Russia supplies cargo for military purposes to Donbas – U.S. rep to OSCE

Russia, under the guise of so-called "humanitarian aid convoys," supplies cargo for military purposes to the areas in Donbas beyond Kyiv's control, Charge d'Affaires, a.i. at the U.S. Mission to the OSCE Harry Kamian has said.

"On May 24, Ambassador Varga, your Mission observed the 75th white-truck convoy illegally entering Ukraine from the Russian Federation. OSCE Observers at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point counted ten trucks, eight of which bore the inscription 'Humanitarian Help from the Russian Federation.' Just across the border, monitors of the SMM saw the convoy enter from the Russian Federation. Though the trucks had only driven 500 meters, one additional unmarked white truck had somehow joined the convoy. That truck, of course, would not have undergone even the most superficial visual observation from the Ukrainian Border Guards stationed at the Donetsk Crossing Point in Russia. Perhaps that is why Russia-led forces ordered the SMM to move back 500 meters as the convoy drove into Ukraine," Kamian told the OSCE leadership in an address, the text of which was posted on the website of the U.S. Mission to the OSCE.

According to him, observers have no idea what is actually inside these supposed humanitarian aid convoys, because Russia will not let the Observer Mission or the SMM inspect them or watch them unload.

"We do know, however, that these so-called aid trucks did not unload at any hospital, school, NGO, or UN warehouse. Rather, they were unloaded at a compound the SMM reported as used by Russia-led forces. Armed men in military uniforms guarded its perimeter and prevented the SMM monitors from seeing the cargo or speaking with anyone on site," Kamian said.

According to him, if Russia were truly delivering humanitarian aid, why would its forces go to such great lengths to bar international observers at the border and within Russia-controlled areas of Ukraine from seeing the contents of its cargo.

"These convoys show that Russia is interested in the appearance of aiding local communities, while its actions leave little doubt that the white-truck convoys simply mask the movement of supplies and material for military purposes," Kamian said.