Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 21 September 2021
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 significantly increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week.
OPERATIONAL REMARKS
The OM is currently operating with 22 permanent international Mission members, including the Chief Observer (CO) and a First Responder.[1] 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. The Mission is continuing to keep the situation under review, in close contact with the OSCE Secretariat and the Chairpersonship. 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 continues on a voluntary basis. To date, 80 per cent of OM staff have now been vaccinated. The OM is fully staffed and operational.
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 significantly increased from 9,358 to 13,079 per day at both BCPs compared to last week. During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were to Ukraine, with an average net flow of 179 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, the number of persons in military-style outfits crossing the border was 11, compared to three last week; six persons crossed into the Russian Federation while five persons crossed into Ukraine. These individuals crossed the border on foot.
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, seven families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation while two families were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when no families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation while four families were 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 significant increase in the overall number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (576 compared to 369 observed during the previous week). There were 282 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 294 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 slight increase in the overall number of trucks crossing the border at both BCPs (785 compared to 781 during the previous reporting week); 401 at the Gukovo BCP and 384 at the Donetsk BCP, 386 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation, and 399 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” and “DPR” 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 (28 compared to 34 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 slightly increased from 168 to 176. Of the total number of all trucks scanned 176 trucks (100 per cent) were bound for Ukraine.
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 saw minivans registered in the Russian Federation. During the reporting period, the OTs observed a slight increase in the overall number of minivans crossing the border at both BCPs (131 compared to 125 observed during the previous week); 72 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 59 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 25 occasions; the OTs assessed that 17 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and the remaining eight 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. The OTs also observed vehicles with Georgian and Lithuanian licence plates, in addition to “DPR” plates.
On 14 September at 16:07, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed an ambulance with Russian Federation licence plates entering the BCP from Ukraine. The driver and a female passenger were observed on board. After undergoing customs and border control procedures, the vehicle left the BCP to the Russian Federation at 16:27.
On 15 September at 00:23, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed two medium-sized trucks with “LPR” plates and inscription “LPR Post” (in Russian) entering the BCP from the Russian Federation and queuing at the customs control area. After undergoing customs and border control procedures, the vehicles left for Ukraine at 01:03.
On 15 September at 07:48, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed two ambulances with Russian Federation licence plates entering the BCP from the Russian Federation and parking at the customs control area. The driver and a passenger were observed inside of each vehicle. After undergoing customs and border control procedures, the vehicles left the BCP for Ukraine at 08:20.
On 15 September at 12:20, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed an ambulance with Russian Federation licence plates entering the BCP from the Russian Federation and parking in front of the main building. At 13:04, the ambulance drove back to the Russian Federation. The OT was unable to notice any other details from its position.
On 15 September at 17:20, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed an ambulance with “LPR” plates entering the BCP from Ukraine. After undergoing customs and border control procedures, the vehicle left for the Russian Federation at 17:42. The same day at 19:38, the OT observed the same ambulance entering the BCP from the Russian Federation and queuing at the customs control area. After undergoing customs and border control procedures, the vehicle left the BCP for Ukraine at 19:50.
On 20 September at 12:57, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed an ambulance entering the BCP from the Russian Federation and parking at the customs control area. After undergoing customs and border control procedures the vehicle left the BCP for Ukraine at 13:20.
On 20 September at 19:18, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed an ambulance with inscription “Children Reanimation” (in Russian) entering the BCP from the Russian Federation and parking at the customs control area. After undergoing customs and border control procedures the vehicle left the BCP for Ukraine at 19:40. The OT was unable to notice any other details from its position.
For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 17 August 2021 to 21 September 2021, please see the attachment here.
[1]First responders are OSCE staff or Mission members deployed for a short period of time.
[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 that correspond to driving licence C1).