Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 27 September 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 number of border crossings by persons increased at both 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.
The average number of entries/exits increased overall from 10,817 to 10,915 per day for both BCPs compared to last week. The average net flow for both BCPs went from minus 270 to minus 279 (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 more than 36 per cent of all entries/exits in Rostov region[1].
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 was 111 this week at both BCPs compared to 98 last week; 66 of them crossed into the Russian Federation, while 45 of them crossed into Ukraine. Approximately 70 per cent of this category’s crossings occurred at the Donetsk BCP. Men and women 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
During the reporting period, the OTs observed some families, often with elderly people and/or children, crossing at both BCPs with a significant amount of luggage or travelling in heavily loaded cars. Three families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation while eight were observed crossing into Ukraine.
Bus connections
Regular local and long-distance bus connections continued to operate between Ukraine (mostly from the 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 stating “Irregular”.
Among the bus connections observed by the OTs, the following “irregular” routes or destinations were noted: Stakhanov-Kyiv; Stakhanov-Luhansk-Kyiv; Rovenki-Kyiv; Kharkiv and Sevastopol. 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 Ukrainian licence plates issued in Luhansk region.
On one occasion, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed groups of buses with children travelling from Russia to Ukraine.
Trucks
The OM continued to observe trucks crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. Compared to the previous week, the number of trucks increased from 700 to 766; 469 of these trucks crossed to the Russian Federation and 297 crossed to Ukraine. Most of the trucks observed by the OTs have Ukrainian licence plates issued in Luhansk region.
Separately, the OTs also observed tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. The number of tanker trucks decreased from 57 last week to 37 this week. These trucks were observed crossing the border at both BCPs. The trucks mainly 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. During the reporting period, no X-ray checks were observed at the Gukovo BCP compared to 140 X-ray checks at the Donetsk BCP. At the latter BCP, out of all the trucks scanned during the reporting period, 96 trucks (69 per cent) were bound for Ukraine; the remaining 44 trucks (31 per cent) crossed into the Russian Federation.
Minivans
The OM continued to observe passenger and cargo minivans[2] crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. The OTs observed minivans predominantly having Ukrainian licence plates issued in Luhansk region; however, the OTs frequently saw minivans registered in the Russian Federation.
Compared to the previous week, the number of cargo minivans increased from 308 to 448; 228 crossed to the Russian Federation and 220 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 17 occasions; the OTs estimated that nine trains were travelling 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 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 have Ukrainian licence plates issued in Luhansk region or Russian Federation licence plates. During the reporting week, the OTs also observed cars with Georgian and Belarussian license plates.
The OTs continued to observe vehicles with Ukrainian licence plates, including articulated trucks with “LPR” or “Novorossiya” stickers, or in rare cases “DPR” stickers on their licence plates masking the Ukrainian flag. In addition to that, during the reporting week, on two occasions the OTs also observed vehicles one with “LPR” and one with “DPR” registration plates crossing the border to the Russian Federation at both BCPs.
On four occasions the OTs at the Donetsk BCP observed ambulances crossing in both directions. No persons in obvious need of medical care were observed on board these ambulances.
Convoy
On 22 September at 06:25hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 33 vehicles – 30 cargo trucks and 3 support vehicles – were checked by the Russian border guards and customs services prior to them crossing into Ukraine.
A service dog was present on site during the convoy crossing and was used to check some of the cargo trucks from the outside. Ukrainian officials – five border guards and a customs officer–were present on site and performed light visual checks of the opened trucks from the outside, both when the convoy crossed into Ukraine and when it returned to the Russian Federation. All of the 33 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 14:40 hrs on 22 September.
For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 23 August to 27 September 2016 see the attachment here.
[1] Based on 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).