DONETSK BORDER CROSSING, August 23 (RIA Novosti) – The first trucks from the Russian humanitarian convoy left the Ukrainian territory on Saturday morning.
Several dozens of Russian trucks left Ukraine’s border crossing “Izvarino” and are going through customs inspections at Russia’s border crossing “Donetsk,” according to RIA Novosti reporter.
On August 14, the trucks with Russian humanitarian aid arrived at the border, but Ukraine began customs clearance only on August 21.
ICRC Head of Operations for Europe and Central Asia Laurent Corbaz said Thursday he regretted that the Ukrainian customs service failed to inspect the Russian humanitarian cargo in a timely fashion, thus delaying the humanitarian mission.
On Friday, the Russian convoy crossed the border and arrived in Luhansk, the city being sieged by the Ukrainian army and struggling daily without regular food supplies, water and electricity.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry described the convoy crossing the Russian border as a violation of international norms.
Moscow reminded that Russia received a formal agreement from Kiev authorities for the passage of the humanitarian convoy through the Ukrainian border on August 12.
