Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 26 June 2018
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 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 from 11,647 to 11,702 per day for both BCPs compared to last week. The average net flow for both BCPs went from plus 272 to plus 169 (i.e., more entries into 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 36.2 per cent of all entries/exits in 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 21 at both BCPs compared to 38 last week; 11 of them crossed into the Russian Federation, ten into Ukraine. Sixty-seven percent of these crossings occurred at the Donetsk BCP, while the other 33 per cent occurred in Gukovo 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 some of the private vehicles have tinted windows, and buses and minivans have drawn curtains.
Families with a significant amount of luggage
The OTs continue to report on families crossing the border, sometimes with elderly people and/or children at both BCPs with a significant amount of luggage, or travelling in heavily loaded cars. During this reporting week, seven families were observed crossing to the Russian Federation and another seven were observed crossing to Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when seven families were observed crossing the border into Russian Federation and eleven into Ukraine.
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”.
During the reporting period the OTs observed 346 buses crossing the border at both BCPs (compared to 450 observed during the previous week), 185 of them were bound for the Russian Federation and 161 for Ukraine.
Among the bus connections observed by the OTs, the following “irregular” routes or destinations were noted: Kyiv and Luhansk - Sevastopol.
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 went from 835 to 909 (323 at the Gukovo BCP and 586 at the Donetsk BCP); 541 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 368 crossed into Ukraine. Most of the trucks observed by the OTs had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region.
Among them, the OTs continued also to observe tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. During the reporting week, the number of tanker trucks decreased from 95 to 84 (compared to the previous reporting period). 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 102 X-ray checks: out of the total number of trucks scanned during the reporting period, 59 trucks (58 per cent) were bound for Ukraine; the remaining 43 trucks (42 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 decreased from 150 to 127; 71 crossed into the Russian Federation and 56 into Ukraine.
Trains
The OTs continued to pick up the sound of trains running on the railway tracks located approximately 150 metres south-west of the Gukovo BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 35 occasions, compared to 38 last week; the OTs assessed that 19 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and 16 to 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.
Other observations
The majority of vehicles crossing the border had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region or Russian Federation licence plates. A significant number of vehicles with “LPR” plates were also observed crossing the border in both directions, as were vehicles with Belarusian and Georgian licence plates; vehicles with “DPR” and “RSO (Republic of South Ossetia)” plates were also observed crossing the border.
On 19 June at 14:32, the OT in Donetsk BCP observed a helicopter flying over the BCP from the north-west before heading away in a north-easterly direction. The helicopter remained inside the Russian Federation airspace during the whole time it was visible. That same day in Donetsk BCP, at 17:22 an ambulance with Russian Federation licence plates came from the Russian Federation and stopped at the front of the line of vehicles exiting the Russian Federation. The ambulance went back to the Russian Federation at 17:33. The OT could not observe if there were any passengers on board.
On 21 June at 22:00, the OT in Donetsk BCP observed a police vehicle which came to the BCP from the Russian Federation side and after seven minutes, they returned to RF without crossing the border. The OT was not able to observe if they undertook any activities during those few minutes due to the intensive traffic.
On 22 June at 10:55 the OT at Donetsk BCP observed an ambulance with “LPR” plates which entered the BCP from Ukraine side. While undergoing border formalities the OT observed a driver, one female medical personnel and a woman in plain clothes inside the vehicle. At 11:05 the ambulance crossed into the Russian Federation.
For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 22 May to 26 June 2018, please see the attachment here.
[1] Based on data received from the Rostov-on-Don Regional Administration.
[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).