Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 23 July 2019
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 21 permanent international staff members, including the Chief Observer (CO). 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 increased from 12,511 to 13,101 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 70 per day for both BCPs.
The Donetsk BCP continued to experience much 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 24 this week compared to 22 last week: 15 of them crossed into the Russian Federation, and 9 into Ukraine (46 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, sometimes with elderly persons and/or children, crossing the border at both BCPs with a significant amount of luggage, or travelling in heavily loaded cars. During this reporting week, 13 families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and 12 were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when 12 families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and ten 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 (426 compared to 451 observed during the previous week). There were 215 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 211 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 and “LPR” plates. Among the bus connections observed by the OTs, the following “irregular” routes or destinations were noted: Luhansk – Sevastopol and Luhansk-Yalta.
Trucks
During the reporting period, the OTs observed 1,084 trucks (compared to 1,001 during the previous reporting week) crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs (635 at the Gukovo BCP and 449 at the Donetsk BCP); 707 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 377 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 Belarus and the Russian Federation and with “LPR” plates. During the reporting week, the OT noticed a significant increase of truck traffic at the Gukovo BCP.
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 50 (compared to 60 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 could 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 slightly decreased from 68 to 61: of the total number of trucks scanned, 46 trucks (75 per cent) were bound for Ukraine; the remaining 15 trucks (25 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 significantly increased from 130 to 168 vehicles; 83 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 85 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 25 occasions; the OTs assessed that 11 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and 14 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 Lithuanian and Georgian licence plates were also observed.
On 17 July at 19:44, the OT observed one police vehicle type UAZ 469 with two police officers inside that arrived at Donetsk BCP from the Russian Federation. The police car parked behind the main building. At 20:01, the police vehicle left the BCP towards the Russian Federation. On the same day at 20:06, the same police car, this time with flashing lights on, again entered the BCP area from the Russian Federation and parked next to the main building. The OT observed one police officer exiting the car and entering the main building. At 20:25, the police vehicle, with flashing lights on, accompanied by a young male sitting in the rear compartment of the car, returned towards the Russian Federation.
On 19 July at 00:22, the OT observed an ambulance with plate number with the inscription “LPR” entering the Donetsk BCP from Ukraine. There were two people inside the ambulance. The ambulance underwent border control procedures and left towards the Russian Federation.
On the same day at 08:32, an ambulance with “LPR” plates arrived at the Donetsk BCP from the Russian Federation. The OT observed two people inside. The ambulance underwent border procedures and left the BCP towards Ukraine.
On 19 July at 16:31, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed a police vehicle entering the BCP control area from the Russian Federation. The police car stopped behind the main building. At 16:40, the vehicle drove back to the Russian Federation.
On 19 July at 03:50, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed a civilian car carrying a coffin tied up on the top of the car arriving from Ukraine and crossing into the Russian Federation. A total of four passengers were observed inside the car (two females and two males).
On 21 July at 12:26, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed a police vehicle with two people inside, entering the BCP from the Russian Federation. The vehicle parked near the main building. At 12:37, the police vehicle with one additional person inside returned to the Russian Federation.
On 22 July at 11:41, the OT observed an ambulance entering the Gukovo BCP area from the Russian Federation and driving behind the main building. At 11:58, the ambulance drove back to the Russian Federation.
For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 18 June 2019 to 23 July 2019, 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).