Spot Report by the Observer Mission at the Russian checkpoints of Gukovo and Donetsk: A forty-ninth Russian convoy of 48 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 March 2016 at 06:40hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 48 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guards and customs services. All of the 48 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 18:00hrs on 24 March.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 24 March 2016 at 06:40hrs, 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 42 cargo trucks and 6 support vehicles. All cargo trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation’’.

At 06:52hrs the vehicles entered the customs control area and lined up in three lines. The cargo trucks were visually checked from the outside by Russian border guards and customs officers. One service dog was present on site during the convoy crossing and was used to check some of the cargo trucks from the outside. Ukrainian representatives – four border guards and one customs officer – were present during the check. They performed light visual checks of the opened trucks from the outside. By 07:28hrs the vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine. At 08:17hrs five more trucks, four cargo trucks and one support vehicle, arrived at the BCP. These trucks were visually checked from the outside by Russian border guards and customs officers. Two Ukrainian border guards were present during the check of these five vehicles. By 08:25hrs the five vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 17:26hrs on 24 March, 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. One service dog was present on site during the convoy crossing and was used to check some of the cargo trucks from the outside. By 18:00hrs all of the 48 vehicles had returned and crossed back into the Russian Federation.

NOTE: According to the statement of the Russian Federation officials, this convoy is considered as the fiftieth Russian Convoy which was sent to Ukraine. As one of these convoys did not cross through the “Donetsk” or “Gukovo” border crossing points, the Observer Mission did not record it. Hence, based on the Observer Mission’s counting, this convoy is considered as a forty-ninth convoy crossed to Ukraine.