Spot Report by OSCE Observer Mission: A twenty-first Russian convoy of 82 vehicles crossed into Ukraine and returned back through Donetsk Border Crossing Point

This report is for media and the general public.

SUMMARY

On 26 March 2015 at 07:20hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 82 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guard and customs services. All the vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 17:20hrs on 26 March.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 26 March 2015 at 07:20hrs, 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 71 cargo trucks, 4 fuel trucks and 7 support vehicles. All but one cargo trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation”. One truck had inscription on the front of the truck “Crimean Search and Rescue Team of the Russian Federation Ministry of Emergency Situations.”

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. The Russian border guards used three 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 16:28hrs on 26 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. Two service dogs were used to check the cargo trucks from outside. By 17:20hrs on 26 March all 82 vehicles had returned and crossed back into the Russian Federation.