Updated 3:52 p.m. Moscow Time
DONETSK, September 13 (RIA Novosti) – The first 70 trucks returned to Russia Saturday after delivering humanitarian aid to Ukraine’s eastern city of Luhansk, according to RIA Novosti reporter.
This is a part of the second Russian shipment of humanitarian relief for Ukraine, which arrived in the city earlier in the day.
The convoy, consisting of 200 trucks, delivered some 1,800 tons of foods, medicine, water purification equipment, and power generators and other consignments to Luhansk, which had been living for several weeks on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe.
The distribution of Russian humanitarian aid will start as early as Monday, according to First Deputy Premier Minister of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic Valery Potapov.
“We will start giving out [humanitarian aid to population] on Monday,” the official told RIA Novosti.
He also noted that the Luhansk authorities have designed a system of humanitarian aid distribution following the previous Russian humanitarian aid convoy.
Potapov explained that on Sunday the authorities will record the humanitarian aid items and prepare it for distribution to the people of Luhansk, adding that around 300 volunteers currently help unloading Russian trucks.
The official added that power supply could be restored in Luhansk on Sunday.
The eastern regions of Ukraine remain blocked by government troops limiting food supplies, while the infrastructure destroyed in shelling left the residents of Luhansk without electricity and drinking water.
The first convoy of 280 trucks carrying Russian humanitarian aid was sent to eastern Ukraine in late August and entered the country through a checkpoint controlled by independence forces after spending more than a week waiting at the border.
On September 5, a ceasefire agreement was reached during talks in Minsk between Ukrainian government representatives and eastern Ukraine self-proclaimed states leaders. The participants of the Minsk talks agreed to organize more humanitarian convoys from Russia to eastern Ukraine.
