Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 1 October 2021
SUMMARY
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continued to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). Due to the short reporting period, the overall number of border crossings by persons and vehicles significantly decreased at both BCPs compared to the previous week. [1]
This report represents the last Weekly Update issued by the Observer Mission, whose mandate expired on 30 September 2021. As of 00:00 on 1 October 2021, the Observer Mission is no longer present at the Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk. The Mission is continuing to carry out activities related to its discontinuation.
OPERATIONAL REMARKS
During the reporting period, the OM was operating with 22 permanent international mission members, including the Chief Observer (CO) and a First Responder.[2] The Mission is supported administratively by a staff member and the Chief of Fund Administration based in Vienna.
Update on COVID-19 measures
Activities have been impacted by COVID-19 and measures undertaken by the OM to ensure the safety and duty of care of its Mission members and compliance with measures set by the host country authorities. Following the host country’s recommendations, the observers are adhering to social distancing. Due to the preventive measures taken by the central and regional authorities, the OM is faced with certain difficulties, but is still able to continue to fulfil its mandate without any limitations in its observation and reporting activities. The vaccination process provided by the host country medical system continued on a voluntary basis. To date, 80 per cent of OM staff have now been vaccinated.
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 decreased from 9,360 to 5,265 per day at both BCPs compared to last week. During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were to the Russian Federation, with an average net flow of 24 per day for both BCPs. The Donetsk BCP continued to experience much more traffic than the Gukovo BCP.
Responding to the COVID-19 situation, the host country closed its borders for the majority of foreigners starting from 18 March 2020. Among the exceptions of persons allowed to cross the border (which entered into force on 19 March) are Ukrainian citizens and stateless persons holding passports or identification documents proving permanent residence in certain areas of Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine. In addition, reportedly, due to the threat of the spread of COVID-19, starting from 10 April 2020, the organized passenger transport commuting between the non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region of Ukraine and the Russian Federation was temporarily suspended and restored from 25 June 2020. Currently, the crossing of people is going on at a quasi-normal level.
Persons in military-style outfits
During the reporting period, no persons in military-style outfits crossing the border were observed, compared to six persons in military-style outfits observed during the last week.
Families with a significant amount of luggage
The OTs continued to report on families, sometimes with elderly persons and/or children, crossing the border at both BCPs with a significant amount of luggage, or travelling in heavily loaded cars. During this reporting week, four families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation while no families were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when one family was observed crossing into the Russian Federation while another one family was observed crossing 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. During the reporting period, the OTs observed a decrease in the overall number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (142 compared to 404 observed during the previous week). There were 82 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 60 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.
Trucks
During the reporting period, the OTs observed a decrease in the overall number of trucks crossing the border at both BCPs (330 compared to 804 during the previous reporting week); 171 at the Gukovo BCP and 159 at the Donetsk BCP, 155 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation, and 175 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, Lithuania, the Russian Federation and trucks with “LPR” plates.
The OTs also continued to observe tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. During the reporting period, the overall number of tanker trucks crossing the border at both BCPs decreased (17 compared to 36 during the previous week). 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 could include an X-ray check. Due to the unfavorable 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 decreased from 190 to 77. Of the total number of all trucks scanned 77 trucks (100 per cent) were bound for Ukraine.
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 saw minivans registered in the Russian Federation. During the reporting period, the OTs observed a decrease in the overall number of minivans crossing the border at both BCPs (58 compared to 145 observed during the previous week); 29 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 29 into Ukraine.
Trains
The OTs continued to pick up the sound of trains on the railway tracks located approximately 150m south-west of the Gukovo BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on five occasions; the OTs assessed that two trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and the remaining three trains were travelling to Ukraine (more details are provided in the sections “trends and figures at a glance” below).
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.
For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 7 September 2021 to 30 September 2021, please see the attachment here.
[1] The reporting period covers the data for the period from 09:00, 28 September 2021 to 23:59, 30 September 2021.
[2]First responders are OSCE staff or mission members deployed for a short period of time.
[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 that correspond to driving licence C1).