Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 9 May 2017
This report is for the general public and the media.
SUMMARY
KAMENSK-SHAKHTINSKIY, RUSSIAN FEDERATION. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs).
OPERATIONAL REMARKS
The OM is currently operating with 20 permanent international staff members, including the Chief Observer (CO). The Mission is supported administratively by a Vienna-based staff member.
OBSERVATIONS AT THE BORDER CROSSING POINTS
Persons crossing the border
The profile of the people crossing the border can be categorized as follows:
- Adults travelling on foot or by car with little or no luggage;
- Persons in military-style outfits;
- Families (often including elderly people and/or children) travelling on foot or by car with a significant amount of luggage.
Persons in military-style outfits
During the reporting period, the number of persons in military-style outfits crossing the border in both directions was 101 this week at both BCPs compared to 59 last week; 65 of them crossed into the Russian Federation, 36 into Ukraine. Approximately 69 per cent of this category’s crossings occurred at the Donetsk BCP. They continued to cross the border individually or in groups. Most individuals crossed by foot, however, some made use of private vehicles, buses or minivans, making it more difficult for the observer teams (OTs) to observe their movement across the border, especially since many of the private vehicles have tinted windows, and buses and minivans have drawn curtains.
Families with a significant amount of luggage
On some occasions, the OTs continue to report on families crossing the border, sometimes with elderly people and/or children, crossing at both BCPs with a significant amount of luggage, or travelling in heavily loaded cars. During this reporting period four families were observed crossing into Ukraine and only one family into the Russian Federation.
Bus connections
Regular local and long-distance bus connections continue to operate between Ukraine (mostly from/to the Luhansk region) and the Russian Federation. In addition to regular bus connections, the OTs continued to observe bus connections on irregular routes. Often the buses do not state their route; instead they have a sign on the windshield stating “irregular”.
Among the bus connections observed by the OTs, the following “irregular” routes or destinations were noted: Alchevsk-Kharkov-Kyiv; Stakhanov-Kyiv; Rovenki-Kyiv; Luhansk-Kyiv; Luhansk-Yalta; and Kyiv.
On some occasions, the OTs noticed the bus drivers removing the itinerary signs from the windshields of their buses, while some buses do not display their route at all. The majority of long-distance buses commuting between the Luhansk region and cities in the Russian Federation have Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region.
Trucks
During the reporting period the OM observed a decrease in the number of trucks crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. Compared to the previous week, the total number of trucks decreased from 557 to 529 (143 in Gukovo BCP and 386 in Donetsk BCP); 313 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 216 crossed into Ukraine. Most of the trucks observed by the OTs had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region.
Separately, the OTs also observed tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. The number of tanker trucks decreased from 50 to 24. These trucks were observed crossing the border at both BCPs. The trucks had the words “Propane” and “Flammable” written across the tanks in either Russian or Ukrainian. The majority of tanker trucks have hazard signs, indicating that they are transporting propane or a mix of propane with butane.
All trucks undergo systematic inspection by Russian Federation officials, which may include an X-ray check. Due to the unfavourable position at the Gukovo BCP, the OTs continued to be unable to observe any X-ray checks. At the Donetsk BCP the OTs observed 96 X-ray checks. At the Donetsk BCP, out of the total number of trucks scanned during the reporting period, 74 trucks (77 per cent) were bound for Ukraine; the remaining 22 trucks (23 per cent) crossed into the Russian Federation.
Minivans
The OM continued to observe passenger and cargo minivans[1] crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. The OTs observed minivans predominantly with Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region; however, the OTs also frequently saw minivans registered in the Russian Federation.
As compared to the previous week, the number of cargo minivans decreased from 220 to 138; 66 crossed to the Russian Federation and 72 to Ukraine.
Trains
The OTs continued to pick up the sound of trains running on the train tracks located approximately 150 metres south-west of the Gukovo BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 11 occasions; the OTs assessed that four trains were travelling to the Russian Federation, with the other seven were bound for Ukraine. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine was regularly informed about the trains bound for Ukraine.
Visual observation was not possible because of the line of trees located between the train tracks and the BCP, as well as due to unfavourable light conditions.
Other observations
The majority of vehicles crossing the border had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region or Russian Federation licence plates. In addition, the OTs also observed vehicles, cars and/or trucks with Belarusian, Georgian, Lithuanian licence plates and “LPR” or “DPR” plates crossing the border in both directions.
The OTs also continued to observe articulated trucks with “LPR” or “Novorossiya” stickers, or in rare cases, “DPR” stickers on their plates masking the Ukrainian flag.
On 5 May at 13.52 at the Gukovo BCP, the OT observed an ambulance (with “LPR” plates), entering the BCP from the Russian Federation. The ambulance bore the inscription: “urgent medical help - 169” (written in Russian). During the border formalities, the OT was able to observe the presence of six people on board: three men and one woman in red uniform, one civilian, and one patient on a stretcher. At 14:14 the ambulance crossed into Ukraine.
On 6 May at 16:33 at the Gukovo BCP, the OT observed a white cargo van with Ukrainian licence plates, bearing the inscription “Ritual” (written in Russian), placed in the front of the vehicle. The van crossed the border into the Russian Federation. The OT was not able to see inside the vehicle.
During the reporting period at both BCPs, the OTs observed separate groups of between 4 to 14 persons in military style outfits, on three occasions.
On 6 May at 08:30 at the Donetsk BCP, the OT observed a bus arriving from Ukraine with about 14 people in military style outfits (including two women); all of them were uniformed, mostly in Cossack style outfit with medals. After undergoing border checks and formalities, all of them re-boarded the bus and crossed into the Russian Federation.
For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 4 April 2017 to 9 May 2017 see the attachment here.
[1] Cargo minivans: light commercial vehicles with a maximum authorized mass of more than 3.5 t and not more than 7.5 t; with or without a trailer with a maximum mass of less than 750 kg (small cargo vehicles which correspond to driving licence C1).