Madam 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”.

The situation in Donbas remains volatile while no absolute ceasefire is abided by the armed formations of the Russian Federation. During the period from 16 through 22 November the Russian armed formations again resorted to armed provocations on 20 occasions, including 3 of them being a targeted fire, near 10 settlements in the Donetsk region (near Avdiivka, Novoluhanske, Shumy, Vodiane, Kamianka, Pyshchevyk, Pavlopil, Mariinka, Novotroitske, Hnutove), opening fire against the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with the use of different grenade launchers (GP-25, RPG-7, AGS-17, SPG-9) and small arms. They also used distance mining on 2 occasions with POM-2 from a machine gun PKM-1 (near Vodiane) and sniper fire (near Mariinka). As the result of these armed provocations and targeted fire, one Ukrainian serviceman was wounded, on 19 November, and, on 24 November, one Ukrainian serviceman was killed from sniper fire near Avdiivka.

PRESENTATION

(slide 1) On 19 November at 12h45-12h55, the Russian armed formations opened targeted fire from the direction of the temporarily occupied residential area of Mineralne on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Avdiivka, with the use of small arms (10 rounds) and grenade launcher AGS-17 (10 rounds). As the result of these armed provocations, one Ukrainian serviceman was wounded.

(slide 2) On 20 November, the SMM camera registered shelling of the position of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near the residential area of Lebedynske.

(slide 3) While Russia continues to reject the fact of being a full-fledged party to the conflict, which it itself created, the SMM continues to bring into light new evidence deflating this fabled assertion. On 8 November, the SMM spotted, for the first time, an advanced Russian electronic warfare system Navodchik-2 near temporarily occupied Luhansk city. This system has never been in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Three boxes for storing and transporting of the UAVs were also seen near the control station. 

(slide 4) According to the open sources, this system includes seven unmanned aerial vehicles of the Granat family of various modifications with ranges of 10, 15, 25 and 100 km. It is also designed to perform reconnaissance and special tasks, in particular, to provide targeting coordinates for barrel artillery and multiple rocket launch systems on the battalion level.

A similar Russian RB-341V Leer-3 system which includes three Orlan-10 UAVs, had already been repeatedly spotted by the SMM in the temporarily occupied areas of Donbas.

(slide 5) On 20 November, the SMM observed a tank (T-64) near a temporarily occupied residential area of Donetsk region outside of designated storage site. On the same day, the Ukrainian side registered another tank (type undetermined), which you may see on this slide, stationed opposite to the position of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near the residential area of Pisky, in violation of withdrawal lines.

Among other weapons and military equipment of purely Russian origin recorded by the SMM earlier are, inter alia, electronic warfare systems R-934B Sinitsa, RB-636 Svet-KU, 1L269 Krasukha-2, RB-109A Bylina, anti-UAV system Repellent-1, jamming systems R-330 "Zhitel" and Tirada-2, TORN radio intelligence system, surveillance radar system Kredo-M1, heavy flamethrower system "Buratino", portable flame-thrower "Shmel", Grad P, and UAV "Orlan-10". 

Despite numerous calls, the Delegation of the Russian Federation failed to provide any credible information on how these weapons and military equipment find their way to Ukraine. Unlike groundless accusations by the Russian delegation against the participating States conducting legitimate and transparent military cooperation with Ukraine, the presence of illicit Russian military equipment and weapons in Donbas, duly registered by the SMM, is, in fact, a very explicit violation of OSCE principles and commitments in the field of SALW and SCA, as well as standing international export control regimes.  

According to the SMM, the Russian armed formations continued deploying weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. During the week of 9-15 November, the Mission observed in total 58 of such weapons, all but one in the temporarily occupied areas of Donbas, as well as 91 weapons outside designated storage sites, all in the temporarily occupied areas of Donbas.

Notwithstanding the challenging circumstances, Ukraine has been proactively restoring civilian infrastructure, improving living conditions and carrying out demining in the conflict-affected areas under the Government control, with the SMM observing adherence to localised ceasefires. We are grateful to the Mission for its dedicated and restless work on this track.

From 13 through 20 November, the demining teams of Ukraine surveyed almost 65 hectares of land and destroyed 750 explosive devices. Moreover, from 11 June through 1 November this year, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine restored over 982 civilian sites, affected by the Russian aggression.

All EECPs on the contact line remained operational in the area under Government control, including the two newly established checkpoints in Zolote and Schastia. It is unacceptable that almost all EECPs are blocked by the Russian armed formations which has a very negative impact on the livelihoods of civilians forced to reside under occupation. We urge Russia to lift these restrictions immediately.

These developments in the conflict area in Donbas along with ongoing obstruction of the work of the TCG by Russia reflect further reluctance of that country to meet its commitments and proceed to peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Distinguished colleagues,  

In addition to the aggressive actions in the Donbas region of Ukraine, Russia continues its ruinous policy of deliberate militarisation of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov region.

In this vein, we condemn illegal military exercises held by Russia in Crimea in the course of this month. Especially alarming are those exercises which involved fighter aircraft SU-300SM, bomber aircraft SU-24M and missile systems C-400 “Triumph”, Pantsir-C. In the last 3 years of temporary occupation of Crimea Russia enhanced its army, stationed on the peninsula without host nation consent, with long-ranged missile systems C-400, war ships and submarines equipped with cruise missiles “Kalibr”. This weaponry poses imminent threat to security of Ukraine and other Black Sea littoral states and entails security implications for the entire OSCE region and beyond.

We condemn such illegal military activities and further militarization of Crimea and adjacent territorial waters by Russia. Such actions infringe upon fundamental OSCE principles and commitments and international law further aggravating regional stability and security. We call upon Russia to cease these destabilizing actions.

We express our protest over the conduct by the Russian Federation of further conscription activities in the temporarily occupied Crimea. Just yesterday, on 24 November, over 30 conscripts from Crimea were transferred to Rostov-on-Don, Russia, to carry out military service in the armed forces of Russia.   

In accordance with the international humanitarian law, in particular the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, it is forbidden for the Occupying Power to compel protected persons to serve in its armed or auxiliary forces. These activities are especially alarming on the background of rapid proliferation of COVID-19.  

We urge the Russian Federation to cease these violations and strictly abide by the commitments of the Occupying Power. Ukraine calls upon participating States to react vigorously to such blatant violations of the international humanitarian law, committed on the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

In this context, we believe that more vigilance and reporting by the SMM are needed on activities related to the militarization of the temporarily occupied Crimea, adjacent territorial waters, as well as illegal conscription activities on the Peninsula and its negative impact on local population, security of Ukraine and environment.

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 withdrawal of its forces, illegal armed formations and weapons from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson.