The first convoy in 2017 sets off for Donbas

On January 12 in the morning, Rinat Akhmetov Humanitarian Center sent its first humanitarian convoy in 2017 to Donbas. The aid is aimed at civilian population of non-government-controlled areas. This is the convoy #282 over 2.5 years of the Center's operation. This humanitarian aid saved the lives of more than one million people.

20 heavy-duty trucks, carrying 400 tons of food, left the Center's distribution point in Dnipro. The convoy is escorted by journalists, who were present at loading and sealing process in the morning.

It is planned that during daylight hours the convoy goes through customs inspection at Novotroitske checkpoint with the full package of required documents. All products in the trucks went through quality control and meet all the requirements for humanitarian aid. When the cargo is in Donetsk, it will be used to form 42,000 adult and children food packages.

"Rinat Akhmetov made numerous statements that Donbas residents will be provided with assistance as long as they need it. Unfortunately, the war is continuing and hundreds of thousands of the elderly, children and disabled people are staying in the conflict area. This aid remains the main means of survival for civilian population of Donbas", - Oleksandr Vyshniakov, Director of Rinat Akhmetov Humanitarian Center, said.

According to the data of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) promulgated in December 2016, 3.8 million residents of Ukraine need humanitarian assistance.