Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 16 October 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 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 increased from 10,317 to 10,689 per day at both BCPs compared to last week[1].
During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were to Ukraine, with an average net flow of minus 31 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 decreased to 31 (compared to 33 last week); 17 of them crossed into the Russian Federation, and 14 into Ukraine (81 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, eight families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and five were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when ten families were observed crossing the border into the Russian Federation and 11 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 an increase in the overall number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (426 compared to 335 observed during the previous week). There were 215 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 211 bound for Ukraine.
Among the bus connections observed by the OTs, the following “irregular” routes or destinations were noted: Pervomaisk- Kyiv, Rovenky-Kyiv, Sevastopol and Stakhanov- Kharkiv.
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 834 to 806 (320 at the Gukovo BCP and 486 at the Donetsk BCP); 456 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 350 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 increased to 72 (compared to 50 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 decreased from 81 to 63: of the total number of trucks scanned, 34 trucks (54 per cent) were bound for Ukraine; the remaining 29 trucks (46 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. Compared to the previous week, the number of cargo minivans increased from 143 to 163 vehicles; 91 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 72 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 13 occasions, compared to 20 last week; the OTs assessed that ten 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 “DPR” plates. One trailer with Danish licence plates was observed during the reporting period.
During the reporting period, the OTs observed ambulances on three occasions. All observations were made in Donetsk BCP. On 9 October at 07:43, the OT observed an ambulance with the inscription “Children’s resuscitation” on board (written in Russian) with “LPR” plates entering the BCP from Ukraine. The vehicle then proceeded into the Russian Federation without any further observations. On the same day at 13:41, the OT observed an ambulance with Russian Federation licence plates entering the BCP from the Russian Federation side. The vehicle stopped inside the checkpoint for approximately 30 minutes and then continued into Ukraine.
On 10 October at 06:14, the OT noticed a minivan with “LPR” plates passing the BCP from the direction of Ukraine into the Russian Federation. The vehicle had a red cross emblem.
On 13 October at 17:52, the OT in Donetsk BCP observed how a vehicle with Russian Federation licence plates and stickers from the “National Liberation Movement” (НОД - Национально-освободительное движение) travelled from the Russian Federation to Ukraine. The OT were able to observe two persons inside the vehicle categorized as “persons in military style outfits”.
On 14 October at 18:10, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed how one vehicle (black Toyota Land Cruiser) with Russian Federation licence plates arrived at the BCP from the Russian Federation. The vehicle was escorted by police to the entrance of the BCP. The vehicle then passed, without the escort, into Ukraine without stopping inside the BCP.
For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 9 October to 16 October 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).