14 Mar 2015 17:55

Extra aid convoy to be sent to Donbas - Russian emergencies ministry

MOSCOW. March 14 (Interfax) - The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry is putting together an extra humanitarian aid convoy for Donbas, Oleg Voronov, deputy head of the ministry's National Crisis Management Center, told reporters on Saturday.

He said the cargo was streaming into the Rostov region, the starting point of the humanitarian aid convoys, from different parts of Russia. "Cargoes are coming today from the Stavropol and Krasnodar territories, where white-painted Emergency Situations Ministry lorries are being filled with things needed to start a sowing campaign, plus construction materials to restore and repair the ruined housing," Voronov said.

The Rostov-on-Don rescue center is preparing the lorries that will travel to Donetsk and Luhansk.

The extra humanitarian aid convoy is intended to facilitate the spring sowing campaign starting in Donbas, as well as the effort to restore and rebuild the ruined housing and infrastructure in populated areas, where construction materials are in short supply.

A 50-lorry humanitarian aid convoy delivered over 250 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Donetsk and Luhansk on Friday to help organize a spring sowing campaign, to provide first necessities to the population and to maintain vital facilities. The cargo included foods, construction materials, as well as things needed to run a sowing campaign.

"The drivers are having a rest now and then they will pefect their high performance driving skills," Voronov said.