MOSCOW, July 10 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry has delivered 800 tons of humanitarian aid to refugees from southeastern Ukraine, with additional 130 tons on the way to Rostov and Volgograd regions, Russian Deputy Emergency Situations Minister Vladimir Artamonov said Thursday.
"The Russian Emergencies Ministry's aviation and automobile transport has delivered more than 800 tons of humanitarian aid. Additionally, 130 tons of humanitarian aid is being sent to Rostov and Volgograd regions," Artamonov said, speaking at the Federation Council, Russia’s upper house of parliament.
The number of Ukrainian refugees that have fled to Russia exceeds 167,000, Russian Children’s Rights Ombudsman Pavel Astakhov said Tuesday.
The number may reach 300,000 by the end of the year, according to Russia’s Regional Development Ministry.
Some 350 shelters for Ukrainians have been set up across 54 Russian regions, according to Russia’s Federal Migration Service. Russian families are offering help to those fleeing the violence and have been hosting refugees in their flats and houses.
Since mid-April, Kiev’s authorities have been conducting a special military operation in the east of Ukraine to suppress the independence movement. The violence intensified after the Luhansk and Donetsk regions declared independence from Ukraine in May. Hundreds of people, including civilians, have died in both regions in the past few months.
Moscow has described the ongoing military action as a punitive operation and called for an immediate end to the bloodshed.
