"First of all, I, as an ambassador from a friendly country, would like to personally thank Russia and President Vladimir Putin for the condolences and solidarity with the people of Lebanon in this catastrophic situation. And for the urgent help that Russia has sent to Lebanon", the diplomat said, referring to five planes with medication, personnel, a mobile hospital and a coronavirus test lab.
He added the Beirut is hoping for additional support and aid from Russia, especially since the damage to the city is estimated at $15 billion.
"We hope that Russia will expand its aid and the next step of it will be construction materials, including aluminum, glass, wood, and other materials", the ambassador continued.
The Lebanese diplomat stated that Lebanon may ask Russia for a loan if it decides to consider taking out credits to tackle consequences of the explosion.
Nassar expressed Lebanon's hope that Russia will join the donor conference on Sunday, which aims to help the country mitigate the impact of the explosion.
The conference has been announced by French President Emmanuel Macron who visited Beirut on Thursday, a few days after the blast. A spokesman for the European Commission said earlier in the day that the conference would be held on Sunday in a video format.
Russia's Aid to Lebanon
The Russian Emergencies Ministry sent aid and experts to the Lebanese capital of Beirut, which was devastated by a huge explosion on Tuesday.
The ministry sent five aircraft to Beirut with an airmobile hospital, doctors, rescuers of the airmobile unit Tsentrospas and a laboratory of Rospotrebnadzor to detect COVID-19. The ministry noted that all specialists are equipped with special suits and protective equipment, taking into account the epidemiological situation.
Late on Tuesday, a powerful explosion took place at the port of Beirut, killing at least 154 people and injuring about 5,000, per the latest estimates. According to the authorities, the explosion was caused by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, confiscated by the customs services in 2014 and since stored in the port. The city has been declared a disaster site, with a state of emergency being imposed for two weeks.
