Spot Report by the Observer Mission at the Russian checkpoints of Gukovo and Donetsk: A forty-seventh Russian convoy of 44 vehicles crossed into Ukraine and returned back through the Donetsk Border Crossing Point

This report is for the media and general public.

SUMMARY

On 24 December 2015 at 06:50hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 44 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guard and customs services. All of 44 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 16:00hrs on 24 December.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 24 December 2015 at 06:50hrs, 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 38 cargo trucks and 6 support vehicles. All but one cargo trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation’’.

At 06:50hrs the vehicles entered the customs control area and lined up in three lines. The cargo trucks were visually checked by Russian border guards and customs officers from the outside. One service dog was present on site during the convoy crossing and was used to check most of the cargo trucks from the outside. Ukrainian representatives – two customs officer and two border guards – were present during the check. They performed visual check of the opened trucks from the outside. By 07:25hrs all vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 14:25hrs on 24 December, 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. After the first five vehicles had crossed, the convoy was stopped, and for the next 20 minutes the convoy remained standing in the area between the two border crossings. OT could not determine the cause for the delay. A group of two Russian Federation border guards and two Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations members were sent to free the way. One service dog was present on site during the convoy crossing and was used to check most of the cargo trucks from the outside. By 16:00hrs all of 44 vehicles had returned and crossed back into the Russian Federation.

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[*] According to the statement of the Russian Federation officials, this convoy is considered as the forty-eight Russian Humanitarian Convoy which was sent to Ukraine. At the same time the Observer Mission did not record one of the convoys as it did not cross through the “Donetsk” and “Gukovo” checkpoints. Hence, based on Observer Mission’s counting this convoy is considered as a forty-seventh convoy crossed to Ukraine.