Russian trucks leave but Ukraine says

theyre taking military parts with them

By Annie Gowen and Karoun Demirjian August ! at "#$% &'

&art o( the Russian convoy that drove into Ukraine without permission (rom the
government in Kiev and ignited international outrage is returning to Russia) *Reuters+
KIEV A convoy of Russian aid trucks that
had entered Ukraine without permission returned to Russia on Saturday, but
Ukrainian officias continued to e!press aarm, sayin" that Russians had oaded
sophisticated miitary e#uipment onto the vehices before they eft$
%o$ Andriy &ysenko, Ukraine's miitary spokesman, said that trucks that had driven
into the territory (under the "uise of humanitarian convoys) had crossed back into
Russia on Saturday mornin" after bein" packed with Ukrainian*made e#uipment used
to produce an advanced aircraft*trackin" system, as we as ammunition for sma
arms$
Russia's defense sector, which has been hurt by European sanctions, hason" been
dependent on industries in Ukraine to provide parts for everythin" from panes to
missies$ +ut the new char"es added to tensions over the convoy$ Earier, ,estern
officias had e!pressed suspicions that the trucks were brin"in" in sma arms to
repenish the rebes' suppies, an ae"ation Russia has denied$
Russia sent the aid convoy into Ukraine without the approva of the Ukrainian
"overnment or the support of the Internationa %ommittee of the Red %ross -I%R%., a
move the Ukrainian authorities caed a (direct invasion) and a (fa"rant vioation of
internationa aw$) ,orkers on the aid trucks, which had previousy been stopped at
the border for days, distributed food and other suppies /riday evenin" to the besie"ed
city of &uhansk, part of a shrinkin" territory hed by pro*Russian rebes in the face of
an offensive by Ukrainian troops$
0he atest incidents came as 1A02 said that Ukrainian troops were comin" under
Russian artiery fire from within this country's borders /riday its stron"est
denunciation of Russia's roe to date$ 3eanwhie, 4erman %hanceor An"ea 3erke
arrived in Kiev on Saturday for taks with Ukrainian 5resident 5etro 5oroshenko$
Russian aid trucks enter Ukraine ,-./ GRA&0-1
1ikoai Sinitsyn, spokesman for the Russian federa border service in the Rostov
re"ion, said the disputed aid trucks had been unoaded and (aready returned to
Russia,) accordin" to the Russian news service Interfa!$ 0he trucks' speedy e!it from
Ukraine woud be rou"hy in keepin" with the timeine of the I%R%'s pans to have the
trucks deiver emer"ency suppies and immediatey "o back to Russia$
Russia's /orei"n 3inistry hinted Saturday that the country panned to send more
humanitarian aid$
,e confirm the intention to continue cooperation with the I%R% in efforts to provide
humanitarian assistance to the residents of southeastern Ukraine, the need for which
has by no means disappeared,) the ministry statement said$ (2ur assistance is sti in
demand$)
2n /riday, the ,hite 6ouse condemned the Russian action$
At the same time as Russian vehices vioate Ukraine's soverei"nty, Russia maintains
a si7eabe miitary force on the Ukrainian border capabe of invadin" Ukraine on very
short notice,) 1ationa Security %ounci spokeswoman %aitin 6ayden said$
U$S$ Air /orce 4en$ 5hiip 3$ +reedove, the supreme aied commander in Europe,
condemned (Russia's ie"a incursion) into Ukraine as he e!pressed concern about the
massin" of 89,999 Russian (combat*ready troops) on the border with eastern Ukraine
and the fow of Russian arms and operatives to pro*3oscow separatist forces$ 0he
unauthori7ed convoy (indicates that Russia is more interested in resuppyin"
separatists rather than supportin" oca popuations,) +reedove said in a statement$
Russia's /orei"n 3inistry maintained that it acted awfuy, sayin" Saturday that it was
(firmy "uided by internationa e"a principes of humanity and the protection of the
civiian popuation from the effects of war$)

2he move appears to have come without the approval o( Kiev3 which has
voiced suspicions that the mission is a cover (or an invasion)
Aug. 22, 20142he 4rst trucks o( a Russian convoy drive on the main road
to 5uhansk near the village o( Uralo6Kavka73 Ukraine) 8ergei Grits9A&
2n /riday, the ministry said in a statement that 3oscow had run out of patience with
(deays) and other (e!cuses) from Ukraine after a neary :9*day standoff durin" which
the trucks were stopped at the border$ It said Ukraine's eaders were deiberatey tryin"
to sow the deivery of aid to the &uhansk re"ion unti (there is no one at a to provide
hep to$)
Ukrainian officias had threatened a miitary response if the Russian convoy tried to
force its way into this country$ +ut state security chief Vaentyn 1ayvaichenko tod
;ournaists in Kiev on /riday that Ukrainian forces woud not use force a"ainst the
convoy because they want to avoid (provocations$)
3erke appeared with 5oroshenko at a press conference Saturday afternoon to ca for
a peace a"reement and to announce that 4ermany woud be "ivin" <==9 miion in aid
to rebuid the infrastructure in eastern Ukraine destroyed by months of confict and to
hep wounded sodiers$
,e need a peacefu soution, and we don't want an open border that aows weapons
to pass from Russia to Ukraine,) she said$
It was 3erke's first visit to Ukraine after the boody events earier this year, when
protesters who support the country's coser association with the European Union were
kied durin" demonstrations in Kiev's Independence S#uare, or (3aidan$) Anaysts
said her visit was intended as a show of support by Europe's most powerfu eader and
a rebuke to 5utin, whose country has important economic ties with 4ermany$
3erke had spoken to 5utin and 5oroshenko by phone on /riday to e!press her ("reat
concern) over the unescorted convoy and to press for a cease*fire, 4erman officias
said$
5utin had tod 3erke in the phone ca that (e!picit deays from the side of Kiev)
forced Russia to send the convoy across the border uniateray, accordin" to Russian
officias$ /urther deays in "ettin" hep to &uhansk residents, many of whom have no
water or eectricity, woud be (unacceptabe,) he added$
In ,ashin"ton, a 5enta"on spokesman, Rear Adm$ >ohn Kirby, stopped short of
cain" the movement an invasion but said (it strains creduity to think that this
e#uipment's not movin" across the border accompanied by Russian forces$)
Kirby caed on Russia to withdraw vehices and personne and threatened (additiona
costs and isoation) otherwise$ 0hat is a reference to potentia further economic
sanctions on Russia and dipomatic ostraci7in" of 3oscow, tactics the ,est has
appied for months with itte success$
0he I%R% said the convoy was deayed because of its concern for the safety of its
workers in rebe*hed areas$
0he vioence in &uhansk caimed the ife of &ithuania's honorary consu in that city,
3ykoa ?eenec, authorities said$ ?eenec was kidnapped and(brutay kied) by
rebes, &ithuanian's forei"n minister 0weeted on /riday, e!pressin" (deep sorrow$)
3eanwhie, Russian shein" on border stations continued overni"ht and into the eary
hours of Saturday mornin", &ysenko said$
Russian artiery support both cross*border and from within Ukraine is bein"
empoyed a"ainst the Ukrainian armed forces,) 1A02 Secretary*4enera Anders /o"h
Rasmussen said in a statement /riday, accusin" 3oscow of a (batant breach of
Russia's internationa commitments) that woud intensify the crisis$
It was the stron"est denunciation of Russia's roe in Ukraine that 1A02 has issued and
the first time the aiance has accused Russian forces of firin" artiery at the Ukrainian
army from within Ukraine$
5oroshenko had a"reed ast week to et Russian and European aid into rebe*hed
portions of the eastern re"ion of &uhansk, but ony if I%R% workers presided over the
shipments$ 0he I%R% asked for security "uarantees, which Ukraine "ave but ony for
areas under "overnment contro$
2n /riday mornin", I%R% officias tod Russia that after a ni"ht of heavy shein" in
&uhansk, they did not yet have the necessary safety "uarantees$
@emir;ian reported from 3oscow$ 3ichae +irnbaum in 3oscowA ,iiam +rani"in,
Anne 4earan and Karen @eBoun" in ,ashin"tonA Stephanie Kirchner in +erinA and
Ae! Ryabchyn in Kiev contributed to this report$
Annie Gowen is 2he &osts -ndia bureau chie( and has reported
(or the &ost throughout 8outh Asia and the 'iddle .ast)
5osted by 0havam