TSKHINVAL, June 30. /ITAR-TASS/. South Ossetia has sent humanitarian aid to refugees, who fled the conflict-torn eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, to Russia’s southern Rostov region, South Ossetia’s government official has said.

Two million roubles ($58800) have been provided from the South Ossetian president’s reserve fund to render humanitarian aid, Vice-Premier Erik Pukhayev told ITAR-TASS on Monday.

Earlier, South Ossetia recognised the independence of Luhansk and Donetsk people’s republics.

In the meantime, Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry convoy has delivered humanitarian aid to Ukrainian citizens.

The convoy of 11 trucks has left the Rescuers Training Centre in Noginsk and arrived in the Rostov region. “The convoy carried foodstuffs, medications, personal hygiene means and essentials. The total weight of humanitarian aid exceeds 90 tonnes,” the Russian Emergency Situations spokesman, Alexander Drobyshevsky said.

“At present, humanitarian aid should be sent to the population,” he said.

Ukrainian refugees in Russian regions’ temporary accommodation centres have reached 17,000, Drobyshevsky said.

“As of today 245 temporary accommodation centres have been deployed. A total of 17,010 people, including 7,239 children, are staying there,” he said.

“In addition, a total of 3,500 people have been deployed in seven mobile temporary accommodation centres,” he said.

Forced migrants are transported to other Russian regions from the Rostov region and Crimea, Drobyshevsky said.

“The Emergency Situations Ministry’s aircraft have delivered almost 3,000 people to the areas of Central, Southern and North Caucasian regions,” he said.

The ministry’s convoys have transported over 1,700 refugees to other regions. “Tonight 117 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Volgograd from the Rostov region,” Drobyshevsky said.

Last week a helicopter of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry delivered seventeen refugees to the Volgograd region. Certain refugees arrived in the Volgograd region on their own.

The Volgograd region’s migration service has registered 2,047 Ukrainian citizens: at least 400 people have asked for temporary residence. Over 239 refugees are staying now at temporary accommodation centres.

The region’s healthcare ministry has organised free medical care for refugees.