Despite claims that the heavy weapons has been completely taken away from the confrontation line in eastern Ukraine, the SMM again observed its movement.
As reported in SMM report on May 12, in militants-controlled areas, from which the weapons must have been withdrawn, the SMM saw 8 tanks: four in Donbas People’s Republic and four in Luhansk People’s Republic.
In government-controlled areas the SMM saw six tanks (five T-64s, one T-72) and one 122mm towed howitzer gun.
Besides, the mission’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) observed three Ukrainian Armed Forces artillery pieces (likely towed 152mm cannon) near the government-controlled village of Pionerske (13km east of Mariupol) and more than 20 boxes of ammunition, the report said.
“The security situation in Donbas is fluid and unpredictable and the cease-fire does not hold everywhere,” the report said.
As reported, according to Minsk Memorandum regulating situation in eastern Ukraine, the withdrawal of all heavy weapons with calibers exceeding 100 mm by the parties to equal distances from the confrontation line, but not less than 15 kilometers (with several exceptions), with the purpose of setting up at least a 30 kilometer wide security zone, must have been implemented in 24 hours from the date of its signing. Exceptions were made for 120 mm mortars that must be withdrawn for 8 kilometers.
