In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violation,  including more explosions (about 660), compared with the previous reporting period (about 295 explosions).

On the evening of 24 May, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 50 undetermined explosions, seven explosions assessed as impacts of artillery rounds and about 20 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all 3-7km south-west, west and north-west. While at the same location, on the morning of 25 May, the SMM heard about 85 explosions assessed as outgoing artillery rounds 2-8km north-east and north-west, as well as about 100 explosions assessed as impacts of artillery rounds and about 110 undetermined explosions, all 5-9km at directions ranging from north to north-west. During the day on 25 May, positioned on the north-eastern edge of Horlivka for about three and a half hours, the SMM heard about 35 undetermined explosions, 2-8km north-east, south-east, north-west and north.

On the evening of 24 May, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 25 undetermined explosions and 80 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-6km south-east and south-west. The following day, while at the same location, the SMM heard about 60 undetermined explosions and about ten bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-6km south-east and south-west.

In the early hours of 25 May, while in Donetsk city (non-government-controlled), the SMM heard 55 undetermined explosions 5-8km south.

During the day on 25 May, positioned on the north-eastern edge of Debaltseve (non-government-controlled, 58km north-east of Donetsk) for about an hour, the SMM heard 27 undetermined explosions 10-12km north.

Positioned on the south-western edge of Novoluhanske (government-controlled, 53km north-east of Donetsk) for about 30 minutes, the SMM heard 17 undetermined explosions, 5-12km south-east and north-west.

Positioned in Holmivskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km north-east of Donetsk) for about an hour, the SMM heard 11 explosions assessed as outgoing artillery rounds and six undetermined explosions, 2-8km north, north-east and east.

Positioned about 1km north-west of the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 25 undetermined explosions and uncountable shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-6km at directions ranging from south-south-west to north. Positioned on the south-eastern edge of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 15 undetermined explosions and four bursts of small-arms fire, all 2-7km at directions ranging from north-east to south-south-west.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions (about 60), compared with the previous reporting period (15 explosions).

On 25 May, positioned in Kalynove-Borshchuvate (non-government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 20 undetermined explosions 3-4km north-west.

The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Debaltseve: a boy who died and two boys and a girl who were wounded in an explosion that occurred in a bus on the afternoon of 22 May. At a house on Menzhynskoho Street, where the deceased boy (14 years old) had lived, the SMM saw a coffin with the boy’s body. On Kurchatova Street, the SMM spoke with the grandmother (in her fifties) of one of the injured boys. She told the SMM that her grandson (15 years old) had a serious wound in his elbow and additional wounds in his thigh and had been admitted to a hospital in Yenakiieve (non-government-controlled, 41km north-east of Donetsk). She added that her grandson had told her that someone on the bus was handling an object when the explosion occurred. On Piatydesiaty rokiv Zhovtnia Avenue, the SMM spoke to a man (in his sixties) who was in the bus. He told the SMM he had been sitting next to the bus driver while the boys and the girl had been sitting at the back. He said that the bus had been on its route along Kurchatova Street to the “Druhyi maidanchyk” quarter in the north-eastern part of Debaltseve when he had heard an explosion at the back and seen a lot of smoke, after which the driver had opened the door and had told everyone to get out. On Babushkina Street, the SMM spoke to the grandmother of the second injured boy. She told the SMM that her grandson was in a hospital in Yenakiieve and that his condition was stable.

Source: SMM OSCE