Spot Report by OSCE Observer Mission: The fifty-fifth Russian Convoy of 20 vehicles crossed into Ukraine and returned through the Donetsk Border Crossing Point

This report is for media and the general public.

SUMMARY

On 27 October 2016 at 06:31hrs (Moscow time), the fifty- fifth[1]  Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 20 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guards and customs services prior to them crossing into Ukraine. All of the 20 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 13:10hrs on 27 October.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 27 October 2016 at 06:31hrs, 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 16 cargo trucks (among them nine refrigerated trucks) and four support vehicles. All trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation”.

At 06:31hrs the vehicles entered the customs control area and parked up in three lines. The cargo trucks were visually checked from the outside by Russian border guards and customs officers. A service dog was present on site during the convoy crossing and was used to check most of the cargo trucks from the outside. Ukrainian representatives – four border guards and two customs officer– were present during the check. They performed visual checks of the opened trucks from the outside and some of them were taking notes. By 07:03hrs the vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 12:25hrs on 27 October, the convoy arrived and parked up in three lines at the customs area. The tailgates and tarpaulins of the trucks were opened and Russian and Ukrainian border guards and customs officers visually checked the returning convoy from the outside. One service dog was present on site during the convoy crossing and was used to check some of the cargo trucks from the outside. By 13:10hrs all of the 20 vehicles had returned and crossed back into the Russian Federation.

[1] According to the statement of the Russian Federation officials, this convoy is considered as the fifty-seventh 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 as the fifty-fifth convoy that has crossed into Ukraine.