Ukraine invites Red Cross observers to the Russian region of Kursk, which is partly controlled by Kiev. They are to help civilians there. Moscow rejects this as a provocation.
Russia has warned the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross against taking part in an inspection trip to Kursk in western Russia, which is partly controlled by Ukrainian troops. “We expect that such provocative statements will not be taken into account by those addressed,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on an invitation from the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry to the organizations.
The Foreign Ministry in Kiev had previously stated that Ukrainian troops were respecting human rights and were doing everything to protect the civilian population in particular from the effects of hostilities in the Kursk region. Ukraine was asking the UN for help in providing these people with humanitarian aid. The International Red Cross should also join this mission, the ministry asked in the letter published on the agency’s website.
Ukraine has kept territory in Kursk under control since August
For two and a half years, Ukraine has been defending itself against a war of aggression ordered by Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. In the conflict, Russian troops have occupied about a fifth of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, which was annexed in 2014. In August, Kiev launched a surprise counter-offensive in the Kursk region, bringing the war to Russian soil for the first time.
The Kremlin describes this move as a provocation and a terrorist act. As long as Ukrainian troops are on Russian soil, there can be no negotiations for peace, Moscow says.
Last week, Russian troops launched their first advance to drive the Ukrainian forces out of Kursk. However, only a limited number of troops are involved in the fighting on the Russian side, as Moscow continues to use the bulk of its forces to conquer Ukrainian territories – especially in the Donbass.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
