Spot Report by OSCE Observer Mission: 85th Russian convoy of 12 vehicles crossed into Ukraine And returned through the Donetsk Border Crossing Point

This report is for the media and the general public.

SUMMARY

On 17 October at 07:22 (Moscow time), the eighty-fifth[1]Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 12 vehicles were checked by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers prior to their crossing into Ukraine. All 12 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 15:00 on 17 October.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 17 October at 07:22, the Observer Mission observed the arrival of a Russian convoy at the gate of the Donetsk BCP. The convoy consisted of 11 cargo trucks and one escort vehicle with the inscription "The Ministry of Emergency Situations" written in Russian. One cargo truck bore the inscription “Humanitarian aid from the Russian Federation” (in Russian). At 07:22, 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. One dog was 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 07:41, all of the vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine. During the crossing one civilian was present who took photos of the procedure.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 14:55, the convoy returned and queued in the customs area. The 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 trucks from the outside. One dog was present and used by Russian Federation border guards to check the vehicles from the outside. By 15:00, all 12 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation. During the return of the convoy, one civilian was present at the BCP taking photos of the procedure.

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