Spot report by OSCE Observer Mission: Russian convoy of 85 vehicles cross into Ukraine and back through Donetsk BCP

This report is for the media and general public.

SUMMARY

On 27 February 2015 at 07:24hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 85 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guard and customs services. All the vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation (RF) by 18:14hrs on 27 February.

***

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 27 February 2015 at 07:24hrs, the Observer Mission (OM) 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 crossing. The convoy consisted of 56 cargo trucks, 21 fuel trucks, 4 escort vehicles, 1 towing truck and 3 support vehicles. All trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation”. On the dashboards of a few cargo trucks the OM observed flags of the so-called “Novorossiya”, “LPR” or “DPR”.

The vehicles stopped at the customs control area in three lines, backdoors of the cargo trucks were opened and visually checked by Russian border guards and customs officers from outside. The Russian border guards used a dog to check most of the cargo trucks. Ukrainian officers – 6 border guards and 3 customs officers – were present on site and divided in three teams on each of the aforementioned lines. They performed visual observation of the opened trucks from the outside. By 08:52hrs all vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 17:20hrs on 27 February, the convoy arrived and lined up at the customs area. The backdoors of the trucks were open and both Russian and Ukrainian officers checked the returning convoy. By 18:14hrs all 85 vehicles had returned and crossed back into the RF.