Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 4 September 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 decreased at both BCPs compared to the previous week.
OPERATIONAL REMARKS
The OM is currently operating with 22 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 12,716 to 11,694 per day at both BCPs compared to last week[1].
During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were to the Russian Federation, with an average net flow of plus 436 for both BCPs.
The Donetsk BCP continued to experience more traffic than the Gukovo BCP.
Persons in military-style outfits
During the reporting period, the number of persons in military-style outfits crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs increased to 49 persons (compared to 24 last week); 18 of them crossed into the Russian Federation, and 31 into Ukraine (84 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 on 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 continued 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 into the Russian Federation and four were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when three families were observed crossing the border into the Russian Federation and seven into Ukraine.
Bus connections
Regular local and long-distance bus connections continued 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 a decrease in the number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (441 compared to 475 observed during the previous week). There were 237 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 204 bound for Ukraine.
Among the bus connections observed by the OTs, the following “irregular” routes or destinations were noted: Kyiv, Luhansk-Simferopol, Luhansk-Yalta and 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 a decrease in the overall number of trucks crossing the border in both directions and at both BCPs. Compared to the previous week, the total number of trucks went from 808 to 753 (248 at the Gukovo BCP and 505 at the Donetsk BCP); 430 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 323 crossed into Ukraine. Most of the trucks observed by the OTs had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region.
Among them, the OTs also continued to observe tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. During the reporting week, the number of tanker trucks slightly decreased to 52 (compared to 55 during 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 had hazard signs, indicating that they were transporting propane or a mix of propane and butane.
All trucks undergo systematic inspection by Russian Federation officials, which may include an X-ray check. Due to the unfavourable observation position at the Gukovo BCP, the OTs continued to be unable to observe any X-ray checks.
Compared to the previous week, the total number of X-ray checks at the Donetsk BCP increased from 86 to 121: out of the total number of trucks scanned, 78 trucks (64 per cent) were bound for Ukraine; the remaining 43 trucks (36 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 slightly decreased from 182 to 180 vehicles; 84 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 96 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 24 occasions, compared to 28 last week; the OTs assessed that 15 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and the rest 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 on a daily basis, as were vehicles with Lithuanian and Georgian licence plates.
On 29 August at 14:12 in Donetsk BCP, the OT observed a Russian MI-8 type helicopter with stub wings (assault version of the Mi-8 transport helicopter) which flew over the Donetsk BCP. The aircraft came from 350 degrees North, made a U-turn and left towards 70 degrees East – North East. That same day at 14:31 in Gukovo BCP, the OT observed a helicopter with the same description as above, which came from 60 degrees East – North East and turned to 120 degrees East – South East. During both sightings the aircraft remained inside the Russian Federation airspace.
On 30 August at 17:02 in Donetsk BCP the OT noticed an ambulance with Russian Federation licence plates which came from the Russian Federation side and went behind the central building of the BCP. During its stay the OT could not see any movement or action as to the purpose of its arrival at the BCP. The ambulance returned to the Russian Federation at 17:40.
On 31 August at 15:50 in Donetsk BCP, the OT observed an ambulance with “LPR” plates with a sign “urgent medical help” written in Russian on its side, which had arrived from Ukraine. The OT was able to observe two persons in red uniforms inside the ambulance. The ambulance remained within the compound of the BCP until 16:18 after which it crossed into the Russian Federation.
For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 31 July to 4 September 2018, please see the attachment here.
[1] Based on data received from the Regional Representation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
[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).