Spot Report by OSCE Observer Mission: A twenty seventh Russian convoy of 50 vehicles crossed into Ukraine and returned back through the Donetsk Border Crossing Point

SUMMARY

On 28 May 2015 at 07:00hrs (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 15:10hrs on 28 May.

***

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 28 May 2015 at 07:00hrs, 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 44 cargo trucks and 6 support vehicles. All cargo trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation”.

The vehicles stopped at the customs control area and lined up in three lines, backdoors and/or tarpaulins of all of the cargo trucks were opened and visually checked from outside by Russian border guards and customs officers. One service dog was used by Russian border guard to check most of the cargo trucks. Ukrainian officers – 8 border guards and 1 customs officer were present during the check. They performed visual observation of the opened trucks from the outside together with Russian border guards. By 07:40hrs all vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 14:25 hrs on 28 May, the convoy arrived and lined up at the customs area .The backdoors of the trucks were opened and both Russian and Ukrainian border guards and customs officers visually checked the returning convoy. One service dog was used to check some of the cargo trucks. By 15:10hrs on 28 May all 50 vehicles had returned and crossed back into the Russian Federation.

***