Russian aid convoy crosses border into Ukraine: reports

Lorries, part of a Russian humanitarian convoy, cross the Ukrainian border at the Donets'k-Izvarino custom control checkpoint as Ukrainian refugees look at them yesterday. The first 35 vehicles in a second Russian aid convoy heading for rebel-controlled eastern Ukraine have crossed the border, Russian news agencies reported. Photo: AFP

A convoy of more than 200 trucks that Russia says is carrying humanitarian aid has crossed the border into Ukraine without permission, a senior Ukrainian Border Service official said yesterday.

Col Serhiy Astahov, assistant to the Ukrainian Border Service chief, told CNN that 217 trucks have crossed the Ukrainian border.

Ukrainian border guards and customs officer did not have access to them to check what they were carrying, he said.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, which has monitors in Ukraine, said that in total 220 vehicles -- 193 cargo trucks and 27 support vehicles -- had crossed the border overnight and into the morning.

"The first group of 40 trucks were quickly checked by the Russian border guard and customs services," an OSCE statement said.

"The 180 other vehicles were not inspected. All vehicles crossed into Ukraine without being inspected by Ukrainian border guard and customs officers or the International Committee of the Red Cross."

Russian state-run news agency Itar-Tass said the convoy had been cleared by Russian customs control staff, citing the press service of the Russian Southern Customs Department.

The news agency said 250 trucks in total were due to arrive in the eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk by the end of yesterday. It reported that the first trucks were greeted by residents waving and even crying.

Russian Deputy Emergencies Minister Vladimir Stepanov said the convoy was carrying 2,000 tons of supplies, including food, water purifying equipment and power generators.