DONETSK BORDER CROSSING, August 23 (RIA Novosti) – More than 50 trucks from a Russian aid convoy have already returned from eastern Ukraine, RIA Novosti reporter said Saturday.
The trucks, that have delivered humanitarian aid to Ukraine’s eastern city of Luhansk, are undergoing customs procedures and entering Russia though border crossing “Donetsk” in groups of a few dozen each.
The Russian humanitarian convoy has been crossing the border with Ukraine since approximately 10 a.m. Moscow time (6:00 GMT).
On August 14, the trucks with Russian humanitarian aid had arrived at the border, but Ukraine began customs clearance only on August 21.
On Friday, Moscow accused Kiev of deliberately delaying the aid delivery. The same day, 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.
