Russia on Tuesday sent almost 300 lorries to deliver aid to civilians trapped in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian rebels have been fighting, news reports said, according to dpa. The 280 vehicles with wheat, sugar, baby food and medicines left early morning from a logistics hub outside Moscow, the Interfax news agency reported. Russian authorities said that the convoy would pass through customs in the south Russian region of Rostov, which borders Ukraine. Ukrainian officials were adamant that they would not accept an exclusively Russian humanitarian mission, but only an international one with possible Russian participation. Russia claims that the convoy was agreed with Ukraine and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
