Spot Report 4/2021: Members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage at the checkpoint near Oleksandrivka, Donetsk region

On the afternoon of 31 March, an SMM patrol traveling from non-government-controlled Donetsk city, consisting of three vehicles with three trailers and six mission members, arrived at the checkpoint of the armed formations near Oleksandrivka (non-government-controlled, 20km south-west of Donetsk) to conduct an exchange of trailers with a second SMM patrol arriving from government-controlled areas. At 12:44, a member of the armed formations approached the first patrol and asked the SMM to open the trailers for a visual inspection. The patrol refused the request and remained stationary at the checkpoint.

During the next hour, the SMM undertook efforts to facilitate the patrol’s crossing that would enable the exchange of trailers, but the vehicles were not allowed to pass.

At about 13:55, one of the vehicles without its trailer, which had been unhooked and remained stationary at the checkpoint, was allowed to proceed through the checkpoint area in order to meet with one other SMM vehicle coming from government-controlled areas at the most forward checkpoint of the armed formations south of Oleksandrivka and exchange diplomatic mail. After the exchange, the first vehicle returned to the checkpoint near Oleksandrivka where the other vehicles were waiting.

At 14:17 the patrol left the checkpoint and returned to Donetsk city.

Such denials at checkpoints of the armed formations restrict the SMM’s freedom of movement across the contact line, thus impeding the implementation of its mandate. In recent weeks, the Mission has twice faced similar denials at the checkpoint of the armed formations near Olenivka, Donetsk region (see SMM Spot Report 1/2021 and 3/2021).