This report is for the media and general public.
SUMMARY
On 18 February 2016 at 07:00hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy[1] arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 39 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guard and customs services. All of 39 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 13:50hrs on 18 February.
DETAIL
Leaving the Russian Federation
On 18 February 2016 at 07:00hrs, 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 29 cargo trucks and 10 support vehicles. All cargo trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian help from the Russian Federation’’.
At 07:03hrs 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 – one customs officer and four border guards – were present during the check. They performed visual checks of the opened trucks from the outside. By 07:40hrs all vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.
Returning to the Russian Federation
At 13:30hrs on 18 February, 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 13:50hrs all of 39 vehicles had returned and crossed back into the Russian Federation.
[1] According to the statement of the Russian Federation officials, this convoy is considered as the forty-ninth Russian Humanitarian Convoy which was sent to Ukraine. As one of these convoys did not cross through the “Donetsk” or “Gukovo” checkpoints, the Observer Mission did not record it. Hence, based on Observer Mission’s counting, this convoy is considered as a forty-eighth convoy crossed to Ukraine.
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