Ukraine’s Acting Permanent Representative to the UN Oleksandr Pavlychenko has said at a UN Security Council meeting held at Russia’s request that Ukraine is fulfilling in full its social obligations to the residents of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, that there is no humanitarian crisis in the country, and that the government is able to cope with the situation and is doing it.
According to a Ukrinform correspondent, Russia’s envoy to the UN Vitaly Churkin urged the meeting participants “to take urgent joint measures to provide humanitarian assistance to the population in eastern Ukraine” and insisted that Russian humanitarian aid, accompanied by Red Cross representatives, be sent to eastern Ukraine.
However, Ukraine’s representative said that “the real cause of the crisis is the activity of Russian-supported illegal armed groups.”
Pavlychenko informed the international community about the situation and about Russia continuing to shell the positions of Ukrainian military and building up its military presence on the border.
“We propose that Russia stop sending its mercenaries and weapons, inciting instability,” he said.
Russia’s proposals were rejected by all Security Council members.
Only the Chinese representative did not point to the need to disarm Russian-supported illegal armed groups, only stressing the need to “demonstrate calm and restraint, and reach a compromise.”
However, many participants in the meeting directly pointed to Russia’s actions as a source of the problem.
The meeting participants also expressed concern about the deliberate destruction of infrastructure by militants, as well as the kidnapping and murder of people in the area controlled by them.
As Ukrinform reported, Russia convened a UN Security Council meeting “due to the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.”
ap
06.08.2014 09:26
