KIEV, August 22 (RIA Novosti) – Ukrainian border guards and customs service personnel, as well as representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have not inspected the cargo of 90 trucks of the Russian humanitarian aid convoy that has already begun moving toward the Ukrainian border, Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council spokesman Andriy Lysenko said Friday.
“We have become aware that another 90 trucks [with Russian humanitarian aid] that the Russian side didn’t allow the Ukrainian border guards and customs agents or representatives from the International Red Cross to inspect have begun moving toward the Ukrainian border,” Lysenko said during a briefing.
He added that the Ukrainian side had fulfilled all of its obligations in regard to clearing the Russian humanitarian cargo together with the ICRC.
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it seemed as if Kiev was purposefully dragging on the process of delivering Russian humanitarian aid to eastern Ukraine until a time when there was no one left to be helped.
On Thursday, Kiev said the ICRC had not provided the necessary customs clearance documents for the humanitarian convoy in Ukraine. At the same time, Moscow confirmed Wednesday that all the preparations for carrying out the humanitarian mission had been completed. The ICRC specialists that returned from Luhansk said they had received guarantees for the safe passage of the convoy.
In August amid a worsening humanitarian situation, Russia suggested sending a humanitarian aid convoy accompanied by ICRC representatives to eastern Ukraine. On August 12, a convoy of 280 trucks carrying about 2,000 tons of humanitarian aid, including 400 tons of grain, 100 tons of sugar, 54 tons of medication and other necessities, set out from near Moscow for Ukraine.
