MOSCOW, August 19 (RIA Novosti) – Russia and southeastern Ukraine independence supporters have fulfilled their objectives concerning the safety of the humanitarian convoy and Moscow hopes that Kiev is not trying to deliberately disrupt the aid mission, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer have discussed the humanitarian aid in a phone conversation.
“Maurer said that the Russian side and the [eastern Ukrainian] militia have fulfilled obligations concerning the safety for the humanitarian convoy and for ICRC personnel assisting in this effort. At the same time, the Ukrainian side failed to provide the required guarantees for the convoy’s safe passage and subsequent aid distribution,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“Lavrov and Maurer stated that it the remaining security issues need to be solved with the Ukrainian side as soon as possible. Lavrov expressed hope that Kiev’s worrisome procrastination in guaranteeing security is not a part of Kiev’s attempt to disrupt this most important humanitarian campaign,” the statement reads.
Earlier in August, Russia proposed sending an international humanitarian mission to eastern Ukraine with Russian humanitarian aid under the auspices of the ICRC.
On August 12, 280 trucks of the humanitarian convoy carrying about 2,000 tons of humanitarian aid set off from Moscow Region to the troubled regions in Ukraine. The aid included 400 tons of grain, 100 tons of sugar, 62 tons of baby food, 54 tons of medication, 12,000 sleeping bags and 69 mobile electrical generators.
All 280 trucks of the convoy are subject to several inspections in order to determine whether they contain any substances aside from humanitarian aid.
