mid-June[7]. Shelling destroyed electricity cables in the area: according to the deputy governor, who talked to the SMM on June 23, 5000 people had been without electricity[8], including Stanytsia Luhanska, Obozne and Khrystove[9].
Vodotok experienced a shortage of both gas supply and water, so inhabitants had to draw water from village wells.
Donetsk Oblast
In Hranitne civilians reported that their electricity supply had been frequently interrupted due to damages to the power line caused by shelling. On June 11, the SMM met the deputy head of Donetsk’Kirovskyi district administration who said that water supply continued to be problematic because water pipes in Horlivka had been damaged by shelling. Donetsk city also suffered from a fuel shortage: according to SMM reports, in Khartsyzk, Makiivka and Donetsk, none out of 15 gas stations had fuel available.
MINES - UXOS
Donetsk Oblast
The presence of minefields/UXOs was reported in/around Hrozne[10], Bulavynkse, Karlivka[11], Slavne[12], Taramchuck[13] and Artemivsk. Here, since 2/3 of surrounding field could be no longer cultivated, the presence of mines had serious repercussions on civilians’ lives and on the local economy.
Lugansk Oblast
According to two LPR representatives, more than 51,000 hectares in LPR-controlled areas needed to be cleared. In Krasnodon, 6000 out of 24,000 hectares were affected by mines and unexploded ordnance[14]. Yuzhne Lomuvatka was in a similar situation and agricultural activities had ceased. Presence of mines was also reported in Stanytsia Luhanska[15] and Zolote[16]
GENERIC ECONOMIC PROBLEMS
Donetsk Oblast
Artemivsk had to deal with unemployment and general unproductivity: on May 8, the SMM spoke with the director of local Unemployment Office who told inspectors that 50 mid-sized companies had left the town since the start of the conflict while larger industrial companies had to cut back on production and working hours.
In Donetsk’s Budionivskyi district, a resident told OSCE’s inspectors that he and his family were basically relying only on the products of their garden since prices in shops had greatly increased since the beginning of the conflict. In Novazovsk, prices at the local market were generally double those in Mariupol.
Lugansk Oblast
In Krasnodon, price of baby food were five times higher than they used to be before the beginning of the crisis. In Kniahynivka, people were forced to reach DPR-controlled areas in order to get good because of prices were too high making them unaffordable.
Prices have been increasing but incomes have been decreasing. In Vodotok, residents told the SMM that pensions had not been paid since June 2014. In Lugansk city, pension and social welfare payments were problematic, with payments having only been made for two months in 2015. In Krasnodon, teachers and staff members worked despite not having been paid since January, at least. In the same city, due to the absence of salaries, there were no therapists available to provide children with pediatric rehabilitation. In Novodarivka, teachers of a school told the SMM that the staff had received only a fraction of their salaries since June 2014. A mine near Verhulivka, had stopped working in June 2014 due to eruption of the conflict[17].
HEALTHCARE-RELATED ISSUES
Donetsk Oblast
One of Donetsk city’s hospitals, visited by the SMM on June 6, lacked of certain medicines and key supplies.
Lugansk Oblast
Lack of medicines and medical personnel is a high pressing issue experienced in Oleksandrivsk (Lugansk’s outskirt)[18], Slovianoserbsk[19], Vodotok, Krasnodon[20] , Krasne, Rovenky e Stanytsia Luhanska.
ISSUES RELATED TO CIVILIANS’ FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT
Donetsk Oblast
On June 18, the deputy head of administration in Artemivsk told the SMM that the movement – crossing of checkpoints to Artemivsk city - by the local residents was highly restricted. According to him, residents faced difficulties especially commuting to work because of the waiting time at checkpoints and the lack of public transport.
Lugansk Oblast
In Lugansk Oblast, civilians’ freedom of movement suffered from direct/indirect restrictions mainly in Stanytsia Luhanska and Trokhizbenka because of bureaucratic procedures and security concerns. Both cities have bridges connecting LPR with government-controlled areas. According to the “Chernihiv” volunteer battalion checkpoint personnel, every day about 300-400 civilians (both women and men of different age) travel across Stanytsia Luhanska’s bridge and about 50 of them are usually not let through. In Trokhizbenka, commuters faced many problems in reaching their work-locations, such as Slovianoserbsk’s hospital.
Problem in renewing people’s passports and document is also an issue. In Krasnodon, for example, people could not cross the Russian Federation border to receive medical support for children or to buy primary goods.
[1] On June 18, 23 episodes were reported, that is the reason why daily average value increased.
[2] On June 18, residents told the SMM that the village had been without water since mid-March 2015.
[3] On June 4, the head of Yuzhne Lomuvatka village council told the SMM that the village’s water supply had been cut off two weeks before.
[4] On June 10, a resident told the SMM that around 1000 inhabitants had been having problem with water supplies.
[5] On 26 June, two civilians told OSCE’s inspectors that the water supply had been restored.
[6] The former had been with neither gas nor electricity for one year; the latter, as of May 7, had been without electricity and water since august 2014.
[7] On 13 June, two administrative staff of Luhansk water supply company customer service department told the SMM that water supply had been restored in all districts in Luhansk city in the previous week. According to SMM reports, the water supply was limited to 30% of the usual supply capacity and Luhansk city households were provided with water for four hours every evening.
[8] According to SMM reports, at least four villages were affected by a lack of electricity (Kriakivka, Lobachevo, Lopaskine, Krymske) while, as of June 24, at least other four villages were without mains water (Vesniane, Hrechyshkyne, Kapitanove, and Muratove).
[9] Obozne power station was damaged in April 2015 and these last two villages have been without electricity and water ever since.
[10] A 15-year-old boy died because of a landmine.
[11] Some residents told the SMM that there were UXOs around the village.
[12] On May 21, the local commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces informed the SMM that the Ukrainian Armed Forces did not have a complete overview of mined areas around the village.
[13] The local commander said that the road towards Oleniivka was mined and that there were neither proper markings nor a complete overview of mined areas around the village.
[14] Agriculture is the second most important economic resource in this district and it generates 12% of revenues for Krasnodon. As a result of the conflict, production of vegetables has fallen (from formerly 230 hectares being cultivated to now 30 hectares) and despite the fact that approximately 4000 hectares had been cleared, about 2000 hectares are expected to be cleared in the next few months
[15] One of the patients was injured his leg in a mine explosion.
[16] The presence of mines prevented people to repair Zolote’s damaged water-pump station.
[17] The mine, which previously had 1586 employees, was maintained in a non-operational mode (pump up the water and gas in and out of the mine) by around 400 engineers, who did not get paid.
[18] Doctors at the community clinic told the SMM that due to a shortage of vaccinations, residents have to pay for these privately.
[19] A psychiatric hospital in Slovianoserbsk have been suffering from a shortage of staff caused by the closure of a checkpoint between the hospital, located in Slovianoserbsk, and government-controlled. The facility faced a lack of basic medications, especially pain killers, antibiotics, and psychiatric remedies.
[20] In Krasnodon, there was no medical treatment for infants and children without payment.
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