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First 70 trucks with Russian relief aid cross border into Ukraine

First group of trucks was safely through the Izvarino checkpoint. Another group will follow shortly

IZVARINO, Russian-Ukrainian border, September 13. /ITAR-TASS/. The first group of 70 trucks from the Russian Emergencies Ministry’s convoy carrying humanitarian aid to civilians in Ukraine’s southeast crossed the Ukrainian border at midnight Moscow time and is in Krasnodon halfway to the final destination Lugansk 40 kilometres away.

A second group will follow shortly.

No officials from the International Committee of the Red Cross are accompanying the cargos.

“The ICRC had not been formally notified of the agreement between Russia and Ukraine they had settled technicalities regarding this convoy,” ICRC spokeswoman

Anastasia Isyuk has told ITAR-TASS.

Earlier, Deputy Emergencies Minister Vladimis Stepanov said the convoy was carrying two thousand tonnes of supplies: foods, water cleaning equipment, power generators and other equipment for eliminating and easing the effects of the humanitarian disaster.

A second convoy with relief supplies for the population in war-ravaged eastern regions of Ukraine was ready to leave for Ukraine three weeks ago, but Ukraine had to recognize the cargo humanitarian first.

On September 3 Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed a crisis settlement plan for Ukraine, including cessation of all hostilities by the conflicting parties in the southeast of Ukraine, the withdrawal of all armed groups and forces to a safe distance from cities and villages, international control of the ceasefire, a moratorium on the use of combat aircraft against civilians, an “all-for-all” exchange of prisoners of war, creation of humanitarian corridors and the arrival of repair teams for restoring damaged and ruined infrastructures.

Two days after the Contact Group for Ukraine met in session in Minsk with officials from Kiev, delegates from Ukraine’s south-eastern regions, the OSCE and Russia taking part to agree a peace settlement plan and produce a ceasefire agreement.

The first consignment of humanitarian supplies from Russia - nearly 2,000 tonnes of food, water, babyfood and medical supplies was delivered to Lugansk on August 22.