MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia’s 35th humanitarian convoy for residents of Ukraine’s southeast (Donbass) has departed for the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, a spokesperson of the Russian Emergencies Ministry said.
"At 04:00 Moscow time [01:00 GMT] the convoy headed from the Donskoy rescue center of the Emergencies Ministry toward the state border," the spokesperson said early on Friday.
The convoy consists of over 100 vehicles that are loaded with over 1,000 metric tons of aid, which includes food, medicine and items of first necessity.
At the border with Ukraine the vehicles will split into two groups, one of which will head to the southeastern region of Donetsk, while the other one will go to Lugansk.
The Donetsk and Lugansk regions have been severely affected by fighting between Ukrainian troops and Donbass independence supporters, which started in April 2014 when Kiev launched a military operation in the region. In February 2015 the two sides agreed to a ceasefire, however, sporadic fighting has continued in Donbass.
Overall, Russia has sent more than 42,000 metric tons of humanitarian aid to the region over the past year.
