Spot Report by OSCE Observer Mission: Eighty-third Russian convoy of nine vehicles crossed into Ukraine and returned through Donetsk Border Crossing Point

This report is for the general public and the media. 

SUMMARY

On 25 July at 06:39 (Moscow time), the eighty-third[1] Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 9 vehicles were checked by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers prior to their crossing into Ukraine. All 9 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 13:46 on 25 July.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 25 July at 06:39, the Observer Mission observed the arrival of a Russian convoy at the gate of the Donetsk BCP. The convoy consisted of 9 cargo trucks; some of them belonged to Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES), others were civilian trucks with MES covers. Some cargo trucks also bore the inscription “Humanitarian aid from the Russian Federation” (in Russian). At 06:39 the vehicles entered the customs control area and queued in three lines. Once the convoy arrived, the vehicles were visually checked from the outside by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers. The truck drivers rolled up/opened the tarpaulins of the trucks and the border guards and customs officials performed a visual observation from the outside. Two dogs were present and used by Russian Federation border guards to check the vehicles from the outside.

Three Ukrainian border guards and two customs officers were observed accompanying their Russian counterparts; they also performed a visual observation of the vehicles from the outside (without entering the trucks’ cargo space). They had clipboards in their hands and were taking notes. By 06:53 all of the vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 13:40, the convoy returned and queued in the customs area. The tarpaulins of the trucks were opened and Russian Federation border guards and customs officers visually checked the returning convoy from the outside. Ukrainian representatives – three border guards and two custom officers – were present during this check. The Ukrainian officials also performed visual checks of the opened trucks from the outside. By 13:46 all 9 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation.

[1] Based on the Observer Mission’s counting, this convoy is considered the eighty-third convoy that has crossed into Ukraine through the “Donetsk” or “Gukovo” BCPs. However, so far all these convoys crossed through the “Donetsk” BCP.