Russia Sends 58th Humanitarian Aid Convoy to Ukraine’s Southeast

Russia’s 58th humanitarian aid convoy for residents of Ukraine’s southeast (Donbass) has departed for the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, a spokesperson of the Russian Emergencies Ministry said in the early hours of Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – According to the spokesperson, the convoy consists of over 40 vehicles that are carrying more than 400 metric tons (tonnes) of aid, such as food, medicine, building materials and school supplies. On their way to Donbas, the vehicles will split into two groups — one will head to the Donetsk region of Ukraine, while the other one will go to Luhansk.

"The convoy of the Russian Emergencies Ministry with humanitarian aid for Donbas has headed out in the direction of the Russian-Ukrainian border from the Donskoy rescue center of the Emergencies Ministry in the Rostov region," the spokesperson said.

Ukraine’s southeastern regions have 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.

Russia has sent over 65,000 tonnes of life-saving humanitarian aid to Donbas since August 2014.

Russian Deputy Emergencies Minister Vladimir Artamonov said earlier this month that Russia would continue providing monthly humanitarian assistance to southeastern Ukraine in 2017.