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1st article to provide some clarity on what's up: "Ukraine, Red Cross to lead humanitarian effort to Luhansk Oblast" http://t.co/M9ReaBnzU9
— toomas hendrik ilves (@IlvesToomas) August 11, 2014
So the Red Cross has finally commented on the humanitarian mission it is supposed to be leading in eastern Ukraine (from RFE/RL's news desk):
Laurent Corbaz, the head of Red Cross operations for Europe and Central Asia, said in a statement today that all sides must guarantee the security of Red Cross workers because the organization will not take part in any aid delivery mission that involves military escorts.
Corbaz also said it needs to receive "without undue delay" from Russia "all necessary details concerning the aid, including the volume and type of items, and requirements for transport and storage.
Full ICRC statement on humanitarian convoy: pic.twitter.com/hFE8uh7LRg
— Luke Johnson (@johnson) August 11, 2014
Here's some dramatic footage courtesy of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service showing pro-Kyiv paramilitaries engaged in heavy fighting with pro-separatist rebels near Donetsk on August 10.
So US, EU, #Russia and #Ukraine agreed to an international humanitarian aid convoy for #Lugansk. No soldiers. Just goodwill and trust. Hmm.
— Maxim Tucker (@MaxRTucker) August 11, 2014
MFA: aid from #Ukraine, US, EU, Russia will be delivered to #Lugansk reg, logistics organized by ICRC&UA http://t.co/H8fgh8T04q
— Olga Tokariuk (@olgatokariuk) August 11, 2014
RFE/RL's news desk has issued another update on the situation regarding the possible delivery of aid to eastern Ukraine which appears to have Western backing -- at least in principle:
The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin has told European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso that Moscow is sending a "humanitarian" convoy into Ukraine with supervision by the International Red Cross.
Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko says he has agreed to an international humanitarian mission that includes cooperation from the European Union, Germany, Russia, and others – and that is led by the Red Cross.
Poroshenko said that mission has the blessings of Russia and the United States.
But he said any humanitarian mission must be "an international one without any military escort” by Russian forces.
Barroso had warned Putin against any unilateral military action in Ukraine under any pretext, including humanitarian.
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said earlier today that he saw a "high probability" of Russia intervening militarily in Ukraine "under the guise of a humanitarian operation."
(Reuters, AP, AFP, dpa, ITAR-TASS, Interfax)
Surely not true that @ICRC is declining to comment on #Putin's announcement of joint Red Cross /#Russia 'humanitarian' mission in #Ukraine?
— Maxim Tucker (@MaxRTucker) August 11, 2014
Source in Poroshenko administration: No Russian convoy. Will be aid for Luhansk through int'l components. Russia included, but no soldiers.
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) August 11, 2014