Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 28 July 2015
SUMMARY
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall cross-border traffic decreased at both BCPs.
DETAIL
OM’s staff composition
The OM is currently operating with 19 staff members, consisting of 18 permanent international observers (incl. the Chief Observer) and one first-responder[1], who is performing the duties of an administrative assistant. Four staff members are currently on leave.
Cross-border movements common to both BCPs
The profile of the people crossing the border remains unchanged and can be categorised as follows:
- Families on foot or travelling by car and busses, with a lot of luggage, often accompanied by elderly people;
- Adults (usually of younger age) with no luggage or empty cars;
- People wearing military-style clothes with or without backpacks, crossing on foot or in vehicles.
As compared to last week, the average number of entries/exits decreased overall from 10,986 to 10,797 per day for both BCPs; the average net flow went from minus 167 to minus 20 (i.e. more exits from the Russian Federation). The Donetsk BCP continued to experience more traffic than the Gukovo BCP. The cross-border movements registered at both BCPs accounted for just over thirty-three per cent of all entries/exits in the Rostov region. The majority of the vehicles crossing the border have number plates issued in the Luhansk region, including a number of articulated trucks and long-distance coaches commuting between the Luhansk region and cities in the Russian Federation.
Common observations at the BCPs
The situation at both BCPs remained calm. The OM continued to observe that the Russian Federation Border Guard and Customs Service conducted checks and controls.
Regular local and long-distance bus connections continued to operate between the Luhansk region and cities in the Russian Federation. In addition to regular bus connections, the Observer Teams (OTs) continued to observe bus connections on irregular routes. Often the busses do not state their route; instead they just have a sign on the windshield saying “Irregular”. Among the irregular lines observed by the OTs the following destinations were noted: nine busses bound for Kharkiv, one bus on the route Luhansk-Yalta, and three Chertkovo-Luhansk-Sievierodonetsk.
During the reporting period, the number of men and women in military-style dress, crossing the border in both directions, decreased from 232 to 192 at both BCPs. This is the lowest number recorded since the inception of the Mission. These people continued to cross the border individually or in groups and on foot or using different types of transport (in addition to vehicles, some used busses, but also bikes and motorbikes). Approximately eighty-five per cent of this category’s crossings occurred at the Donetsk BCP. The OTs continued to observe that from time to time persons in military-style dress have travelled across the border by bus, which makes it more difficult for the OTs to observe their movement across the border. The OTs also continued to observe physically fit young and middle-aged men in civilian clothing, with short haircuts, many of whom carry camouflage-coloured backpacks.
Furthermore, the OTs continued to observe vehicles with Ukrainian license plates, including articulated trucks, with “Donetsk People’s Republic / Lugansk People’s Republic” (“DPR/LPR”) stickers on their license plates replacing the Ukrainian flag.
During the reporting week, the OM continued to observe a high number of trucks, crossing the border in both directions, including intense cargo truck traffic at both BCPs and dumper trucks transporting coal from the Luhansk region to the Russian Federation through the Gukovo BCP. While the majority of the trucks are registered in the Luhansk region, the OTs also observed trucks registered in the Russian Federation and Republic of Belarus that crossed the border. During the reporting week, the OTs have observed that the number of trucks registered in Republic of Belarus have shown a large increase from 38 to 103; these trucks were observed crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. Ninety-eight of these trucks crossed at the Donetsk BCP, with only five such crossings recorded at the Gukovo BCP. Separately, the OTs also observed tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. The number of tanker trucks has shown a decrease from 60 last week to 46 this week. The majority of these trucks (43) crossed at the Donetsk BCP, while the remaining three crossed in Gukovo BCP. These trucks for the most part had the words “Propane” and “Flammable” written across the tanks in Russian language.
Military movement
At the two BCPs the OM did not observe military movement, apart from the movement of Russian Federation Border Guard Service vehicles transporting BCP personnel and supplies.
Observation at the Gukovo BCP
The traffic flow at the Gukovo BCP has increased compared to last week. A daily average of 3,193 entries and exits was recorded, which accounted for nearly ten per cent of all entries/exits in the Rostov region. The net flow went from plus 98 to plus 45 (i.e. more entries into the Russian Federation) on average per day.
During the reporting period, the OM observed a total of 29 persons in military-style clothing crossing the border at the Gukovo BCP, 16 of whom left for Ukraine while 13 entered the Russian Federation.
As in previous weeks, the OM observed dumper trucks transporting coal from the Luhansk region to the Russian Federation. As reported previously, the OTs saw Russian Federation customs and border service personnel checking that the trucks were empty while leaving the Russian Federation.
The OTs continued to pick up on the sound of trains running on the train tracks located approximately 150 meters south-west of the BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 26 occasions; the OTs estimated that 11 trains were going to the Russian Federation and 15 trains were bound for Ukraine. Visual observation was not possible because of the line of trees in between the train tracks and the BCP.
Observation at the Donetsk BCP
During the reporting period the activity at the Donetsk BCP has decreased compared to last week. The daily average of 7,604 entries and exits accounted for just under twenty-four per cent of all entries/exits in the Rostov region. The net flow changed from minus 265 to minus 64 (i.e. more exits from the Russian Federation) on average per day. During the reporting week, the OT observed 163 persons in military-style clothing crossing the border at the Donetsk BCP individually and in groups; 97 persons entered the Russian Federation while 66 left for Ukraine.
On 22 July at 12:15hrs, the OT noted the arrival at the BCP of a Ukrainian-registered bus. This bus was carrying approximately 30 children and they were accompanied by a number of adults. All of the children were carrying some documents in their hand and after having been checked by the Russian Federation Border Guard and Customs Service this group proceeded into the Russian Federation on foot. The bus on which they had arrived returned to Ukraine.
On the 26 July, due to the temperature rising to plus 42 degrees Celsius, for one day the Ministry of Emergency Situations installed two long tents along with wooden benches at the BCP entrance for people waiting to cross the border.
CONVOY
On 23 July at 07:25hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk BCP (see the OM Spot Report of 23 July 2015). A total of 51 vehicles - 45 cargo trucks and 6 support vehicles - were visually checked from the outside by the Russian Federation Border Guard and Customs Services; a Russian service dog was used to check most of the cargo trucks. Ukrainian officials were present during the checks, both on the convoy’s outward and inward journeys. All the vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 16:11hrs on the same day
[1] First-responders are OSCE staff or mission members deployed to another mission for a short period of time.