Russian diplomats, UN reps discuss humanitarian aspects of Ukraine situation - Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. March 9 (Interfax) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin received a UN delegation led by the director of the emergency relief coordination division of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Ramesh Rajasingham, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated on Wednesday.

The two sides "held an extensive discussion of humanitarian aspects of the situation in Ukraine and in the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics. The Russian side noted the importance of providing safety for the civilian population, including by fulfilling the agreement to organize humanitarian corridors for civilian evacuation of Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv, Sumy and other cities," the statement said.

The meeting took place further to the March 4 telephone conversation between Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

On February 24 Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of a "special military operation" in Ukraine.