OSCE
© ITAR-TASS
OSCE observers have not detected any troop movement on the Russian-Ukrainian border at the Gukovo and Donetsk checkpoints, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission said in a weekly report on Wednesday.

People crossing the border can be divided into several groups: families on foot or travelling by car with a lot of luggage; elderly people with few bags; adults with no luggage or empty cars; and people wearing military-style dress with or without backpacks, the report said.

Over the past several days, some 2,000-3000 people were going through the Gukovo checkpoint every day, two-thirds of them entering Russia and one-third heading to Ukraine, observers said, adding that some were going to the neighbouring country for one-day trips and others in order to renew their migration cards.

Throughout the week, detonations and gun fire were heard. These incidents were quickly assessed as not combat related and were the result of securing the roads from unexploded ordinances.

The flow of people at the Donetsk checkpoint was larger than at Gukovo, observers said. About 5,500 people were crossing the border every day, with more than 80% of them going to Russia as a result of the deterioration of the overall situation eastern Ukraine.