Russia Sends 51st Humanitarian Aid Convoy to Ukraine’s Southeast

The Russian Emergencies Ministry informed that 51st humanitarian aid convoy for residents of Ukraine’s crisis-hit southeast has departed for the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia’s 51st humanitarian aid convoy for residents of Ukraine’s crisis-hit southeast has departed for the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, the Russian Emergencies Ministry informed early on Thursday.

"Over 100 vehicles departed from the Donskoy rescue center of the Emergencies Ministry in the [Russian] Rostov region in the direction of the Russian-Ukrainian border. They are carrying about 1,200 tonnes [metric tons] of humanitarian cargo for residents of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions," a ministry spokesperson told RIA Novosti.

The aid includes food, medicine, firefighting equipment and books.

Ukraine’s southeast (Donbass) has been severely affected by Kiev’s special military operation, launched in Donetsk and Lugansk regions in April 2014. The operation was a response to local residents' refusal to recognize the new coup-installed government in the country.

Overall, Russia has delivered more than 60,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Ukraine’s southeast since August 2014.