Kyiv: Russia did not apply for permit to deliver humanitarian aid to Donbas
KYIV. Nov 2 (Interfax) - Russia sent a humanitarian convoy to Ukraine without applying for permit, bypassing border and customs clearance procedures, without the International Committee of the Red Cross's consent and in violation of international practice, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry sees Russia's moves as "provocative," neglectful of the international rules of providing humanitarian aid and aiming to "further escalate tensions in eastern Ukraine," it said.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry also expressed protest against what it described as "crude violation of the Ukrainian state border and interference in the state' internal affairs."
Head of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry's National Center for Crises Management Oleg Voronov told journalists earlier on Sunday that the ministry had completed one more stage in the operation to deliver humanitarian aid to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
"One more stage in the operation to deliver humanitarian aid to Donetsk and Luhansk has been completed today. All lorries of the Noginsk rescue center have returned empty to the Rostov region," after going through all the required border and customs procedures, he said. The empty lorries were demonstrated to journalists.
"No incidents occurred as the convoy was traveling to and from Donbas," Voronov said. The rescuers and drivers are feeling well and the lorries are in working order, he added.
The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry's convoy split into two columns of over 50 lorries each on Sunday to deliver more than 1,000 tonnes of aid to Donetsk and Luhansk, including 500 tonnes of food, fuel, construction materials and medicines to Donetsk and the same amount to Luhansk.
On October 31, about 100 lorries delivered about 1,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Donetsk and Luhansk.
Still earlier, another batch of 6,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid had arrived in Donbas.
