Russian Red Cross Demands Meeting With Ukrainian Colleagues to Resolve Humanitarian Issues

MOSCOW, August 26 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s Red Cross is pressing for a meeting with its Ukrainian colleagues, which are ignoring the requests, related to the distribution of Russian humanitarian aid in Ukraine’s East, the organization’s head Raisa Lukutsova said.

“Today, we have filed a request to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and insist on a meeting between Russia’s Red Cross and Ukraine’s Red Cross to resolve this issue. It is wrong and it cannot go on this way that they are turning a blind eye to our letters,” Lukutsova told RIA Novosti on Monday.

“In accordance with international law, the National Society cannot operate in another country without its permission. The Ukrainian Red Cross has not yet responded, though we have already filed two requests,” she recalled.

Also on Monday, the Russian Red Cross received a response from the International Committee of the Red Cross about the escort of the humanitarian convoy.

“The response is quite vague. They still put an emphasis that the security had not been ensured, that is why they recommended the Russian Red Cross not to take part. In accordance with the International Red Cross law, the employees have no right to escort cargoes unless their security is guaranteed,” Lukutsova elaborated.

She also confirmed that the Russian branch was ready to escort the next Russian humanitarian convoy.

“We would like to take part. We will definitely voice our intention but I am not ready to say yet what the reaction could be,” the head of the Russian Red Cross stressed.

Following a considerable delay, Russia’s convoy of 280 trucks carrying about 2,000 tons of humanitarian aid, finally crossed the Ukrainian border and reached Luhansk, currently on the verge of a humanitarian disaster.

Earlier on Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that Moscow was weighing sending another humanitarian convoy to troubled Ukrainian regions. According to the diplomat, Moscow has already sent an official diplomatic note to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry notifying it of the plans to prepare another mission.