Spot Report by the Observer Mission at the Russian checkpoints of Gukovo and Donetsk: Fiftieth Russian convoy of 43 vehicles crossed into Ukraine and returned through the Donetsk border crossing point
This report is for media and the general public.
SUMMARY
On 21 April 2016 at 07:29hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy [1] arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 43 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guards and customs services. All of the 43 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 15:18hrs on 21 April.
DETAIL
Leaving the Russian Federation
On 21 April 2016 at 07:29hrs, 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 convoy. The convoy consisted of 36 cargo trucks and 7 support vehicles. All but two cargo trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation”.
At 07:30hrs the vehicles entered the customs control area and lined up in three lines. The cargo trucks were visually checked from the outside by Russian border guards and customs officers. One service dog was present on site during the convoy crossing and was used to check some of the cargo trucks from the outside. Ukrainian representatives – three border guards and two customs officers – were present during the check. They performed light visual checks of the opened trucks from the outside. By 08:09hrs the vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.
Returning to the Russian Federation
At 14:51hrs on 21 April, the convoy arrived and lined up in three lines at the customs area. The tailgates and tarpaulin of the trucks were opened and Russian and Ukrainian border guards and customs officers visually checked the returning convoy from the outside. One service dog was present on site during the convoy crossing and was used to check some of the cargo trucks from the outside. By 15:18hrs all of the 43 vehicles had returned and crossed back into the Russian Federation.
[1] According to the statement of the Russian Federation officials, this convoy is considered as the fifty-first Russian Convoy which was sent to Ukraine. As one of these convoys did not cross through the “Donetsk” or “Gukovo” border crossing points, the Observer Mission did not record it. Hence, based on the Observer Mission’s counting, this convoy is considered as the fiftieth convoy crossing into Ukraine.