Spot Report by OSCE Observer Mission: A twenty fifth Russian convoy of 50 vehicles crossed into Ukraine and returned back through the Donetsk Border Crossing Point

This report is for media and the general public.

SUMMARY

On 14 May 2015 at 06:52hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 50 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guard and customs services. All the vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 14:45hrs on 14 May.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 14 May 2015 at 06:52hrs, 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 44 cargo trucks and 6 support vehicles. All cargo trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation”.

The vehicles stopped at the customs control area, backdoors of all of the cargo trucks were opened and visually checked from outside by Russian border guards and customs officers. One service dog was used to check some of the cargo trucks. Ukrainian officers – 6 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 08:02hrs all vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine. At 09:25hrs, the last two cargo trucks arrived at the BCP. After being visually checked from the outside, both trucks crossed into Ukraine by 09:37hrs.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 14:15hrs on 14 May, 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 used to check some of the cargo trucks. By 14:45hrs on 14 May all 50 vehicles had returned and crossed back into the Russian Federation.