Russia sends more humanitarian aid to east Ukraine
November 4, 2014, 7:24 am

File photo of people going through a border point with Russia in Izvarino, 55 km north from Lugansk, Ukraine, on June 26, 2014 [Xinhua]

Ten trucks of the humanitarian convoy carrying food, fuel and medicines are heading to Donetsk, Russian agency Ria Novosti quoted an official at the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations on Tuesday morning.

The “targeted deliveries” ahead of the onset of winter have been requested by Donetsk and Luhansk authorities, Oleg Voronov said.

“As planned, the EMERCOM of Russia is sending humanitarian help on a request from the leadership of Donetsk and Luhansk. Today we will be carrying out targeted deliveries of medicine to healthcare institutions and fuel to life sustaining services in the region, including fire departments and emergency services, ambulances and housing authorities,” said Voronov.

Thousands of people are believed to be short of water, electricity and medical aid due to the fighting in Eastern Ukraine.

Western countries have warned that Russia is using humanitarian help as a pretext for an alleged “invasion”.

Russian authorities have said Moscow would indeed send help to largely Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine.

Russia has opposed a UN Security Council statement to condemn Sunday’s presidential and parliamentary elections in eastern Ukraine which it said was “inadequate”, a spokesperson for the Russian mission to the UN said on Monday.

Separatist leaders had emerged victorious in both Donetsk and Luhansk elections held over the weekend, slammed by the Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko as an “electoral farce”.

More than 4,000 people have been killed in the conflict that erupted after the violent overthrow of Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovich last February.

TBP