By Vestnik Kavkaza
The deputy Defense Minister of Russia, Anatoly Antonov, denied rumors about a military invasion by Russia of Ukraine under cover of a humanitarian operation. “Many inspections of automobiles with humanitarian aid showed that no unregistered cargos were carried by the convoy, and there will be no military escort of the aid on Ukrainian territory,” Antonov stated at a meeting with the head of business activity of the Red Cross International Committee in Europe and Central Asia, Laurent Corba.
“Employees of ICRC visited Lugansk yesterday. They went there to evaluate the humanitarian situation and prepare acceptance of the road-train with humanitarian aid from Russia and Ukraine. The humanitarian situation is very difficult there. It turned out that there is no water, electricity power or food supplies in the city; people are cut off from important infrastructures. People are afraid of leaving their houses, as firing can start at any moment. Residential areas are being shelled. It threatens the lives of civilians,” Laurent Corba says. “People in Lugansk and other regions which are touched by the conflict need food, medicines, and reconstruction of communication with separated relatives.”
Corba urges speeding up providing the humanitarian aid and eliminate all obstacles in its way: “The ICRC has taken all necessary administrative measures to provide passing of the Russian road-train. The ICRC sends its employees to get permissions from the state authorities to deliver the cargo as soon as possible. Yesterday the ICRC confirmed its readiness to deliver the humanitarian aid to Lugansk. Its employees are ready to convoy trucks with aid to Lugansk and other regions where humanitarian aid is demanded. The ICRC is sorry that customs examinations were postponed due to a fault of the Ukrainian side. I hope that soon the obstacle will be eliminated and the road-convoy will reach Lugansk. The customs procedures have already been started, and we hope tomorrow the aid will begin to move.”
