OSCE SMM Spot Report 23/2020: Members of the armed formations continued to deny SMM patrols passage at checkpoints in Donetsk and Luhansk regions

On 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 May, members of the armed formations again denied SMM attempts to cross into non-government-controlled areas along official crossing routes: six times in Donetsk region and three times in Luhansk region, while further attempts to cross into government-controlled areas were also denied, twice in Donetsk region and twice in Luhansk region.

On 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 May, at a checkpoint south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk), members of the armed formations again denied SMM patrols passage towards non-government-controlled areas on four occasions, and passage towards government-controlled areas on three other occasions, referring to the closure of the checkpoint due to COVID-19.

On 10 and 14 May, at a checkpoint near Oleksandrivka (non-government-controlled, 20km south-west of Donetsk), members of the armed formations again denied an SMM patrol passage towards non-government-controlled areas, referring to the closure of the checkpoint due to COVID-19.

On 11 and 15 May, at a checkpoint near Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), members of the armed formations again denied an SMM patrol passage towards government-controlled areas on two occasions, stating that the SMM did not have permission to pass, and again denied passage towards non-government-controlled areas on two other occasions, referring to quarantine restrictions due to COVID-19.

On 12 May, at a checkpoint near Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), a member of the armed formations again denied an SMM patrol passage towards non-government-controlled areas.

On 13 May, at a checkpoint 600m west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 85km south of Donetsk), a member of the armed formations again denied an 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 previous SMM Spot Reports). 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.