Russia has been pressuring Ukraine to admit a fleet of trucks from Russia that are supposedly carrying humanitarian aid for the regions of Ukraine that are locked in armed conflict. NATO and the Ukrainian government have raised the suggestion that it is a ruse to provide military supplies the the Russian backed separatists or even cover for a Russian military invasion. Yesterday it appeared that the convoy might be allowed to enter Ukraine under the sponsorship of the International Red Cross. Now that arrangement has fallen apart.
Russian aid convoy 'will not be admitted into Ukraine' Ukrainian spokesman says convoy not certified by Red Cross, raising fears that Russia could use initiative to send in troops
A Ukrainian security spokesman has said that a humanitarian convoy Russia has dispatched to eastern Ukraine will not be admitted into the country.
Andriy Lysenko, a spokesman for Ukraine's national security and defence council, said the convoy had not been certified by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
A convoy of 280 Russian trucks headed for Ukraine early on Tuesday, a day after agreement was reached on an international humanitarian relief mission.
But the ICRC, which was due to coordinate the operation, said it had no information on what the trucks were carrying or where they were going. That has raised fears in Ukraine and the west, where leaders have voiced concerns that Russia could use the initiative as a pretext for sending troops into separatist-held territory.
An aide to the Ukrainian president, Petro Poroshenko, said Kiev would require the ICRC to reload the aid onto other transport vehicles at the border if it was to enter. "We will not allow any escort by the emergencies ministry of Russia or by the military. Everything will be under the control of the Ukrainian side," Valery Chaly said.
Thousands of people are said to be short of water, electricity and medical aid because of the fighting. The US president, Barack Obama, has said any Russian intervention without Kiev's consent would be unacceptable and violate international law.
The European commission president, José Manuel Barroso, warned on Monday "against any unilateral military actions in Ukraine, under any pretext, including humanitarian".
It is not clear how much the problems of the necessities of survival faced by the non-combatants in the combat zones are a lack of supplies and how much an inability of the Ukrainian government to deliver them as a result of combat conditions. We certainly saw the difficulties that resulted for people attempting to deal with the civilian airline crash.
Lets face it. When it comes to humanitarian aid, Vladimir Putin is not Mother Theresa.