Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 16 July 2019
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 increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week.
OPERATIONAL REMARKS
The OM is currently operating with 21 permanent international staff members, including the Chief Observer (CO). The Mission is supported administratively by a staff member and the Chief of Fund Administration based in Vienna.
OBSERVATIONS AT THE BORDER CROSSING POINTS
Persons crossing the border
The profile of persons 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 persons and/or children) travelling on foot or by car with a significant amount of luggage.
The average number of entries/exits increased from 12,022 to 12,511 per day at both BCPs compared to last week[1].
During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were to the Russian Federation, with an average net flow of 164 per day for both BCPs.
The Donetsk BCP continued to experience much more traffic than the Gukovo BCP.
Persons in military-style outfits
During the reporting period, the number of persons in military-style outfits crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs was 22 this week compared to 14 last week: eight of them crossed into the Russian Federation, and 14 into Ukraine (64 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 on 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 some of the private vehicles had tinted windows, and buses and minivans had drawn curtains.
Families with a significant amount of luggage
The OTs continued to report on families crossing the border, sometimes with elderly persons and/or children, at both BCPs with a significant amount of luggage, or travelling in heavily loaded cars. During this reporting week, 12 families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and 10 were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when seven families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and three into 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 did not state their route; instead they had a sign on the windshield stating “irregular”.
During the reporting period, the OTs observed a slight increase in the overall number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (451 compared to 442 observed during the previous week). There were 235 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 216 bound for Ukraine.
On some occasions, the OTs noticed the bus drivers removing the itinerary signs from the windshields of their buses, while some buses did not display their route at all. The majority of long-distance buses commuting between the Luhansk region and cities in the Russian Federation had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region and “LPR” plates. Among the bus connections observed by the OTs, the following “irregular” routes or destinations were noted: Luhansk – Simferopol and Luhansk-Yalta.
Trucks
During the reporting period, the OTs observed 1001 trucks (876 during the previous reporting week) crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs (586 at the Gukovo BCP and 415 at the Donetsk BCP); 628 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 373 crossed into Ukraine. Most of the trucks observed by the OTs had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region; however, on a daily basis, the OTs also noted trucks registered in Belarus and the Russian Federation and with “LPR” plates. During the reporting week the OT noticed a significant increase of trucks traffic at the Gukovo BCP.
The OTs also continued to observe tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. During the reporting week, the number of tanker trucks increased to 60 (compared to 49 during the previous reporting period). 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 had hazard signs, indicating that they were transporting propane or a mix of propane and butane.
All trucks underwent systematic inspection by Russian Federation officials, which may include an X-ray check. Due to the unfavourable observation position at the Gukovo BCP, the OTs continued to be unable to observe any X-ray checks.
Compared to the previous week, the total number of X-ray checks at the Donetsk BCP significantly decreased from 118 to 68: of the total number of trucks scanned, 50 trucks (74 per cent) were bound for Ukraine; the remaining 18 trucks (26 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 the Luhansk region; however, the OTs also frequently saw minivans registered in the Russian Federation. Compared to the previous week, the number of cargo minivans decreased from 155 to 130 vehicles; 61 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 69 into Ukraine.
Trains
The OTs continued to pick up the sound of trains running on the railway tracks located approximately 150m south-west of the Gukovo BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 34 occasions; the OTs assessed that 21 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and 13 to Ukraine (more details are provided in the sections “trends and figures at a glance” below).
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.
Other observations
The majority of vehicles crossing the border had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region, or Russian Federation licence plates. A significant number of vehicles with “LPR” plates were also observed crossing the border in both directions on a daily basis. Cars with Lithuanian, Polish, Belarusian and Georgian license plates were also observed.
During the reporting period, the OTs at the Donetsk BCP observed ambulances on three distinct occasions. On 10 July at 11:30, an ambulance arrived at the BCP from the Russian Federation and parked in front of the main building. At 11:45, the ambulance returned towards the Russian Federation. On 12 July at 20:37, an ambulance entered the BCP area from the Russian Federation. At 21:23, the medical crew accompanied a civilian to the ambulance and crossed back into the Russian Federation together. On 13 July at 10:07, an ambulance arrived from the Russian Federation and parked in front of the main building. At 10:24, the ambulance returned towards the Russian Federation.
On 11 July at 06:15, one cargo minivan with the inscription (in Russian) “LDPR” and with logo (Liberal Democratic Party of Russia) crossed the border from the Russian Federation into Ukraine. At 18:13 on the same day, the vehicle returned back into the Russian Federation.
On 12 July at 13:12, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed a military M-17 helicopter which flew over the Donetsk BCP inside the airspace of the Russian Federation. The aircraft came from the north and continued flying in an easterly direction.
On 16 July at 07:02, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed a police vehicle entering the BCP control area from the Russian Federation. The vehicle parked near to the main building. At 07:11 the vehicle returned back into the Russian Federation.
For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 18 June 2019 to 16 July 2019, please see the attachment here.
[1] Based on data received from the Regional Representation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
[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).