MOSCOW, December 22. /TASS/. Russia may send the 11th humanitarian convoy to eastern Ukraine in early January, Russian Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov told TASS on Monday.
“We are planning to work, and if needed, additional humanitarian cargos will be sent to Donbas. Most likely, this will happen in the beginning of January 2015,” Puchkov said.
The minister explained that the convoy is being formed based on the citizens’ needs and in the framework of international agreements.
“All the schedules are coordinated with the Ukrainian side, the Red Cross and the Donbas representatives. We strictly abide by all the international agreements and all the international demands,” he stressed.
On Sunday, the tenth humanitarian convoy from Russia delivered about 900 tons of humanitarian assistance to Donetsk, and more than 500 tons — to Luhansk. The humanitarian aid included foodstuffs, medicines and construction materials.
“The priority for our job is to provide assistance to people who suffer in this situation. These are families with many children, elderly people and children,” Puchkov said.
In addition, Russia delivered about 470 tons of New Year gifts — stuffed toys, Christmas trees and decorations, sweets and tangerines. All presents were packed in cardboard boxes with inscriptions saying “For children of Novorossia.” These gifts were raised in a public campaign in Russia’s Voronezh, Belgorod, Lipetsk, Saratov, Kursk and Yaroslavl regions.
Since mid-August, a total of ten Russian humanitarian convoys have delivered more than 13,000 tons of humanitarian cargoes to eastern Ukraine.