Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 1 November 2016
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.
OPERATIONAL REMARKS
The OM is currently operating with 19 permanent international staff members, including the Chief Observer (CO). 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 decreased overall from 10,836 to 10,468 per day for both BCPs compared to last week. The average net flow for both BCPs went from minus 42 to minus 309 (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 below 37 per cent of all entries/exits in Rostov region[1].
Persons in military-style outfits
During the reporting period, the number of persons in military-style outfits crossing the border in both directions was 120 this week at both BCPs compared to 102 last week; 64 of them crossed into the Russian Federation, while 56 of them crossed into Ukraine. Approximately 82 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 by 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 many of the private vehicles have tinted windows, and buses and minivans have drawn curtains.
Families with a significant amount of luggage
During the reporting period, the OTs observed some families, sometimes with elderly people and/or children, crossing at both BCPs with a significant amount of luggage or travelling in heavily loaded cars. Three families were observed crossing the border into the Russian Federation and four families were observed crossing 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 do not state their route; instead they just have a sign on the windshield stating “Irregular”.
Among the bus connections observed by the OTs, the following “irregular” routes or destinations were noted: Luhansk-Kharkiv; Luhansk-Kyiv; Rovenki-Kyiv and Stakhanov-Kyiv; Pervomaysk-Kyiv and Kharkiv. On some occasions, the OTs noticed the bus drivers removing the itinerary signs from the windshields of their buses. The majority of long-distance coaches commuting between Luhansk region and cities in the Russian Federation have Ukrainian licence plates issued in Luhansk region.
Trucks
The OM continued to observe trucks crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. Compared to the previous week, the number of trucks decreased from 721 to 712; 374 of these trucks crossed to the Russian Federation and 338 crossed to Ukraine. Most of the trucks observed by the OTs have Ukrainian licence plates issued in Luhansk region. During the reporting week trucks were also observed with Belarusian licence plates.
Separately, the OTs also observed tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. The number of tanker trucks increased from 54 last week to 67 this week. These trucks were observed crossing the border at both BCPs. The trucks mainly had the words “Propane” and “Flammable” written across the tanks in either Russian or Ukrainian. The majority of tanker trucks have hazard signs, indicating that they are transporting propane or a mix of propane with butane.
All trucks undergo systematic inspection by Russian Federation officials, which may include an X-ray check. During the reporting period, no X-ray checks were observed at the Gukovo BCP compared to 207 X-ray checks at the Donetsk BCP. At the latter BCP, out of all the trucks scanned during the reporting period, 122 trucks (59 per cent) were bound for Ukraine; the remaining 85 trucks (41 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 Luhansk region; however, the OTs frequently saw minivans registered in the Russian Federation.
Compared to the previous week, the number of cargo minivans decreased from 452 to 323; 159 crossed to the Russian Federation and 164 to Ukraine.
Trains
The OTs continued to pick up the sound of trains running on the train tracks located approximately 150 metres south-west of the Gukovo BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 13 occasions; the OTs estimated that eight trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and five trains were bound for Ukraine. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine was 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 as well as due to unfavourable light conditions.
Other observations
The majority of vehicles crossing the border have Ukrainian licence plates issued in Luhansk region or Russian Federation licence plates. During the reporting week, the OTs also noted one car with Georgian licence plates and a few with “LPR” licence plates crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs.
The OTs continued to observe vehicles with Ukrainian licence plates, including articulated trucks with “LPR” or “Novorossiya” stickers, or in rare cases “DPR” stickers on their licence plates masking the Ukrainian flag.
During the reporting period the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed ambulances on two occasions crossing the border in both directions. The OT was unable to ascertain whether any person was in need of medical treatment on board or not.
On 27 October at 15:00hrs the OT at the Gukovo BCP observed a van with Russian licence plates crossing the border from Ukraine to the Russian Federation. The van had the inscription “Funereal” on the sides written in Russian and had a sign “200” on an A4 format paper on its windshield. The OT was unable to ascertain whether it was carrying a coffin or not.
Convoy
On 27 October at 06:31hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). See Spot Report //www.osce.org/om/277576. A total of 20 vehicles – 16 cargo trucks and 4 support vehicles – were checked by the Russian border guards and customs service prior to them crossing into Ukraine. A service dog was present on site during the convoy crossing and was used to check some of the cargo trucks from the outside. Ukrainian officials – four border guards and two customs officers were present on site and performed light visual checks of the opened trucks from the outside, both when the convoy crossed into Ukraine and when it returned to the Russian Federation. All of the 20 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 13:10 hrs on 27 October.
For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 27 October to 1 November 2016 see the attachment here.
[1] Based on data received from Rostov region Border Guard Service.
[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).