The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (the SMM) reported about the presence of tanks and heavy-caliber artillery on the territory controlled by militants of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic which is not corresponding with the respective withdrawal lines.
“In violation of the respective withdrawal lines, the SMM saw two main battle tanks (MBTs – T-72) in the area of DPR-controlled Yasynuvata: an MBT in the area of DPR-controlled Donetsk airport two MBTs in the area of DPR-controlled Bezimenne and a 122mm self-propelled howitzer (2S1 Gvozdika) in the area of DPR-controlled Petrivske,” said in the report.
In addition, in the areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines, on the territory of the so-called Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), the OSCE SMM observed 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S1), 24 MBTs (T-64s), and 21 MBTs (both T-64s and T-72s) at LPR training grounds close to the LPR-controlled towns of Uspenka, Myrne and Kruhlyk, Luhansk region.
Also, in the area of government-controlled Pervomaiske the SMM unmanned aerial vehicles spotted one main battle tank.
October 5, a 41-day operation of weapons removal has been launched. Tanks T-64 and T-72, antitank gun D-48 and D-44, 85 mm mortars and 2B-82 of 9-millimeter caliber are to be pulled back from the contact line of the eastern Ukraine. The arms withdrawal will be launched in turn: first the sector "A", and then the other sectors (from east to west). 14 days are given for the removal of certain armament and armored vehicles from sector "A".
