OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) observers have visited Donetsk airport, which was captured by militants in January, and have reported that captives are being used to clear debris and to search and recover the bodies of deceased soldiers.

"The SMM, together with representatives of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), conducted a follow-up visit to Donetsk airport. Upon arrival, the SMM observed 'Donetsk People's Republic' ['DPR'] 'emergency services' personnel together with captives recovering the bodies of deceased Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers. The SMM also observed three 'DPR' members and two captives removing bodies from a burnt out infantry fighting vehicle (IFV). The SMM spoke to one of the captives who stated he had been with the IFV crew at the time of the incident," reads the OSCE SMM report compiled on March 11 and published in the evening of March 12.

While close to the new terminal's entrance, the SMM heard 13 bursts of small-arms fire coming from north-east, north-west, south-south-west and east of its position, and heard 52 explosions. "Due to the strong wind, the SMM could not determine the type of weapons that were used, the exact distance of origin of the fire, nor if it was outgoing or incoming," says the report.

At a checkpoint near government-controlled Pisky (12 km north-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard approximately 20 incoming mortar and artillery rounds.

A Ukrainian Armed Forces commander said that 'DPR' forces had been shelling from the direction of the airport. The commander then led the SMM to the outskirts of Pisky, where, he said, a mortar strike had hit 20 minutes earlier and the SMM witnessed the damage along with mortar remnants in the area.

"Whilst traveling through 'DPR'-controlled Michurine (62km south of Donetsk), less than 15km from the line of contact, the SMM observed four stationary main battle tanks (MBT) of 125-mm within the town's limits," reads the report.