Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 15 October 2019
This report is for the media and the general public.
Weekly Update, 15 October 2019
For the period from 09:00, 8 October 2019 to 09:00, 15 October 2019 (Moscow time)
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 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 decreased from 11,302 to 11,284 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 nine 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 ten this week compared to 14 last week: five of them crossed into the Russian Federation, and five into Ukraine (90 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, eight families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and five were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when three families were observed crossing to the Russian Federation and four to 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 (450 compared to 511 observed during the previous week). There were 221 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 229 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.
Trucks
During the reporting period, the OTs observed 937 trucks (exactly like during the previous reporting week) crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs (407 at the Gukovo BCP and 530 at the Donetsk BCP); 499 of these trucks crossed to the Russian Federation and 438 crossed to 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 also with “LPR” plates. Moreover, during the reporting week, trucks with licence plates from Georgia and Uzbekistan were also observed.
The OTs also continued to observe tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. During the reporting week, the number of tanker trucks increased slightly from 65 to 67. 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 increased from 150 to 173; 129 trucks (75 per cent) were bound for Ukraine, the remaining 44 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 decrease from 154 to 112 vehicles; 60 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 52 into Ukraine.
Trains
The OTs continued to pick up the sound of trains on the railway tracks located approximately 150m south-west of the Gukovo BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 6 occasions; the OTs assessed that 5 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and 1 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 train 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. The OTs also observed cars with “DPR” plates and licence plates from Belarus, Georgia, Lithuania and Poland.
On 9 October at 15:14, the OT observed a jeep bearing the "FSB - Border Service" inscription entering the Donetsk BCP from the Russian Federation with its siren and flashing light turned on. The vehicle parked near by the entering queue to Ukraine. From the car two military men bearing automatic rifles went quickly to the main building accompanied by a service dog. After a minute a police car arrived from the Russian Federation with two policemen on board and drove quickly behind the main building. At 15:34 the two vehicles returned towards the Russian Federation with all the officers previously observed.
On 10 October at 10:42, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed a helicopter type Mi-17/Mi-8 flying from the east of the BCP which then turned in a northerly direction.On 11 October at 10:45, a helicopter was observed at the Gukovo BCP flying from the north in an easterly direction. On both occasions, the helicopters were white with blue and grey stripes painted on the underside and flew only inside the airspace of the Russian Federation.
On 11 October at 12:11, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed an ambulance bearing Ukrainian licence plates crossing from Ukraine into the Russian Federation.
On 13 October at 14:25, the OT observed an ambulance entering the Donetsk BCP from the Russian Federation which parked in front of the border checking area. At 14:15 the vehicle drove back towards the Russian Federation.
For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 3 September to 8 October 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).