Spot Report by OSCE Observer Mission: A twentieth Russian convoy of 81 vehicles crossed into Ukraine and returned back through the Donetsk Border Crossing Point

This report is for media and the general public.

SUMMARY

On 19 March 2015 at 07:10hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 81 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guard and customs services. All the vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 16:07hrs on 19 March.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 19 March 2015 at 07:10hrs, 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 55 cargo trucks, 20 fuel trucks, 2 escort vehicles and 4 support vehicles. All the cargo trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation”. On the dashboards of a few cargo trucks the OM observed flags of the Russian Federation and the so-called “Luhansk People’s Republic” and “Donetsk People’s Republic.”

The vehicles stopped at the customs control area in three lines, backdoors of all of the cargo trucks were opened and visually checked by Russian border guards and customs officers from outside using flashlights. The Russian border guards used two service dogs to check most of the cargo trucks. Ukrainian officers – 6 border guards and 3 customs officers – were present on site during the check. They performed visual observation of the opened trucks from the outside. By 08:20hrs all vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 15:28hrs on 19 March, the convoy arrived and lined up at the customs area. The backdoors of the trucks were open and both Russian and Ukrainian border guards and customs officers visually checked the returning convoy. Three service dogs were used to check the cargo trucks from outside. By 16:07hrs on 19 March all 81 vehicles had returned and crossed back into the Russian Federation.