Spot Report by OSCE Observer Mission: 99th Russian convoy of seven vehicles crossed into Ukraine and returned through Donetsk Border Crossing Point

SUMMARY

On 17 December at 06:34 (Moscow time), the ninety-ninth[1] Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of seven vehicles were checked by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers prior to their crossing into Ukraine. All seven vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 14:54 on 17 December.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 17 December at 06:34, the Observer Mission observed the arrival of a Russian convoy at the gate of the Donetsk BCP. The convoy consisted of seven vehicles: one escort car and six cargo trucks. One truck was civilian and five trucks belonged to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES). All six cargo trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian aid from the Russian Federation” (in Russian). At 06:34, 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.

Three Ukrainian border guards and two customs officers were observed accompanying their Russian counter parts; they also performed a visual observation of the vehicles from the outside (without entering the trucks’ cargo space). By 06:46, all seven vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 14:50, 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 customs 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 14:54, all seven vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation.

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