KIEV, August 29 (RIA Novosti) – A second convoy of Russian humanitarian aid for eastern Ukraine could be delivered via railroad in 10 days, if the parties agree on all necessary procedures, UNIAN news agency reported Friday, citing the deputy head of Ukraine’s Fiscal Service, Anatoliy Makarenko.
“The Russian Foreign Ministry has filed a note with the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry to inform it about the preparation of another so-called ‘humanitarian convoy’… At Russia’s proposal, it could be [carried out by] railroad transport,” the official was quoted by UNIAN as saying.
Makarenko specified that if the railroad transfer of humanitarian cargo is sanctioned, it would pass through the Gukovo border checkpoint, about 18 miles away from the militia-controlled Izvarino checkpoint, which was used by the previous humanitarian convoy on August 22.
“We have a group there – border guards and customs officers. This group is ready to carry out customs clearance of the cargo. I do not know yet how much [cargo the convoy will carry]. … I think the freight will be delivered within the next 10 days,” Makarenko said.
The main condition for the delivery of the humanitarian cargo is compliance with Ukrainian customs procedures, added the deputy head of the fiscal service. Ukraine also insists the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) be the recipient of the aid.
Earlier this week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow is planning to deliver another convoy carrying humanitarian aid to Ukraine’s eastern regions due to the ongoing conflict there.
The first delivery of Russian humanitarian aid to eastern Ukraine reached the city of Luhansk on August 22, after a week of waiting at a border checkpoint.
