Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 26 April 2016
This report is for media and the general public.
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 increased at both BCPs.
OPERATIONAL REMARKS
The OM is currently operating with 21 permanent international staff members (incl. the Chief Observer). 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:
- Adultstravelling on foot or by car with no or little luggage;
- Persons in military-style outfits;
- Families (often including elderly people and/or children), on foot or by car with a significant amount of luggage.
The average number of entries/exits increased overall from 10, 451 to 10, 597[1] per day for both BCPs compared to last week; the average net flow for both BCPs went from minus 135 to minus 363 (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 over 38% of all entries/exits in Rostov region1.
Persons in military-style outfits
During the reporting period, the number of men and women in military-style outfits, crossing the border in both directions, increased from 96 last week to 139 this week at both BCPs; 79 of them crossed to the Russian Federation while 60 of them crossed to Ukraine. Approximately 79% of this category’s crossings occurred at the Donetsk BCP. These people continued crossing the border individually or in groups and by foot or, in addition to private vehicles, from time- to- time travelling on buses or in minivans, making it more difficult for the OTs to observe their movement across the border.
Families with a significant amount of luggage
During the reporting period, the OTs observed families, often with elderly people and/or children, crossing at both BCPs with a significant amount of luggage or travelling in overloaded cars; seven families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and three families into Ukraine at the Gukovo BCP; two families was observed crossing into the Russian Federation and seven families into Ukraine at the Donetsk BCP.
Bus connections
Regular local and long-distance bus connections continued to operate between Ukraine (Luhansk region) and cities in 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 just have a sign on the windshield saying “Irregular”.
Among these bus connections observed by the OTs, the following “irregular” routes or destinations were noted: Odessa, Alchevsk-Kharkiv-Kyiv, Kharkiv-Moscow, Alchevsk-Kharkiv, and Kirovsk-Moscow.
On some occasions, the OTs noticed the bus drivers removing the itinerary signs from the windshields of their buses.
The majority of long-distance coaches commuting between Luhansk region and cities in the Russian Federation have license plates issued in Luhansk region.
Trucks
During the reporting period, the OM continued to observe trucks crossing the border in both directions and at both BCPs. Compared to the previous week, the number of trucks increased from 666 to 749; 403 of these trucks crossed to the Russian Federation and 346 crossed to Ukraine.
Most of the trucks observed by the OTs were registered in Luhansk region.
Separately, the OTs also observed tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. The number of tanker trucks decreased from 58 last week to 56 this week. These trucks were observed crossing the border at both BCPs. These trucks, for the most part, had the words “Propane” and “Flammable” written across the tanks in 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 officials, which may include an X-ray check. During the reporting period, no X-ray checks were observed at the Gukovo BCP compared to 144 X-ray checks at Donetsk BCP. At this BCP, out of these 144 trucks scanned during the reporting period, 105 trucks (73%) were bound for Ukraine; the remaining 39 trucks (27%) crossed into the Russian Federation.
Minivans
During the reporting period, the OM continued to observe passenger and cargo minivans[2], crossing the border in both directions and at both BCPs. The OTs observed minivans predominantly registered in Luhansk region; however, the OTs frequently saw minivans registered in the Russian Federation.
Compared to the previous week, the number of cargo minivans decreased from 385 to 354; 172 crossed to the Russian Federation and 182 to Ukraine.
Trains
The OTs continued to pick up on the sound of trains running on the train tracks located approximately 150 meters south-west of the Gukovo BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 13 occasions; the OTs estimated that seven trains were going to the Russian Federation and eight trains were bound for Ukraine. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine was informed about the trains bound for Ukraine. Visual observation was not possible because of the line of trees in between the train tracks and the BCP and unfavourable light conditions.
Other observations
The majority of vehicles crossing the border have license plates issued in Luhansk region or in the Russian Federation.
The OTs continued to observe vehicles with Ukrainian license plates, including articulated trucks with “LPR” or “Novorossiya” stickers, or in rare cases “DPR” stickers on their license plates masking the Ukrainian flag.
During the reporting week the OTs observed two ambulances with no wounded persons observed on board crossing the border from Ukraine to the Russian Federation.
On 21 April 2016 at 07:29hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk BCP (see the OM Spot Report of 21 April). A total of 43 vehicles - 36 cargo trucks and 7 support vehicles - were checked by the Russian border guard and customs services; one service dog was present and was used to check some of the cargo trucks. Ukrainian representatives were present on site, both when the convoy crossed into Ukraine and when it returned to the Russian Federation. All the vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 15:18hrs on 21 April.
[1] Data received from Rostov region Border Guard Service
[2] 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 license C1).