Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 29 August 2017
This report is for the media and the general public.
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 almost remained the same at both BCPs compared to the previous week. A Russian convoy of 28 vehicles crossed to Ukraine and returned to the Russian Federation.
OPERATIONAL REMARKS
The OM is currently operating with 20 permanent international staff members, including the Acting Chief Observer (CO) and one first-responder[1]. 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 slightly decreased from 13,875 to 13,847 per day for both BCPs compared to last week. The average net flow for both BCPs went from plus 18 (i.e. more entries to the Russian Federation) to minus 138 (i.e. more exits from the Russian Federation).
The Donetsk BCP continues to experience more traffic than the Gukovo BCP. The cross-border movements registered at both BCPs accounted for 35.7 per cent of all entries/exits in Rostov region[2].
Persons in military-style outfits
During the reporting period, the number of persons in military-style outfits crossing the border in both directions was 99 this week at both BCPs compared to 47 last week; 46 of them crossed into the Russian Federation, 53 into Ukraine. Approximately 89 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 crossing the border, sometimes with elderly people and/or children, crossing at both BCPs with a significant amount of luggage, or travelling in heavily loaded cars. During this reporting period three families were observed crossing into Ukraine and three families into the Russian Federation.
Bus connections
Regular local and long-distance bus connections continue 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 have a sign on the windshield stating “irregular”.
During the reporting period the OTs observed 517 buses crossing the border at both BCPs, 261 of them were bound for the Russian Federation and 256 for Ukraine. Some buses were connecting Ukrainian towns through the Russian Federation (circumventing the contact line).
On some occasions, the OTs noticed the bus drivers removing the itinerary signs from the windshields of their buses, while some buses do not display their route at all. The majority of long-distance buses commuting between the Luhansk region and cities in the Russian Federation have Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region.
Trucks
During the reporting period the OM observed an increase in the number of trucks crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. Compared to the previous week, the total number of trucks increased from 691 to 722 (238 in Gukovo BCP and 484 in Donetsk BCP); 428 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 294 crossed into Ukraine. Most of the trucks observed by the OTs had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region.
Separately, the OTs also observed tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. The number of tanker trucks increased from 40 to 49. 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 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. Due to the unfavourable position at the Gukovo BCP, the OTs continued to be unable to observe any X-ray checks. At the Donetsk BCP the OTs observed 137 X-ray checks. At the Donetsk BCP, out of the total number of trucks scanned during the reporting period, 105 trucks (77 per cent) were bound for Ukraine; the remaining 32 trucks (23 per cent) crossed into the Russian Federation.
Minivans
The OM continued to observe passenger and cargo minivans[3] 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.
As compared to the previous week, the number of cargo minivans increased from 168 to 204; 102 crossed to the Russian Federation and 102 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 49 occasions; the OTs assessed that 24 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation, with the other 25 were bound for Ukraine. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine was regularly 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 had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region or Russian Federation licence plates. In addition, the OTs also observed vehicles, cars and trucks with “LPR” or “DPR” plates crossing the border in both directions.
On 25 August, at 10:40 an ambulance with Russian Federation licence plates went towards Ukraine through Donetsk BCP, and came back at 10:55, with a crew of three persons. The OT was not able to see if someone was being transported.
On 28 August, an organised bus convoy with approximately 450 children was observed at Donetsk BCP. The children were traveling to Ukraine from a Russian summer camp. Another bus convoy with approximately 250 children travelled the next day from Ukraine to the Russian Federation.
Convoy
On 24 August the sixty-sixth[4] Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk BCP. A total of 28 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guards and customs services prior to them crossing into Ukraine. All of the 28 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 16:18 on the same day (see the OM Spot Report of 24 August 2017: //www.osce.org/observer-mission-at-russian-checkpoints).
For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 25 July 2017 to 29 August 2017 see the attachment here.
[1] First-responders are OSCE staff or mission members deployed to another mission for a short period of time.
[2] Based on data received from Rostov-on-Don region Border Guard Service
[3] 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).
[4] According to the statement of the Russian Federation officials, this convoy is considered to be the sixty-eighth Russian convoy which was sent to Ukraine. As two of these convoys did not cross through the “Donetsk” or “Gukovo” border crossing points, the Observer Mission did not record them. Hence, based on the Observer Mission’s counting, this convoy is considered the 66th convoy that has crossed into Ukraine.