Spot Report by OSCE Observer Mission: A thirty-sixth Russian convoy of 39 vehicles crossed into Ukraine and returned back through the Donetsk Border Crossing Point

Please note that this report is for media and the general public.

SUMMARY

On 27 August 2015 at 07:10hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 39 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guard and customs services. All the vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 15:04hrs on 27 August.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 27 August 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 32 cargo trucks and 7 support vehicles. All cargo trucks except one (refrigerated truck) displayed the Russian Federation national flag and bore the inscription ‘’Humanitarian help from the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation’’.

At 07:10hrs the vehicles entered the customs control area and lined up in three lines, the tailgates and tarpaulin  of some of the cargo trucks were opened and visually checked from the outside by Russian border guards and customs officers. One service dog was present in the customs area and was used to check some of the cargo trucks from outside. Ukrainian officers – two border guards and one customs officer – were present during the check. They performed superficial visual observation of some of the opened trucks from the outside. By 07:40hrs all vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 14:34hrs on 27 August, the convoy arrived and lined up in three lines at the customs area. The tailgates of the trucks were opened and Russian border guards and customs officers visually checked the returning convoy. Ukrainian officers – two border guards and two customs officers – performed superficial visual observation of the returning convoy. One service dog was present in the customs area and was used to check some of the vehicles from outside when the convoy returned. By 15:04hrs, all 39 vehicles had returned and crossed back into the Russian Federation.

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