Spot Report by OSCE Observer Mission: 94th Russian convoy of eight vehicles crossed into Ukraine and returned through Donetsk Border Crossing Point

This report is for the media and the general public.

SUMMARY

On 19 December at 06:32 (Moscow time), the ninety-fourth[1] Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of eight vehicles were checked by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers prior to their crossing into Ukraine. All eight vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 14:51 on 19 December.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 19 December at 06:32, the Observer Mission observed the arrival of a Russian convoy at the gate of the Donetsk BCP. The convoy consisted of eight vehicles: one escort car and seven cargo trucks (one civilian, with the other six belonging to the Ministry of Emergency Situation of the Russian Federation). Out of the seven cargo trucks, only one bore the inscription “Humanitarian aid from the Russian Federation” (in Russian). At 06:32, the vehicles entered the customs control area. Once the convoy arrived, the vehicles were visually checked from the outside by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers. The truck drivers rolled up/opened the tarpaulins of the trucks and the border guards and customs officials performed a visual observation from the outside. Two dogs were present and used by Russian Federation border guards to check the vehicles from the outside. One Russian Federation border guard was videoing the convoy crossing.

Four Ukrainian border guards and two customs officers were observed accompanying their Russian counterparts; they also performed a visual observation of the vehicles from the outside (without entering the trucks’ cargo space). By 06:56, all of the vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 14:40, the convoy returned and queued in the customs area. The Russian Federation border guards and customs officers visually checked the returning convoy from the outside. Ukrainian representatives – four border guards and two customs officers – were present during this check. The Ukrainian officials also performed visual checks of the trucks from the outside. Two dogs were present and used by Russian Federation border guards to check the vehicles from the outside. By 14:51, all eight vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation.

[1]Based on the Observer Mission’s counting, this convoy is considered the ninety-fourth convoy that has crossed into Ukraine through the “Donetsk” or “Gukovo” BCPs. However, so far all these convoys crossed through the “Donetsk” BCP.