MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Russian Ministry for Emergencies has sent its 49th humanitarian aid convoy to Ukraine’s crisis-hit southeast (Donbas).
The 100-vehicle convoy is the first sent by Russia to the region this year.
"They [vehicles] are carrying over 1,000 tonnes of humanitarian cargo to residents of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including food: canned food, flour, sugar, grains, as well as school books and firefighting equipment," a ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.
Overall, Russia has delivered more than 58,000 tonnes (metric tons) of humanitarian aid to Ukraine’s southeast since August 2014.
The region has been severely affected by Kiev’s special military operation, launched in April 2014. The operation was a response to local residents' refusal to recognize the new coup-installed government in the country.
