Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 2 July 2019
This report is for the media and the general public.
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 21 permanent international staff members, including the Chief Observer (CO) and one first responder.[1] The Mission is supported administratively by a staff member and the Chief of Fund Administration based in Vienna.
OBSERVATIONS AT THE BORDER CROSSING POINTS
Persons crossing the border
The profile of persons 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 persons and/or children) travelling on foot or by car with a significant amount of luggage.
The average number of entries/exits slightly increased from 11,596 to 11,727 per day at both BCPs compared to last week[2].
During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were to the Russian Federation, with an average net flow of 75 per day 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 was 22 this week compared to 17 last week: ten of them crossed into the Russian Federation, and twelve into Ukraine (45 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 had tinted windows, and buses and minivans had drawn curtains.
Families with a significant amount of luggage
The OTs continued to report on families crossing the border, sometimes with elderly persons 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 six were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when 12 families were observed crossing 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 did not state their route; instead they had 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 (395 compared to 422 observed during the previous week). There were 199 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 196 bound for Ukraine.
On some occasions, the OTs noticed the bus drivers removing the itinerary signs from the windshields of their buses, while some buses did not display their route at all. The majority of long-distance buses commuting between the Luhansk region and cities in the Russian Federation had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region. Among the bus connections observed by the OTs, the following “irregular” routes or destinations were noted: Kyiv, Luhansk – Yalta, and Stakhanov - Kyiv.
Trucks
During the reporting period, the OTs observed 802 trucks (824 during the previous reporting week) crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs (276 at the Gukovo BCP and 526 at the Donetsk BCP); 443 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 359 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 Lithuania and Georgia and some with “LPR” plates.
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 58 (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 underwent 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 157 to 167: of the total number of trucks scanned, 81 trucks (49 per cent) were bound for Ukraine; the remaining 86 trucks (51 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 increased from 135 to 157 vehicles; 80 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 77 into Ukraine.
Trains
The OTs continued to pick up the sound of trains running on the railway tracks located approximately 150m south-west of the Gukovo BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 26 occasions; the OTs assessed that 14 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and 12 to Ukraine (more details are provided in the sections “trends and figures at a glance” below). 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. Cars with Armenian, Georgian and Polish licence plates were also observed.
On 27 June at 15:07, an ambulance with “LPR” plates with two paramedics on board arrived at the Donetsk BCP from the Russian Federation. The vehicle quickly underwent border control procedures and left towards Ukraine. The flashing lights were turned off.
On 28 June at 12:27, the OT at Donetsk BCP observed a police vehicle arriving from the Russian Federation. The police vehicle stopped on the far side of the main building and was partially visible to the OT. At 12:53 the same day, the police vehicle left towards the Russian Federation.
For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 28 May 2019 to 2 July 2019, 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).