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Overview

Despite daily hostilities along the contact line, over one million individual crossings through all five operational Exit/Entrance Checkpoints (EECPs) were recorded in May. This is the highest number recorded since late 2015, representing a 38 per cent increase comparing to the same period of 2016. The trend is largely characterized by continuation of the mandatory verification processes of IDPs and pensioners residing in non-Government controlled areas (NGCA) to claim their benefits in the Government-controlled areas (GCA). At the same time, seasonal holidays in the first half of the month have also contributed to such increase in crossings. At times, capacities of these checkpoints to facilitate the increased number of crossings were exhausted, which meant that people had to wait long hours, often in harsh conditions with limited access to basic service facilities. With rising summer temperatures, conditions of people waiting, especially the most vulnerable, including the elderly, start to aggravate, as long waiting hours impact their health. Challenges remain in upgrading the conditions of the EECPs to ensure safe and dignified environment despite continuous efforts by humanitarian partners. These multifaceted challenges also further exacerbate protection concerns. In addition, people waiting at all EECPs continue to expose themselves to fatal risks as a result of ongoing combat activities in and around the checkpoints. At least two cases of shelling were recorded in May alone near Hnutove and Marinka EECPs during the operational hours, resulting in a temporary suspension of operations. However, the introduction of extended (summer) operations of all EECPs by 1.5 hours is a welcome development. As of 1 June 2017, all EECPs will be open from 06:00 till 20:00 hrs.

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Ukraine: Checkpoints - Humanitarian Snapshot (as of 13 June 2017) - ReliefWeb