MOSCOW, August 21 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Defense Ministry reiterated Thursday it was not using the humanitarian aid convoy as a pretext for a military incursion into Ukraine, the ministry’s press department said in a statement.
“Russian Deputy Defense Minister [Anatoly Antonov] refuted speculations by certain European states and NATO about Russia’s alleged plans of a military incursion into Ukraine ‘under the guise of a humanitarian operation’,” the ministry said in a statement to comment on the results of Antonov’s meeting with Laurent Corbaz, the Red Cross head of operations for Europe and Central Asia.
Numerous checks of the Russian humanitarian cargo failed to detect any unregistered cargo, the statement reads.
At the meeting, Antonov also “stressed the need for the conflict sides to announce a ceasefire in order to ensure the convoy’s security.”
The deputy minister praised the role of the Red Cross in organizing transportation and distribution of humanitarian assistance to the affected population of eastern Ukraine.
The sides agreed to continue contacts at the working level, the ministry added.
Earlier in the day, Laurent Corbaz expressed regrets that the Ukrainian customs service’s failure to inspect the Russian humanitarian cargo in time. The Red Cross hopes that that the convoy could start its operation Friday, according to Corbaz.
A source at the Donetsk-Izvarino border crossing said Thursday that Ukrainian customs officials started inspecting the first trucks carrying Russian humanitarian aid to eastern Ukraine.
Earlier in August, in light of the worsening humanitarian situation in Ukraine, Russia suggested sending an international humanitarian mission to eastern Ukraine under the auspices of the ICRC.
The convoy comprises 280 trucks carrying about 2,000 tons of humanitarian aid, including baby food, medication, grain, sugar, sleeping bags and other necessities. It set off from the Moscow Region on August 12 heading toward Ukraine’s conflict areas.
Over the past week western officials and media reports have made constant, but unconfirmed allegations that the humanitarian aid convoy contained weapons. The head of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen went as far as to claim the humanitarian convoy was a pretense for a military invasion.
The Russian convoy was stuck on border with Ukraine and Kiev was sending conflicting reports on whether the cargo will be allowed to proceed into eastern Ukraine. After long negotiations Kiev finally recognized the cargo as humanitarian aid.
