Spot Report by OSCE Observer Mission: 95th Russian convoy of nine vehicles crossed into Ukraine and returned through Donetsk Border Crossing Point

SUMMARY

On 30 July at 06:37 (Moscow time), the ninety-fifth[1] Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of nine vehicles were checked by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers prior to their crossing into Ukraine. All nine vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 11:47 on 30 July.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 30 July at 06:37, the Observer Mission observed the arrival of a Russian convoy at the gate of the Donetsk BCP. The convoy consisted of nine vehicles: one escort car and eight cargo trucks. Seven trucks belonged to Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) and one civilian truck with MES cover. All eight cargo trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian aid from the Russian Federation” (in Russian). At 06:37, the vehicles entered the customs control area. 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. One Russian Federation border guard took photos and videoed the convoy crossing.

Four Ukrainian border guards and four 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). By 06:50, all of the vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 11:38, 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 – four border guards and one customs officer – 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 11:47, all nine vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation.

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