Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 1 December 2015
SUMMARY
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCP). The overall cross-border traffic decreased at both BCPs. A forty-fifth Russian Convoy crossed at the Donetsk BCP.
DETAIL
OM’s staff composition
The OM is currently operating with 20 permanent international staff members (incl. the Chief Observer).
Cross-border movements common to both BCPs
The profile of the people crossing the border can be categorized as follows:
- Adults with no luggage or empty cars;
- Families (including elderly people and children) or groups on foot or by car with a lot of luggage;
- Young men wearing military-style clothes and shoes with or without backpacks.
Compared to last week, the average number of entries/exits decreased overall from 10,918 to 10,748 per day for both BCPs; the average net flow went from minus 14 to minus 48 (i.e. more exits from the Russian Federation). The Donetsk BCP continued to experience more traffic than the Gukovo BCP. The cross-border movements registered at both BCPs accounted for just under 38% of all entries/exits in the Rostov region. The majority of the vehicles crossing the border have number plates issued in Ukraine (Luhansk region), including a number of articulated trucks and long-distance coaches commuting between Ukraine (Luhansk region) and cities in the Russian Federation.
Common observations at the BCPs
The situation at both BCPs remained calm. The OM continued to observe that the Russian Federation Border Guard and Customs Services conducted checks and controls.
Regular local and long-distance bus connections continued to operate between Ukraine (Luhansk region) and cities in the Russian Federation. In addition to regular bus connections, the Observer Teams (OTs) continued to observe bus connections on irregular routes. Often the busses do not state their route; instead they just have a sign on the windshield saying “Irregular”. During the reporting period, the OTs noted one bus on each of the following irregular routes: Kyiv-Belgorod-Kharkiv-Poltava; Alchevsk-Kharkiv-Kyiv; Luhansk-Kharkiv-Kyiv; and Luhansk-Kharkiv.
During the reporting period, the number of men and women in military-style clothes, crossing the border in both directions, increased from 191 to 198 at both BCPs. Approximately 85% of this category’s crossings occurred at the Donetsk BCP. These people continued crossing the border individually or in groups and on foot or, in addition to private vehicles, from time to time travelled on busses, making it more difficult for the OTs to observe their movement across the border.
Furthermore, the OTs continued to observe physically fit young and middle-aged men in civilian clothing, with short haircuts, many of whom carried camouflage-coloured backpacks.
The OTs continued to observe vehicles with Ukrainian license plates, including articulated trucks, with “LPR” (“Lugansk People’s Republic”) or “Novorossiya” stickers (in rare cases “DPR” (“Donetsk People’s Republic“)) stickers on their license plates masking the Ukrainian flag.
During the reporting week, the OM continued to observe a high number of trucks, crossing the border in both directions, including cargo truck traffic at both BCPs and dumper trucks transporting coal from Ukraine (Luhansk region) to the Russian Federation through the Gukovo BCP. While the majority of the trucks are registered in the Luhansk region, the OTs frequently observed trucks registered in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions. The OTs also observed trucks registered in the Russian Federation and Republic of Belarus that crossed the border. During the reporting week the number of trucks registered in the Republic of Belarus decreased from 34 to 18; these trucks were observed crossing the border only at the Donetsk BCP. Separately, the OTs also observed tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. The number of tanker trucks decreased from 46 last week to 45 this week. Forty-one of these trucks crossed at the Donetsk BCP and four trucks crossed at the Gukovo BCP. These trucks, for the most part, had the words “Propane” and “Flammable” written across the tanks in Russian and Ukrainian. The majority of tanker trucks have hazard signs, indicating that they are transporting propane or a mix of propane with butane.
Military movement
At the two BCPs the OM did not observe military movement, apart from the movement of Russian Federation Border Guard Service vehicles transporting BCP personnel and supplies.
Observation at the Gukovo BCP
The traffic flow at the Gukovo BCP has decreased compared to last week. A daily average of 3,537 entries and exits was recorded, which accounted for over 12 % of all entries/exits in the Rostov region. The net flow went from plus 194 to plus 150 (i.e. more entries to the Russian Federation) on average per day.
During the reporting period, the OM observed a total of 29 persons in military-style clothing crossing the border at the Gukovo BCP, 5 of whom left for Ukraine, while 24 entered the Russian Federation.
As in previous weeks, the OM observed dumper trucks transporting coal from Ukraine to the Russian Federation.
The OTs continued to pick up on the sound of trains running on the train tracks located approximately 150 meters south-west of the BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 10 occasions; the OTs estimated that 6 trains were going to the Russian Federation and 4 trains were bound for Ukraine. Visual observation was not possible because of the line of trees in between the train tracks and the BCP.
On 26 November between 12:08hrs and 12:10hrs, the OT observed a helicopter flying at an altitude of 400 meters from the south-easterly direction along the borderline. The helicopter turned in the north-easterly direction 2-3km north-east of the BCP.
Observation at the Donetsk BCP
During the reporting period the activity at the Donetsk BCP decreased compared to last week. A daily average of 7,210 entries and exits was recorded. This accounted for 25 % of all entries/exits in the Rostov region. The net flow changed from minus 194 to minus 150 (i.e. more exits from the Russian Federation) on average per day.
During the reporting week, the OTs observed 169 persons in military-style clothing crossing the border at the Donetsk BCP, 98 persons entered the Russian Federation, while 71 left for Ukraine.
On 26 November between 12:16 and 12:19hrs, the OT observed a helicopter flying at a low altitude from the south-easterly direction along the borderline north. The OT observed that the helicopter was equipped with rocket launcher pods on its sides, but was unarmed.
CONVOY
On 26 November 2015 at 06:50hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk BCP (see the OM Spot Report of 26 November). A total of 45 vehicles - 38 cargo trucks and 7 support vehicles - were checked by the Russian border guard and customs services; service dogs were present on the site during the convoy crossing. Ukrainian representatives were present on site and performed visual checks of the trucks as the convoy crossed into Ukraine and once it returned to the Russian Federation. All the vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 14:15hrs on 26 November.
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