Spot Report by OSCE Observer Mission: The fifty-eighth Russian convoy of ten vehicles crossed into Ukraine and returned through the Donetsk Border Crossing Point

This report is for media and the general public.

SUMMARY

On 21 February 2017 at 07:20 hrs (Moscow time), the fifty eighth[1] Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of ten vehicles were checked by the Russian border guards and customs services prior to them crossing into Ukraine. All of the 10 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 15:38 hrs on 21 February.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 21 February 2017 at 07:20 hrs, the Observer Mission observed the arrival of a Russian convoy at the gate of the Donetsk BCP. Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations team coordinated and led the movements of the convoy. The convoy consisted of five cargo trucks and five support vehicles. All trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation”.

At 09:55 hrs the vehicles entered the customs control area and queued in three lines. The cargo trucks were visually checked from the outside by Russian border guards and Customs officers. Two service dogs were present on site during the convoy crossing and were used to check most of the cargo trucks from the outside. Ukrainian representatives – three border guards and two Customs officers – were present during the check. They performed visual checks of the opened trucks from the outside and some of them were taking notes. By 10:07 hrs the vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 15:20 hrs on 21 February, the convoy arrived and queued in two lines at the customs area. The tailgates and tarpaulins of the trucks were opened and Russian border guards and customs officers visually checked the returning convoy from the outside. Two service dogs were present on site during the convoy crossing and were used to check most of the cargo trucks from the outside. Ukrainian representatives – three border guards and two Customs officers – were present during the check. They performed visual checks of the opened trucks from the outside and some of them were taking notes. By 15:38 hrs all of the ten vehicles had returned and crossed back into the Russian Federation. On the way back no cargo trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation”.

[1] According to the statement of the Russian Federation officials, this convoy is considered to be the sixtieth Russian convoy which was sent to Ukraine. As two of these convoys did not cross through the “Donetsk” or “Gukovo” border crossing points, the Observer Mission did not record them. Hence, based on the Observer Mission’s counting, this convoy is considered to be the fifty eighth convoy that has crossed into Ukraine.