A senior Russian diplomat today blamed Ukrainian authorities for a humanitarian catastrophe in the city of Kharkov, accusing the Ukrainian army of blocking humanitarian corridors and claiming that a far-right militia had been set up in a school.
He did not provide evidence of his allegations, which were dismissed by the Kharkiv mayor as “distortions”.
The city of about 1.5 million people, located 25 km from the Russian border, has been pounded by the Russian air force and rocket attacks since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, leaving some neighborhoods in ruins.
Russia denies targeting civilians and has dismissed as “false” the emerging evidence of civilian killings in the city of Bucha near Kyiv, which has been recaptured by Ukrainian forces.
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry announced yesterday that Russia was preparing to launch a new offensive in eastern Ukraine to try to occupy Kharkov, the country’s second largest city, and encircle the heavily fortified eastern front.
Alexander Alimov, Russia’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, made the remarks at a UN event after the mayor of Kharkov described the devastating damage to the city.
Many of the other mayors who attended the forum resigned during Alimov’s speech.
“Due to the criminal policy of the Kiev authorities, a real humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in the city,” Alimov said. “Kharkiv residents are being held hostage by extremists and cannot escape through humanitarian corridors,” he said, adding that 6,500 foreign nationals from 19 countries were among the “hostages”.
In the same speech, he said that the far-right Azov Battalion was stationed in a school in Kharkov and that the citizens were deprived of hospital treatment, which is received by soldiers. Alimov also claimed that the Ukrainian army had deployed heavy military equipment in residential areas.
“I am surprised by what I have heard because these events that have just been reported are distortions,” said Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
Earlier in the day, Terekhov said 1,600 buildings in Kharkov had been destroyed by Russian weapons, including dozens of schools, kindergartens and hospitals.
Nearly 30% of the residents have left the city while others are forced to curl up in the rubble of their homes, the mayor said.
“Every day we discover new levels of destruction. Believe me, you can not see this damage without tears in your eyes and deep pain in your heart,” he added.
SOURCE: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ
Source: Capital
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