Humanitarian cooperation

Ukraine’s MFA thanks Belarus for humanitarian aid

MINSK, 12 June (BelTA) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine appreciates Belarus humanitarian assistance. The statement was made by Denis Kobzev, deputy head of the department for Belarus, Moldova and Romania and Second European Directorate General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, at a press conference on 12 June, BelTA has learned.

On behalf of the Ukrainian MFA Denis Kobzev thanked Belarus for providing the humanitarian assistance and noted that the country seeks to resolve the conflict in the east of Ukraine as soon as possible. “The humanitarian situation in the east of Ukraine, in particular, in the areas affected by hostilities, remains critical. In this difficult period, food supplies and school furniture are highly needed and well-timed. Let me on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine express great appreciation to our Belarusian counterparts, to Belarus, for the humanitarian aid for our country,” Denis Kobzev said.

First Deputy Emergencies Minister of Belarus Alexander Khudoleyev noted that this is not the first delivery of Belarusian humanitarian aid to Ukraine. “Last year we unloaded our humanitarian convoy in Kiev, but this time we are set to reach three destinations. One of them is the warehouse of Ukraine’s mission of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Kiev. Here products will be distributed into packages and handed over to people in need. We will proceed to Kharkov and then to Kramatorsk and Severodonetsk where the furniture sets and refrigerators will be distributed among people,” Alexander Khudoleyev informed. He added that the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry has great experience in this matter – it delivered humanitarian aid to various countries over 60 times.

Alexander Khudoleyev thanked the Ukrainian government for its assistance, in particular, the customs services and border guards, and Chairman of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine Nikolai Chechetkin.

BelTA reported earlier that the humanitarian aid weighing about 80 tonnes crossed the Belarusian border on 12 June. It will be delivered to Ukraine using vehicles of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry. It will be handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross, Donetsk Oblast and Lugansk Oblast for the subsequent distribution among people in need. The humanitarian aid includes basic necessities, food products, furniture sets, and refrigerators. For example, Donetsk Oblast and Lugansk Oblast each will receive 75 furniture sets (desks and chairs) for elementary school students, 150 furniture sets (desks and chairs) for high school students, 75 book cabinets and 44 Atlant refrigerators for schools and healthcare facilities.

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