Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 27 November 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 21 permanent international staff members, including the Chief Observer (CO) and one first responder[1]. 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 slightly increased from 9,446 to 9,585 per day at both BCPs compared to last week[2].
During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were into the Russian Federation, with an average net flow of 48 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 noted crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs was twenty-three this week (compared to sixteen last week); fifteen of them crossed into the Russian Federation, and eight into Ukraine (78 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, four families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and ten were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when five families were observed crossing into Russian Federation and five 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 overall number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (353 compared to 416 observed during the previous week). There were 186 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 167 bound for Ukraine.
Among the bus connections observed by the OTs, the following “irregular” routes or destinations were noted: Kyiv, Stakhanov- Kyiv and Pervomaisk – 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 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 782 to 732 (194 at the Gukovo BCP and 538 at the Donetsk BCP); 397 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 335 crossed into Ukraine. Most of the trucks observed by the OTs had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region; however, on a daily basis, the OTs also noted trucks registered in the Russian Federation and in Belarus.
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 decreased to 40 (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 119 to 102: of the total number of trucks scanned, 71 trucks (70 per cent) were bound for Ukraine; the remaining 31 trucks (30 per cent) crossed into the Russian Federation.
Minivans
The OM continued to observe passenger and cargo minivans[3] 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 slightly decreased from 163 to 159 vehicles; 75 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 84 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 26 occasions, compared to 15 last week; the OTs assessed that twelve trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and fourteen 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.
During the reporting period, the OT noted one black civilian funeral van at the Donetsk BCP. It was observed crossing the border on 27 November at 08:45 from Ukraine into the Russian Federation. Due to the vehicle’s speed, distance and weather conditions, the OT was not able to see the plates. From its position, the OT could also not observe whether the van carried a coffin or not.
On 21 Nov, at 23.25 at the Donetsk BCP a group of four black cars - SUV-type with tinted windows, escorted by a traffic police car (“дпс”) - quickly crossed the BCP towards the Russian Federation. All cars were provided with roof-mounted red-blue lights (police style), switched on at the BCP's exit gate. Due to its position, night-time conditions, and the queues of vehicles at the border crossing point, the OT could not observe the registration plates of the vehicles and could not identify the time and the direction of the police car's arrival to the BCP.
Convoy
On 22 November at 06:44 (Moscow time), the eighty-first[4] Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 19 vehicles were checked by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers prior to their crossing into Ukraine. All 19 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 15:07 on 22 November (for more details see: https://www.osce.org/observer-mission-at-russian-checkpoints-gukovo-and-donetsk/403922).
For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 23 October to 27 November 2018, please see the attachment here.
[1] First responders are OSCE staff or mission members deployed to another mission for a short period of time
[2] Based on data received from the Regional Representation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
[3] 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).
[4] According to the statement of the Russian Federation officials, this convoy is considered to be the eighty-third Russian convoy which was sent to Ukraine. As two of these convoys did not cross through the “Donetsk” or “Gukovo” BCPs, the Observer Mission did not record them. Hence, based on the Observer Mission’s counting, this convoy is considered the eighty-first convoy that has crossed into Ukraine.