MOSCOW, July 31 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is relying on China’s assistance in organizing a humanitarian mission in eastern Ukraine, Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov said during talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
“We proposed organizing an international humanitarian mission to aid the civilian population of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, and hope to bring together the UN, OSCE, International Committee of the Red Cross, International Organization for Migration, and rely on the assistance of our Chinese partners,” Lavrov said.
He added that Russia was grateful to China for its proposal of humanitarian aid for refugees from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
“I would like to express our gratefulness to the Chinese authorities and people for the proposed humanitarian aid to the refugees from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, who are currently in Russia. This friendly gesture will help to finally bring the attention of the international community to this humanitarian tragedy in the east of Ukraine,” he said.
Since mid-April Ukrainian authorities have been carrying out a military operation in the country’s east against independence supporters opposed to the February government coup and the new authorities.
Moscow has condemned the operation that has resulted in numerous casualties, including among the civilian population.
