Interfax: Lavrov says Russia cooperates with Ukrainian militia to provide aid to civilians

(Interfax – June 11, 2014) The Kiev authorities have officially refused Russia the right to provide humanitarian aid to those who need it in southeast Ukraine, therefore it is necessary to do this through local militia, privately-owned Russian news agency Interfax reported on 11 June, quoting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

“We are trying to provide humanitarian aid to those who have not yet left the combat zone. We have sent an official request to the authorities at the end of May for permission to deliver such aid. We have been refused this by an official note, therefore we are providing aid by those means which we have with the aid of militia, who are concerned about the way their wives, children, fathers and mothers bear this burden,” Interfax quoted Lavrov as saying at a meeting with the secretary-general of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe), Lamberto Zannier.