Mr. Chairperson,

On behalf of the delegation of Ukraine let me deliver a statement on the subject of “Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine and illegal occupation of Crimea”.

This past week of 28 June – 4 July was characterized by Russia-led sharp spikes of violence in Donbas. 

The positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were shelled 81 times with an extensive use of Minks-proscribed weapons in the area of 11 settlements (Nevelske, Krasnohorivka, Novhorodske, Avdiivka, Talakivka, Shyrokyne, Vodiane, Starohnativkа, Zolote-4, Hnutove, Pisky). Diverse grenade launchers, infantry fighting vehicles

BMP-1, small arms and heavy machine guns were also used. The Russian armed formations shelled Ukrainian positions near the disengagement area of Zolote, including with the use of Minsk-proscribed weapons and combat UAV to drop

VOG-17 shells, on multiple occasions endangering the disengagement process. 

As a result of these acts of armed aggression by Russia, 2 Ukrainian servicemen were wounded and 1 was killed. Most recently, on 5 July, a deliberate attack on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Chermalyk claimed the life of one Ukrainian defender and left 3 wounded.

PRESENTATION

Slide 1. We would like to draw your attention to a reckless act of armed aggression against the peaceful settlement of Avdiivka, on 1 July (from 06.15). This residential area was under barrage of fire from Minsk-proscribed 122mm artillery systems and 120mm mortars for 2 hours in a row. One residential building was destroyed, and several others were damaged. 

The fire came from the residential areas of temporarily occupied Makiivka, Mineralne, Yakovlivka and the temporarily occupied residential area near the mine named after Zasiadko. The use of residential areas to conduct shelling reflects the provocative character of these actions and constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law by the Russian armed formations.  

These aggressive actions of the occupants are aimed at plotting false narratives against Ukraine accusing it in destruction of civilian infrastructure. The products of Russian malign propaganda campaign are actively used by the Russian side in an attempt to portray a misleading vision of the developments in eastern Ukraine.   

Slide 2. The occupants kept shelling Avdiivka on the next day (from 05:40) for another two hours in a row with the use of Minsk-proscribed 122mm artillery systems and 120mm mortars as well as grenade launchers causing damage to civilian infrastructure, including main structures of the houses and their adjacent territory. The fire was conducted from the temporarily occupied residential areas of Spartak, Yasynuvata, Yakovlivka and Makiivka. 

Slide 3. The facts of the shelling of Avdiivka were confirmed by propaganda media resources of the occupants. The real consequence of events was substituted by brutal falsification of facts. The damage caused by the shelling was replaced with a mythic “suppression of fire”. The incidents in Avdiivka are not unique but rather a daily practice of the Russian armed formations with an upward trend, reflecting the increase in shelling of civilian and critical infrastructure located in the government-controlled areas.

This state of play was made possible because of the uncontrolled use by the Russian armed formations of the prohibited weapons, violation of withdrawal lines, deployment of weapons outside designated storage sites, including installation of firing positions in the residential areas, and constant impediment of the SMM activities in the temporarily occupied areas. The SMM camera system in the temporarily occupied Oktiabr mine (9km north-west of Donetsk city) which was damaged by small arms fire is just another case in point.

Slide 4-6.

It is worthwhile emphasizing that the escalation in Avdiivka is directly linked to the conduct of live-fire exercises by the Russian armed formations in the security zone, observed by the SMM on 28 June 2021 and reflected in its report of 29 June 2021. The deployment of prohibited weapons is carried out by the occupants under the guise of such exercises. Such a practice correlates with the similar one extensively used by Russia near the border with Ukraine since 2014. And, as you may see, it is widely applied in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.  

These blatant violations of ceasefire were also preceded by a deliberate disruption by the Russian armed formations of the operation of the SMM long-range UAVs S-100. This allowed Russia to conduct live-fire exercises and relocate its occupation forces. It is not accidental that the current escalation coincides with the loss of S-100 on 29 June 2021.  

At the same time, the Russian armed formations keep manipulating the ceasefire coordination mechanism misusing it to conceal facts of multiple ceasefire violations.

Slide 7. On 1 July (15.35-16.20), 16 projectiles were fired from 120mm mortars in the direction of the area of Vodiane. The fire was unleashed from the temporarily occupied residential areas of Zayichenko (47011`10,00N, 37051`25,25E). The verification of consequences of the shelling also revealed the use of Minsk-proscribed 122mm artillery system, which inflicted damage to one of the private houses in Vodiane settlement.

The examination of the fragments of exploded ammunition revealed that this type of ammunition (high-explosive fragmentation projectile ZOF49 type of 120mm caliber with a fuse 3B35) was removed from the service of the armed forces of Russia due to its expiry date. This ammunition is used for the self-propelled 120mm gun-mortar 2B16 Nona-SVK which is not in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 

This is not the first time when we observe the use of expired ammunition manufactured and supplied by Russia to its occupation forces for their further utilization by means of shelling civilian infrastructure and citizens of Ukraine. 

The indirect confirmation of the use of Minsk-proscribed weapon system 2B16 Nona-SVK is linked to persistent denials by the Russian armed formations of the SMM access to the temporarily occupied residential areas of Zayichenko, Pikuzy, Sakhanka according to the SMM daily reports of 1, 2 and 3 July 2021.  

END of PRESENTATION

The Russian Federation continued to transfer manpower and to supply its forces in Donbas with weaponry, ammunition, fuel, and lubricants through the section of the Russian-Ukrainian state border uncontrolled by the Government of Ukraine.

Currently, military logistics and combat support units, military advisors, instructors, specialists and servicemen of the armed forces of the Russian Federation amounting to 3000 persons, weapons and military equipment of the regular units of the Russian armed forces, in particular 40 armoured combat vehicles, are deployed in the temporarily occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.

These facts speak for themselves and undoubtedly testify to the ongoing violation by Russia of the OSCE fundamental principles, enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act, as to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolability of borders as well as its commitments under OSCE politico-military instruments.

The Russian armed formations kept violating other provisions of the Minsk agreements.

On 4 occasions, the UAVs of the Russian armed formations, mostly Orlan-10, were observed crossing the line of contact in different areas of the Luhansk region. Such activities clearly infringe the 22 July 2020 TCG decision regarding additional measures to strengthen the ceasefire, which ban the operation of any types of aerial vehicles.

Instead of moving forward in the TCG on demining, Russia continues to contaminate Ukrainian soil with mines and explosive devices. Between 24 and 25 June, the SMM observed 104 antitank mines near temporarily occupied Veselohorivka (64km west of Luhansk) and Betmanove (23km north-east of Donetsk) and new mine hazard signs in fields on the north-western and the south-eastern edges of road T-0509 near temporarily occupied Styla (34km south of Donetsk).

The delegation of Ukraine in the TCG regularly appeals to the Russian side to adopt the demining plan along with the schedule of maintenance and repair works near the line of contact. Unfortunately, these calls have been disregarded.

The Ukrainian side together with its international partners make every effort to carry out demining of the territories under the Government control. Last week Ukrainian demining teams surveyed 48 hectares of land and destroyed over 800 explosive devices. 

Meanwhile, the Russian armed formations continue to impede demining activities. One of the stark examples was the shelling, adjusted by Russian Orlan-10 UAV, of the Halo Trust demining group near Hnutove, Donetsk region, on 26 April 2021. 

In attempt to waive their responsibility for such crimes against humanity the occupants disseminate false information of alleged involvement of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in explosions in the vicinity of temporarily occupied residential areas of Donbas. This practice is merely an element of destructive propaganda campaign aimed at nurturing negative attitudes against Ukraine among the population forced to live under occupation.

The Russian occupation administrations in Donbas further add to the suffering of civilians in the temporarily occupied areas. Under the pretext of the pandemic, the passage of civilians through the Stanytsia Luhanska entry-exit checkpoint was blocked resulting in a queue of 400 persons, on 30 June.    

Mr. Chairperson, 

Amid the spikes of Russia-led violence in Donbas, we remain particularly concerned over the large-scale concentration of Russian troops and military equipment, including those remaining following the military exercises this past April, at the border with Ukraine and in the temporarily occupied Crimea.

Reluctance of the Russian side to provide necessary measures of transparency over its military activity under the Vienna Document, in particular its risk reduction mechanism, seeds uncertainty and increases threat perceptions of Ukraine and other participating States. 

Therefore, we call upon Russia to ensure full transparency in line with the letter and the spirit of the Vienna Document, especially in view of another wave of large-scale drills ZAPAD-2021, over its military activities near the borders of the neighbouring participating States. 

In conclusion, we urge the Russian Federation to stop its aggression against Ukraine, reverse its illegal occupation of Crimea, de-occupy parts of Donbas, and restore freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, through the Kerch Strait and in the Sea of Azov. Russia must fully implement its commitments under the Minsk agreements, including the withdrawal of its armed forces, mercenaries, armed formations, and weapons from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

Thank you, Mr. Chairperson.