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Russian convoy with humanitarian aid for families of killed miners crosses state border

The convoy consisting of over 20 vehicles carries over 200 metric tons of humanitarian aid consisting of foodstuffs and medicine

MOSCOW, 7 March. /TASS/. The Russian Emergencies Ministry’s extra convoy with humanitarian aid for the families of miners killed in a methane blast at the Zasyadko mine as well as for residents of the Donetsk People’s Republic in eastern Ukraine has crossed the state border and is moving inside the Donetsk region, a spokesman for the ministry said.

"At the Matveyev Kurgan border crossing station the customs clearance procedures were over, all the trucks passed the customs and border control and crossed the state border," he said.

The convoy consisting of over 20 vehicles carries over 200 metric tons of humanitarian aid consisting of foodstuffs and medicine. Reporters observed the border and customs procedures.

On Wednesday morning a blast, supposedly caused by methane outburst, hit the Zasyadko mine where 230 miners were underground at the moment, leaving 33 out of them dead. Another 15 injured were hospitalized.

"This is an extraordinary convoy formed urgently upon an order from the Russian president to provide assistance to families of killed and injured miners," he said. "The convoy was formed within one-day period. Part of the humanitarian aid was delivered to the Rostov region by air transport."

The Russian Emergencies Ministry also earlier set up a team of specialists for helping the families of miners killed or injured in the blast at the Zasyadko mine in Donbass on March 4.

Alexander Sin, who heads the ministry’s delegation in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic /DPR/, said earlier: "Psychologists and doctors have been tasked to render psychological assistance to each family and to decide about medical rehabilitation and if necessary, about transportation of the injured to the Russian medical institutions.".