MOSCOW, September 13 (RIA Novosti) – An observer team from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said in a report Saturday the second Russian humanitarian aid convoy that crossed into eastern Ukraine late Friday was not inspected by Ukrainian border guards.
"The first group of 40 trucks were quickly checked by the Russian border guard and customs services. The 180 other vehicles were not inspected. All vehicles crossed into Ukraine without being inspected by Ukrainian border guard and customs officers or the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)," the OSCE claimed.
A Russian convoy of 220 vehicles entered Ukraine through the Donetsk Border Crossing Point starting at 22:20 Moscow time (18:20 GMT) and throughout the night, observers said in their report. The white-colored trucks, accompanied by 37 workshop vehicles, tow trucks and one spare tractors, entered the checkpoint in groups.
The OSCE cited the Russian Emergency Ministry as saying the convoy was carrying foodstuff and heading to Luhansk.
It was reported earlier that the first 70 trucks had crossed back into Russia as of 11:00 GMT Saturday after delivering humanitarian aid to stricken eastern Ukraine. The convoy's mission was to bring some 1,800 tons of foods, medicine, water purification equipment, power generators and other consumer goods 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.
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.
