Spot Report by OSCE Observer Mission: A twenty fourth Russian convoy of 62 vehicles crossed into Ukraine and returned back through the Donetsk Border Crossing Point

This report is for media and the general public.

SUMMARY

On 23 April 2015 at 07:25hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 62 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guard and customs services. All the vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 18:40hrs on 23 April.

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DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 23 April 2015 at 07:25hrs, 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’s movement. The convoy consisted of 54 cargo trucks and 8 support vehicles. All cargo trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation”. On the dashboards of a few cargo trucks the OM observed flags of the Russian Federation.

The vehicles stopped at the customs control area in three lines, backdoors of all of the cargo trucks were opened and visually checked by Russian border guards and customs officers from outside. One service dog was used to check some of the cargo trucks. Ukrainian officers – 8 border guards and 1 customs officer – were present on site during the check. They performed visual observation of the opened trucks from the outside. By 08:25hrs all vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 17:43hrs on 23 April, the convoy arrived and lined up at the customs area in four lines. The backdoors of the trucks were open and both Russian and Ukrainian border guards and customs officers visually checked the returning convoy. One service dog was present on site during the convoy crossing; however, the OM did not see the dog being used to check any of the vehicles. By 18:40hrs on 23 April all 62 vehicles had returned and crossed back into the Russian Federation.