Russia's announcement of the intent to send a 'humanitarian convoy' to Eastern Ukraine has raised concerns of the move being a guise for a full-scale Russian invasion of the country. A Russian convoy with 280 trucks has been deployed from Moscow and is headed to Ukraine, but details as to what exactly is going to happen when they reach the Ukrainian border are unclear. Putin has issued a statement on his website that claimed that the Russian convoy would be sent in collaboration with the Red Cross. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine had agreed to 'all details.' However, Poroshenko announced on his website that he had indeed agreed to an international humanitarian mission.
The Red Cross has said there was 'agreement by all sides that the ICRC will be allowed to deliver the aid with due respect for its fundamental working principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence.' It also stipulated that all Russian humanitarian assistance would need to be handed over to the Red Cross itself. But as the convoy approaches Ukraine, it is clear that there has actually been little coordination. The Red Cross told RFE/RL that the aid convoy was not theirs and they did not know what was in it.
Russian news agencies reported that the trucks were coming from Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry, Russian bloggers quickly pointed out that the automobiles appeared to be repainted versions of green Russian military trucks. A post on a Russian social network VK.com apparently made by a Russian soldier is suspected as indication of Russia’s actual intent behind the humanitarian mission: Semen Borisov, allegedly a Russian soldier from the 1117 Anti-Air Missile Regiment, 2nd Taman Guard Motorized Division, allegedly posted photos of military trucks painted in white, the color common for peacekeeper vehicles. His account has since been deleted.
Notwithstanding these suspicions, existing evidence that Russia has provided arms and support to separatists, Kyiv is unlikely to allow an uncoordinated convoy of Russian trucks to enter the region -- even if the vehicles were carrying only aid. Valeriy Chaliy, Poroshenko's chief of staff, told news media that Ukraine was 'not considering' giving the trucks access to Ukrainian territory and a Ukrainian military spokesman said the Red Cross would need a week to determine Luhansk's needs.
Meanwhile, a Russian Foreign Ministry statement called Ukrainian concerns 'puzzling,' said the convoy would enter Ukraine at the Belgorod-Kharkiv crossing 'under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross.'
Also, the Crimea occupiers (Russian Federation) have begun to disconnect the pennisula from Ukrainian websites. More here.
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The Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) has asked residents of terrorist-seized Donetsk and Luhansk to leave the cities through the corridors arranged by Ukrainian government troops, based on information that an assault is currently being prepared. NSDC information and analytical centre spokesman Andriy Lysenko said this at a briefing in Kyiv. He again said that the Ukrainian army was not conducting and would not conduct artillery attacks against populated localities.
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| Servicemen (border guards) of Chop and Mukacheve detachments return home to Zakarpattia region, western Ukraine, from the border region with Russia that has been under intense shelling. August 11, 2014. Ukrinform. |
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