MOSCOW, September 4 (RIA Novosti) - Almost 2,000 tons of humanitarian aid, including foodstuffs and water, are ready to be sent with the second humanitarian convoy to southeastern Ukraine, Russian Deputy Emergency Situations Minister Vladimir Artamonov said Thursday.
“Basically, the proposal to organize the second humanitarian convoy is ready. At the moment, we have 1,800 tons of humanitarian aid prepared to be sent via rail and automobiles,” he said.
Speaking about cooperating with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) he said that, “We have agreed on the joint checks of the cargo and informed the representatives of the border control of Ukraine.”
Artamonov also said that the date of the second convoy's departure depended on the Ukrainian side as the convoy can be sent only once Ukrainian authorities acknowledged the cargo as humanitarian aid.
Andrei Purgin, the deputy prime minister of the Donetsk People’s Republic, said earlier that the republic was ready to ensure safe passage for the second convoy.
The first Russian humanitarian convoy, also carrying 2,000 tons of humanitarian aid, reached eastern Ukraine on August 22, after a week of waiting at a border checkpoint due to the passage authorization complications. The first humanitarian aid delivery carried out its mission under the auspices of the ICRC.
