DONETSK, August 25 (RIA Novosti) – The armed forces of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) are prepared to provide safe passage for a second humanitarian convoy from Russia into eastern Ukraine, the DPR’s first deputy prime minister told RIA Novosti on Monday.
“We think it is possible for the arrival of a second column along the same scenario into Donetsk as was used for Luhansk. The DPR’s armed forces are capable and ready to provide safety for its delivery,” Alexander Karaman said.
Earlier the same day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow is interested in remaining a donor of humanitarian aid for the residents of eastern Ukraine.
Lavrov said that Russia had sent an official diplomatic note informing Ukraine of its plans to send an additional humanitarian convoy within the next few days.
Earlier in August, Russia sent a humanitarian convoy to eastern Ukraine under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The convoy included 280 trucks carrying about 2,000 tons of humanitarian aid.
The convoy arrived at the Russian-Ukrainian border on August 14 but entered Ukraine only a week later, as Kiev had been postponing its final approval for the trucks to pass through. The convoy eventually managed to deliver the humanitarian aid to the troubled regions of Ukraine, with all trucks arriving back to Russia by August 23.
