Spot Report by the OSCE Observer Mission: A nineteenth Russian convoy of 43 vehicles crossed into Ukraine and returned back through the Donetsk Border Crossing Point

SUMMARY

On 15 March 2015 at 08:11hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 43 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guard and customs services. All the vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 18:55hrs on 15 March.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 15 March 2015 at 08:11hrs, the Observer Mission observed the arrival of a Russian convoy at the gate of the Donetsk BCP. The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations team led the process of the convoy movement. The convoy consisted of 30 cargo trucks, 10 fuel trucks, 1 crane and 2 support vehicles. Out of 30 cargo trucks, 20 cargo trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation”, 1 truck bore the inscription “North Caucasus Regional Search and Rescue Team” [1] and 9 trucks bore no inscriptions. On the dashboards of a few cargo trucks the OM observed flags of the Russian Federation and the so-called “Luhansk People’s Republic” and “Donetsk People’s Republic.”

The vehicles stopped at the customs control area in three lines, backdoors of all of the cargo trucks were opened and visually checked by Russian border guards and customs officers from outside. While the first 33 vehicles arrived at 08:11, the last 10 vehicles came later. At 08:38 2 cargo trucks arrived; at 08:43 the last 7 cargo trucks and 1 crane arrived. The Russian border guards used two service dogs to check most of the cargo trucks. The Ukrainian officers were neither present on site nor at the fence during the convoy crossing. By 08:55hrs all vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 18:28hrs on 15 March, the convoy arrived and lined up at the customs area. The backdoors of the trucks were open. Russian border guards and customs officers checked the returning convoy; four service dogs were used to check the cargo trucks from outside. The Ukrainian officers were not on site during the convoy crossing. By 18:55hrs on 15 March all 43 vehicles had returned and crossed back into the Russian Federation.

[1] Северо-Кавказский региональный поисково-спасательный отряд