Updated 1:54 p.m. Moscow Time
LUHANSK, September 13 (RIA Novosti) – All trucks of Russia’s second convoy carrying humanitarian aid for devastated areas of eastern Ukraine have arrived to Luhansk, they are being unloaded, a convoy representative told RIA Novosti.
"All Kamaz [trucks] are in Luhansk now, they are being organized in groups for going back. Each group will consist of 25-40 vehicles,” the representative said.
The trucks will leave the city as soon as they unloaded with the first group expected to return to Russia around 10:00 GMT, the source added.
It is expected that all Russian vehicles will be unloaded by 7 p.m. Moscow time (3:00 GMT), according to RIA Novosti reporter.
All 200 Russian trucks with humanitarian aid crossed the border and moved into Ukrainian territory on Saturday morning. Along the route of the convoy, the members of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic defense forces were ensuring safety of the Russian convoy. The trucks were also escorted by road police vehicles.
The first group of 70 trucks entered the town at 3:20 GMT. The trucks took 30 minutes to drive from the Russian checkpoint “Izvarino” to the unloading zone 65 kilometers (40 miles) away in Luhansk. Resident of the city took to the streets to welcome the arrival of the second Russian humanitarian aid convoy.
The convoy delivered about 2,000 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 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.
