Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 4 July 2017
This report is for the 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 decreased at both BCPs.
OPERATIONAL REMARKS
The OM is currently operating with 21 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 decreased from 13,102 to 11,844 per day for both BCPs compared to last week. The average net flow for both BCPs went from plus 126 (i.e. more entries to the Russian Federation) to minus 10 (i.e. more exits from the Russian Federation).
The Donetsk BCP continues to experience more traffic than the Gukovo BCP. The cross-border movements registered at both BCPs accounted for 36.1 per cent of all entries/exits in the Rostov region[1].
Persons in military-style outfits
During the reporting period, the number of persons in military-style outfits crossing the border in both directions was 70 this week at both BCPs compared to 73 last week; 30 of them crossed into the Russian Federation, 40 into Ukraine. Approximately 89 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 three families were observed crossing into Ukraine and 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-KharkivKyiv; Alchevsk-Kharkiv, Kharkiv, Luhansk-Kharkiv, Yalta-Luhansk; Luhansk-Kyiv; Luhansk-Odessa 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 an increase in the number of trucks crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. Compared to the previous week, the total number of trucks increased from 643 to 664 (177 in Gukovo BCP and 487 in Donetsk BCP); 389 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 275 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 54 to 42. 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 108 X-ray checks. At the Donetsk BCP, out of the total number of trucks scanned during the reporting period, 84 trucks (78 per cent) were bound for Ukraine; the remaining 24 trucks (22 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 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 remained 229, the same as the previous week; 107 crossed to the Russian Federation and 122 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 34 occasions; the OTs assessed that 23 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation, the other 11 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, German and Lithuanian licence plates and “LPR” or “DPR” plates crossing the border in both directions.
The OT at Donetsk BCP observed ambulances on two separate occasions. The first one was on 29 June at 14:16 h. when an ambulance with Russian plates entered the BCP from the Russian Federation side. The same ambulance returned to the Russian Federation at 14:40 h. Due to the restricted area of movement the OT could not observe if the ambulance crossed to Ukraine. The second was on 30 June at 17:40 h. when an ambulance with the inscription (in Russian) “Urgent medical help” was observed entering the BCP area from the Russian Federation side. It returned to the Russian Federation at 18:00. During its stay inside the BCP area, two paramedics were observed entering the BCP facilities. The OT was not able to observe if any patient was transported on the way back to Russian Federation.
In the afternoon of 27 June the OT at Gukovo BCP observed a dark green van with Ukrainian plates travelling to Ukraine, bearing an inscription in German “KaMiSo” “Kampfmittelbeseitigung”, which can be translated as “Bomb disposal”. The driver was a man in his thirties, wearing a black t-shirt.
For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 30 May 2017 to 4 July 2017 see the attachment here.
[1] Based on data received from Rostov-on-Don 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 licence C1).