Donetsk, Dec 12 (IANS/TASS): A convoy of trucks from Russia's emergencies ministry delivered humanitarian aid to the people of Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine Friday.

"More than 50 trucks with humanitarian cargo - food products, as well as materials and equipment for social facilities - have arrived in Donetsk," said an emergencies ministry representative.

Russia’s humanitarian aid convoy for southeast Ukraine’s self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR, also collectively known as Donbas) reached the state border with Ukraine Friday morning.

The convoy comprises more than 130 trucks. About 80 trucks went to the Lugansk region and the rest to the Donetsk region. The trucks are carrying a total of more than 1,200 tonnes of cargo.

Ukrainian border guards and customs service officials, as well as representatives of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) met the convoy at the border.

This is the ninth humanitarian aid convoy from Russia to the Donbas.

The previous eight convoys have delivered more than 10,700 tonnes of humanitarian supplies to Donbas since Aug 11. Before the New Year, one more truck convoy will be sent to Donbas with 1,000 tonnes of cargo.

“The convoy will deliver food supplies, materials needed for the restoration of infrastructure and social facilities and New Year gifts and toys for children,” Russian Deputy Emergencies Minister Vladimir Stepanov had said earlier.