The first trucks from a Russian aid convoy have reached the eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk.
Russian news agency ITAR-TASS reported on September 13 that the vehicles had arrived and were unloading their cargo of sugar, cereals, food products, and other basic goods.
The trucks were the first of at least 200 vehicles in the Russian convoy that were expected to cross into Ukraine.
Reports said more than 100 trucks had cleared the Russian check point and that about 70 had already crossed into Ukraine.
ITAR-TASS also cited Anastasia Isyuk of the International Committee of the Red Cross as saying none of its officials is accompanying the convoy.
"The ICRC had not received an official notification of the agreement between Russia and Ukraine regarding the technical arrangements for this convoy," Isyuk said, and added, "Consequently, the ICRC is not involved in assistance in delivering the cargoes."
Shortages
Russian Deputy Emergency Situations Minister Vladimir Stepanov said the convoy was carrying some 2,000 tons of food, water purification equipment, electric generators, and other goods and materials.
Last month, the first Russian convoy waited on the border for several days before entering Ukrainian territory without permission from authorities in Kyiv, sparking a protest from the Ukrainian government who called it a "direct invasion."
Western countries supported Ukraine's position calling the unsanctioned intrusion of the first Russian convoy into Ukraine a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty.
Russia says aid is intended for the populations in areas in eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian separatists.
Those areas have been cut-off and have reported shortages of basic goods, including drinking water and power shortages.