OSCE SMM Spot Report 19/2020: Members of the armed formations continued to deny SMM patrols passage at checkpoints in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions

On 28 and 29 April, members of the armed formations again denied SMM attempts to cross into non-government-controlled areas along official crossing routes: twice in Donetsk region and once in Luhansk region, while further attempts to cross into government-controlled areas were also denied, once in Donetsk region and once in Luhansk region.

On 28 April, at a checkpoint near Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), an SMM patrol waited unsuccessfully for about 40 minutes for members of the armed formations to remove a road barrier and allow the SMM passage towards non-government-controlled areas.

On 28 and 29 April, at the checkpoint south of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk), members of the armed formations denied SMM patrols passage towards government-controlled areas on one occasion, and passage towards non-government-controlled areas on another occasion, referring to the closure of the checkpoint due to COVID-19.

On 29 April, at a checkpoint near Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), a member of the armed formations denied an SMM patrol passage towards government-controlled areas, stating that the SMM did not have permission to pass. At the same checkpoint, members of the armed formations denied another SMM patrol passage towards non-government-controlled areas, referring to quarantine restrictions due to COVID-19.

The Mission began facing repeated denials when attempting to cross into non-government-controlled areas at checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk region on 21 March, and Luhansk region on 23 March (see SMM Spot Reports 2/2020, 3/2020, 4/2020, 5/2020, 6/2020, 7/2020, 8/2020, 9/2020, 10/2020, 11/2020, 13/2020, 14/2020, 15/2020, 16/2020, 17/2020, 18/2020).They restrict the SMM’s freedom of movement across the contact line, thus impeding the implementation of its mandate throughout the country.

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With regard to COVID-19, the SMM has introduced a number of stringent mitigation measures into its operational procedures. These include strict adherence to social distancing rules both internally and with external interlocutors, daily temperature checks, use of PPE, and minimizing the number of personnel in vehicles.