Statement of the Joint Coordination Headquarters for Humanitarian Response in Ukraine (May 8, 2021)

The Joint Coordination Headquarters of the Russian Federation for Humanitarian Response, in co-operation with the authorised federal executive authorities and law enforcement agencies, continues to thoroughly document numerous facts of the Kiev regime’s inhumane attitude towards its own people and the use of civilian infrastructure for military purposes:

in Kramatorsk, Donetsk People’s Republic, AFU units are stationed and firing positions are equipped in school No 20 and kindergarten No 87. At the same time, civilians from nearby houses are forcibly detained in the basements and all approaches to the buildings are mined;

in Kharkov, militants of nationalist battalions have equipped a stronghold and ammunition depot in the building of the children’s regional infectious diseases hospital No 22, with artillery mounts placed in the adjacent territory. The hospital staff and all civilians, including critically ill children, were forced to leave the medical facility under threat of physical violence;

in Slavyansk, Donetsk People’s Republic, neo-Nazi Ukrainian armed formations have mined a railway bridge of Slavyansk-Kramatorsk branch and a road bridge across Sukhoy Torets river, which they plan to blow up, accusing allegedly “advancing units of Russian troops” of doing this;

in Zaporozhye, the administration, hiding the true purpose of using citizens as “human shield”, banned the evacuation of civilians under the pretext of “security”. Any attempts by residents to leave the city in private cars and on foot are harshly suppressed by militants of the territorial defence battalions at checkpoints. Civilians who show the slightest resistance are physically abused, vehicles are seized and people are sent back on foot.

The number of daily violations by the Kiev regime of the norms and principles of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions in terms of the prohibition of placing heavy weapons in residential areas, using civilians as human shield and civilian infrastructure for military purposes, indicates the absolutely conscious use of inhumane battle tactics by Ukrainian neo-Nazis.

We recall that because of the same radical approaches of Nazi Germany towards civilians, the leadership of the world community developed and documented most of the norms and principles of international humanitarian law after the end of World War II, which are still in force today.

We call on the countries of the so-called collective West, which unconditionally support the Kiev regime, to stop “turning a blind eye” to these flagrant facts and condemn the war crimes of the Kiev authorities against their own people.

In addition, the Odessa regional administration has banned satellite TV providers broadcasting Russian and Moldovan TV channels in order to restrict the information space and deny people access to an alternative view of the situation around the special military operation. Residents of flats and private households are forced to dismantle existing satellite equipment, and anyone who fails to do so is accused of being pro-Russian without evidence, and their computers, tablets and smartphones are confiscated. Citizens are taken to an unknown destination, and their fate is not known to their relatives.

Such criminal actions by the Kiev authorities are aimed at concealing from the citizens of Ukraine the current catastrophic situation in the country, caused by the destructive policy of official Kiev, and show a complete indifference to the fate of millions of Ukrainians. 

Despite all the difficulties and obstacles posed by Kiev, over the past 24 hours, without the involvement of the Ukrainian authorities, 19,834 people, including 970 children, have been evacuated from dangerous areas of the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics and Ukraine to the Russian Federation. Since the beginning of the special military operation, a total of 1,185,971 people have been evacuated, including 206,610 children. The state border of the Russian Federation was crossed by 152,989 personal vehicles including 2,018 per day.

More than 9,500 temporary accommodation centres continue to operate in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and are fully equipped with recreational facilities and hot meals. The refugees are dealt with on an individual basis and are promptly assisted with various pressing issues relating to onward accommodation, employment assistance, places for children in kindergartens and educational institutions, and the provision of entitlements to social benefits.

Over the past day, the hotline of the Interdepartmental Coordination Headquarters of the Russian Federation for Humanitarian Response, the federal executive authorities, the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and various civil society organizations received 149 appeals from Ukrainian citizens with requests to evacuate to Russia, the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics and to areas controlled by the Russian armed forces in Zaporozhye, Nikolaev, Kharkov and Kherson regions, a total of 2,755,112 such appeals in the database from 2,135 settlements.

In addition, 75 foreign vessels from 17 countries remain blocked in 7 Ukrainian ports (Kherson, Nikolaev, Chernomorsk, Ochakov, Odessa, Yuzhniy and Mariupol). The threat of shelling and high mine danger created by official Kiev in its internal waters and territorial sea prevents vessels from safely leaving the ports and reaching the open sea.
In confirmation of this, the Russian Federation is opening daily from 08:00 to 19:00 (Moscow time) a humanitarian corridor, which is a safe lane south-west of Ukraine’s territorial sea, 80 nautical miles long and 3 nautical miles wide.

Detailed information in English and Russian on the modus operandi of the maritime humanitarian corridor is broadcast daily every 15 minutes on VHF radio on 14 and 16 international channels in English and Russian.
At the same time, the Kiev authorities continue to avoid engaging with representatives of states and ship-owning companies to resolve the issue of ensuring the safe passage of foreign vessels to the assembly area.

The danger to navigation from Ukrainian mines drifting off their anchors along the coasts of Black Sea states remains.
The Russian Federation is taking a full range of comprehensive measures to ensure the safety of civilian navigation in the waters of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

Federal executive authorities, together with the subjects of the Russian Federation, various public organizations, patriotic movements, continue to accumulate humanitarian aid.
The greatest contributors to the relief effort were:

Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters, Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation, Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography, Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, Federal Agency for Nationalities, Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation, Federal Agency for Youth Affairs;

republics of Bashkortostan, Buryatia, Karelia, Crimea, Tatarstan, Altai, Trans-Baikal, Krasnodar and Primorsky Territories, Arkhangelsk, Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Moscow, Rostov, Tula and Chelyabinsk regions and Moscow city;

Among political parties and non-profit organisations: United Russia, the People’s Front All-Russian Public Movement, the All-Russian Public Organisation of Veterans “Battle Brotherhood”, the Russian Humanitarian Mission, the Russian Union of Russian Women, the Almaz-Antey Military Defence Concern, and interregional public organisation Federation of Military Tactical Games.

More than 23,000 tonnes of basic necessities and food kits, including baby food and life-saving medicines, have been prepared at collection points.
In the liberated territories, the Russian Armed Forces and military units of the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics are creating all the necessary conditions for a peaceful and safe life, providing the population with comprehensive assistance, including unimpeded access to any humanitarian aid.

Since March 2, 18,530.6 tons of humanitarian cargo have already been delivered to Ukraine, 962 humanitarian actions have been carried out, including 2 actions in Kharkov and Kherson regions, as well as in Donetsk People’s Republic, during which 983 tons of basic necessities, medicines and food were transferred to the civilian population of the liberated areas.

On May 8, 5 humanitarian actions have been planned and are currently being carried out in Kherson region, in Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics, during which 233 tons of basic necessities, medicine and food will be distributed.

WtR

About the Author

Russian_Village

A survivor of six heart attacks and a brain tumor, a grumpy bear of a man, whom has declared Russia as his new and wonderful home. His wife is a true Russian Sweet Pea of a girl and she puts up with this bear of a guy and keeps him in line. Thank God for my Sweet Pea and Russia.