Spot Report by OSCE Observer Mission: The Fifty-Seventh Russian Convoy of 20 vehicles crossed into Ukraine and returned through the Donetsk Border Crossing Point
This report is for media and the general public.
SUMMARY
On 22 December 2016 at 07:24 (Moscow time), the 57th [1] Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 20 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guards and customs services prior to them crossing into Ukraine. All of the 20 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 18:25 hrs on 22 December.
DETAIL
Leaving the Russian Federation
On 22 December 2016 at 07:24 hrs, the Observer Mission observed the arrival of a Russian convoy at the gate of the Donetsk BCP. Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations team coordinated and led the movements of the convoy. The convoy consisted of 15 cargo trucks and five support vehicles. All trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation”.
At 07:24 the vehicles entered the customs control area and queued in three lines. The cargo trucks were visually checked from the outside by Russian border guards and customs officers. Two service dogs were present on site during the convoy crossing and were used to check most of the cargo trucks from the outside. Ukrainian representatives – four border guards and one customs officer – were present during the check. They performed visual checks of the opened trucks from the outside and some of them were taking notes. By 07:48 the vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.
Returning to the Russian Federation
At 18:00 on 22 December, the convoy arrived and queued in two lines at the customs area. The tailgates and tarpaulins of the trucks were opened and Russian border guards and customs officers visually checked the returning convoy from the outside. Two service dogs were present on site during the convoy crossing and were used to check most of the cargo trucks from the outside. Ukrainian representatives – four border guards and one customs officer – were present during the check. They performed visual checks of the opened trucks from the outside and some of them were taking notes. By 18:25 hrs all of the 20 vehicles had returned and crossed back into the Russian Federation. Only seven out of fifteen cargo trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation”.
[1] According to the statement of the Russian Federation officials, this convoy is considered as the fifty-ninth Russian convoy which was sent to Ukraine. As two of these convoys did not cross through the “Donetsk” or “Gukovo” border crossing points, the Observer Mission did not record them. Hence, based on the Observer Mission’s counting, this convoy is considered as the 57th convoy that has crossed into Ukraine.