Spot Report 37/2020: Members of the armed formations continued to deny SMM patrols passage at checkpoints in Donetsk and Luhansk regions

From 4 to 10 July, members of the armed formations again denied the SMM attempts to cross into non-government-controlled areas along official crossing routes: five times in Donetsk region and six times in Luhansk region, while one attempt to cross into government-controlled areas of Luhansk region was also denied.

On 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 July, at a checkpoint south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk), members of the armed formations continued to deny the SMM passage towards non-government-controlled areas on six occasions, and passage towards government-controlled areas on one occasion, referring to restrictions due to COVID-19.

On 10 July, at a checkpoint near Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), a member of the armed formations denied the SMM passage towards non-government-controlled areas, referring to restrictions due to COVID-19. The Mission continued to observe the presence of a metal barrier and spikes laid across the road, and of a mine hazard sign.

On 6 July, at a checkpoint west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 85km south of Donetsk), the Mission was unable to proceed towards non-government-controlled areas due to the presence of static anti-vehicle obstacles laid across the road. In addition, on 10 July, an armed member of the armed formations denied the SMM passage towards non-government-controlled areas, referring to restrictions due to COVID-19.

On 7 and 9 July, at a checkpoint near Oleksandrivka (non-government-controlled, 20km south-west of Donetsk), members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage towards non-government-controlled areas, once referring to a “lack of permission from those in control” and once referring to the closure of the checkpoint.

The Mission began facing repeated denials when attempting to cross into non-government-controlled areas at checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk region on 21 March and Luhansk region on 23 March (see previous SMM Spot Reports). They restrict the SMM’s freedom of movement across the contact line, thus impeding the implementation of its mandate throughout the country.

On 9 July, the SMM received information indicating that restrictions by the armed formations for the SMM attempts to cross into non-government-controlled areas would be eased in the coming days.

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With regard to COVID-19, the SMM has introduced a number of stringent mitigation measures into its operational procedures. These include strict adherence to social distancing rules both internally and with external interlocutors, daily temperature checks, use of PPE and minimizing the number of personnel in vehicles.