:quality(75)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/elcomercio/QQ2DO2DDVZBRVN5LFQWTV4MXJM.jpg "Lavrov rejects UN aid for evacuations")
the minister Russian Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrovseems to have dismissed the need for the United Nations to help secure humanitarian corridors out of the besieged cities of Ukrainewhich represents an uncompromising stance manifested a day after the UN chief toured the city of kyiv to achieve the same goal.
When an interviewer from the Saudi television station Al-Arabiya attempted to ask Lavrov on the proposals of the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, in relation to humanitarian assistance and the evacuation of civilians, Lavrov interrupted him.
Look: Russia confirms attack on kyiv in full visit of the UN Secretary General
“There’s no need. I know, I know”said a Lavrov irritated. “There is no need for anyone to provide help to open humanitarian corridors. There is only one problem…humanitarian corridors are being ignored by Ukrainian ultra-nationalists.”
“We appreciate the interest of the general secretary to be of help”he added. “(We have) explained … what is the mechanism for them to monitor how the humanitarian corridors are advertised.”
During the Interview, Lavrov he also accused the West of sabotaging peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
He said talks in Istanbul last month had made progress on Russian land claims and security guarantees until Ukrainian diplomats backed down at Western urging.
“We are stuck because of his desire to play all the time”Lavrov said. “Because of the instructions they receive from Washington, from London, from some other capitals, not to speed up the negotiations.”
Asked about the risk of the war spilling over into neighboring Moldova after a series of explosions rocked a breakaway border region of the country, Lavrov answered that “Moldova should worry about its own future”said. “Because they are being dragged into NATO.”
____
Hundreds of people have been evacuated to Kharkiv from the nearby village of Ruska Lozava, which was under Russian occupation for more than a month.
Nearly half of the village’s residents fled by bus, shrapnel-riddled car or on foot after Russian troops retreated from heavy fighting and Ukrainian troops took full control of the village, according to the Kharkiv regional governor.
In a video released by the Azov battalion, Ukrainian soldiers are seen raising the blue and yellow national flag over the government building in the center of the village, although fighting continued on the outskirts.
Arriving in Kharkiv, less than 12 miles (20 kilometers) away, those who fled described to Associated Press reporters the harsh conditions they endured, including living in basements with little food and water and no electricity.
“We were hiding in the basement, it was horrible. The basement shook from the explosions. We screamed, cried and prayed to God,” said Ludmila Bocharnikova.
Source: Elcomercio
