Spot Report by OSCE Observer Mission: A Thirty-first Russian convoy of 50 vehicles crossed into Ukraine and returned back through the Donetsk Border Crossing Point
SUMMARY
On 16 July 2015 at 07:05 hrs (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 14:40 hrs on 16 July.
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DETAIL
Leaving the Russian Federation
On 16 July 2015 at 06:50hrs, 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 43 cargo trucks and 7 support vehicles. All the 43 cargo trucks displayed the Russian national flag and bore the inscription “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation”.
All the vehicles stopped at the customs control area and lined up in three lines, the backdoors of all of the cargo trucks were opened and visually checked from outside by Russian border guards and customs officers. Three service dogs were used by Russian border guards to check most of the cargo trucks. Ukrainian officers –three border guards and one customs officer –were present during the check. They performed visual observation of the opened trucks from the outside together with the Russian border guards. By 07:50 hrs all vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.
Returning to the Russian Federation
At 14:00 hrs on 16 July, the convoy arrived and lined up at the customs area. The backdoors of the trucks were opened and Russian border guards and customs officers visually checked the returning convoy. Ukrainian officers –three border guards and one customs officer –visually checked the returning convoy. One service dog was used to check some of the cargo trucks. By 14:40 hrs, all 50 vehicles had returned and crossed back into the Russian Federation.