Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 4 August 2015
SUMMARY
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall cross-border traffic slightly decreased at both BCPs.
DETAIL
OM’s staff composition
The OM is currently operating with 18 staff members, consisting of 17 permanent international observers (incl. the Chief Observer) and one first-responder[1], who is performing the duties of an administrative assistant. Four staff members are currently on leave.
Cross-border movements common to both BCPs
The profile of the people crossing the border remains unchanged and can be categorised as follows:
- Families on foot or travelling by car and busses, with a lot of luggage, often accompanied by elderly people;
- Adults (usually of younger age) with no luggage or empty cars;
- People wearing military-style clothes with or without backpacks, crossing on foot or in vehicles.
As compared to last week, the average number of entries/exits slightly decreased overall from 10,797 to 10,509 per day for both BCPs; the average net flow went from minus 20 to minus 276 (i.e. more exits from the Russian Federation). The Donetsk BCP continued to experience more traffic than the Gukovo BCP. The cross-border movements registered at both BCPs accounted for just over thirty-three per cent of all entries/exits in the Rostov region. The majority of the vehicles crossing the border have number plates issued in the Luhansk region, including a number of articulated trucks and long-distance coaches commuting between the Luhansk region and cities in the Russian Federation.
Common observations at the BCPs
The situation at both BCPs remained calm. The OM continued to observe that the Russian Federation Border Guard and Customs Service conducted checks and controls.
Regular local and long-distance bus connections continued to operate between the Luhansk region and cities in the Russian Federation. In addition to regular bus connections, the Observer Teams (OTs) continued to observe bus connections on irregular routes. Often the busses do not state their route; instead they just have a sign on the windshield saying “Irregular”. Among the irregular lines observed by the OTs the following destinations were noted: seven busses bound for Kharkiv and one bus on the route Luhansk-Kharkiv, one bus bound for Kyiv and one Kyiv-registered bus on the route Luhansk-Sevastopol-Simferopol-Feodosiya.
During the reporting period, the number of men and women in military-style dress, crossing the border in both directions, slightly increased from 192 to 208 at both BCPs. These people continued crossing the border individually or in groups and on foot or using different types of transport (in addition to vehicles, some used busses, but also bikes and motorbikes). Approximately ninety per cent of this category’s crossings occurred at the Donetsk BCP. The OTs continued to observe that from time to time persons in military-style dress have travelled across the border by bus, which makes it more difficult for the OTs to observe their movement across the border. The OTs also continued to observe physically fit young and middle-aged men in civilian clothing, with short haircuts, many of whom carry camouflage-coloured backpacks.
Furthermore, the OTs continued to observe vehicles with Ukrainian license plates, including articulated trucks, with “Donetsk People’s Republic / Lugansk People’s Republic” (“DPR/LPR”) stickers on their license plates replacing the Ukrainian flag.
During the reporting week, the OM continued to observe a high number of trucks, crossing the border in both directions, including intense cargo truck traffic at both BCPs and dumper trucks transporting coal from the Luhansk region to the Russian Federation through the Gukovo BCP. While the majority of the trucks are registered in the Luhansk region, the OTs also observed trucks registered in the Russian Federation and Republic of Belarus that crossed the border. During the reporting week, the OTs have observed that the number of trucks registered in Republic of Belarus continued to show an increase going from 103 to 104; these trucks were observed crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. Ninety-five of these trucks crossed at the Donetsk BCP, with nine such crossings recorded at the Gukovo BCP. Separately, the OTs also observed tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. The number of tanker trucks has shown an increase from 46 last week to 50 this week. The majority of these trucks (44) crossed at the Donetsk BCP, while the remaining six crossed at the Gukovo BCP. These trucks for the most part had the words “Propane” and “Flammable” written across the tanks in Russian language.
Military movement
At the two BCPs the OM did not observe military movement, apart from the movement of Russian Federation Border Guard Service vehicles transporting BCP personnel and supplies.
Observation at the Gukovo BCP
The traffic flow at the Gukovo BCP has decreased compared to last week. A daily average of 2,911 entries and exits was recorded, which accounted for just over nine per cent of all entries/exits in the Rostov region. The net flow went from plus 45 (i.e. more entries into the Russian Federation) to minus 15 (i.e. more exits from the Russian Federation) on average per day.
During the reporting period, the OM observed a total of 21 persons in military-style clothing crossing the border at the Gukovo BCP, 5 of whom left for Ukraine while 16 entered the Russian Federation.
As in previous weeks, the OM observed dumper trucks transporting coal from the Luhansk region to the Russian Federation. As reported previously, the OTs saw Russian Federation Border Guard and Customs Service personnel checking that the trucks were empty while leaving the Russian Federation.
The OTs continued to pick up on the sound of trains running on the train tracks located approximately 150 meters south-west of the BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 29 occasions; the OTs estimated that 14 trains were going to the Russian Federation and 15 trains were bound for Ukraine. Visual observation was not possible because of the line of trees in-between the train tracks and the BCP.
Observation at the Donetsk BCP
During the reporting period the activity at the Donetsk BCP has decreased compared to last week. The daily average of 7,598 entries and exits accounted for just over twenty-four per cent of all entries/exits in the Rostov region. The net flow changed from minus 64 to minus 260 (i.e. more exits from the Russian Federation) on average per day. During the reporting week, the OT observed 187 persons in military-style clothing crossing the border at the Donetsk BCP individually and in groups; 106 persons entered the Russian Federation while 81 left for Ukraine.
During the reporting week the OTs noted four ambulances at the Donetsk BCP. One ambulance provided medical assistance to an old lady who felt unwell at the BCP. No wounded persons were observed in any of these four ambulances.
On 29 July at 13:30hrs the OT noted arrival of 21 Ukrainian registered busses from Ukraine at the BCP carrying approximately 900 children. The children went to the Ministry of Emergency Situations camp that had been set up on the Russian Federation side. There the children boarded other busses and left into the Russian Federation. The busses on which they had arrived returned to Ukraine. On July 31 at 10:00hrs the OT observed a number of empty busses entering the BCP from Ukraine; a little while later 7 busses carrying children arrived from the Russian Federation side. At 12:18hrs 14 busses crossed into Ukraine.
The wooden benches with a net-like cover over them that were installed last week at the entrance to the BCP are still present. The benches and the cover provide a place for people crossing the border to rest and stay in the shade during the long wait. In addition, on 01 August, due to the high temperature, for one day the Ministry of Emergency Situations installed two long tents near the BCP.
CONVOY
On 30 July 2015 at 07:05hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk BCP (see the OM Spot Report of 30 July 2015). A total of 52 vehicles - 46 cargo trucks and six support vehicles - were checked by the Russian border guard and customs services. Ukrainian officials were present both when the convoy was outgoing and when it was incoming. All the vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 15:58hrs on 30 July.
[1] First-responders are OSCE staff or mission members deployed to another mission for a short period of time.