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13Sep14

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Second batch of Russian humanitarian aid arrives in Ukraine's Lugansk

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Around 100 Russian trucks carrying a second batch of humanitarian aid arrived in Ukraine's eastern city of Lugansk and were being unloaded there, Russian media reported on Saturday.

The trucks were loaded with sugar, cereals, warm clothes, medicines and all kinds of necessities for residents.

Deputy Emergency Situations Minister Vladimir Stepanov said on Thursday that the convoy delivered about 2,000 tons of aid supplies.

An official of Russia's Southern Customs Department said earlier Saturday that all the trucks would enter Ukraine at the Donetsk border checkpoint after customs clearance were performed by Russian officers and monitored by their Ukrainian colleagues.

The official added that they have finished customs clearance procedures for the whole convoy early Saturday morning, as all the 250 trucks were heading for Lugansk and due to arrive in the city by Saturday.

Local militia escorted the convoy and no representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) accompanied the second convoy, according to the Itar-Tass news agency.

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in late August that the Russian convoy should undergo border inspection before being allowed to enter Ukraine, while the ICRC should supervise and distribute the aid supplies.

Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said on Sept. 4 that Russia was ready to send a second batch of humanitarian aid to Ukraine pending Kiev's permission. The first convoy entered Ukraine's eastern Lugansk region on Aug. 22.

Russia has always condemned Ukraine for its deliberate delaying of the aid delivery, while Kiev and some Western countries have been objected to Russia's delivery of humanitarian aid for fear that Russia "might take the opportunity to invade Ukraine."

[Source: Xinhua, Moscow, 13Sep14]

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This document has been published on 16Sep14 by the Equipo Nizkor and Derechos Human Rights. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.