Blocking Russian Humanitarian Aid

By Stephen Lendman
8-14-14

Russia is going all-out to deliver vitally needed humanitarian aid to beleaguered Southeastern Ukrainians.

In collusion with Washington, Kiev so far blocked it. Reasons given ring hollow.

Obama officials and their illegitimate fascist allies want war without mercy continued. They want pain and suffering increased.

They want freedom fighting democrats crushed. They want state terror intensified.

They want desperate Ukrainian civilians denied food, clean water, medicines, medical supplies, and power generators, as well as other vitally needed items to survive Kiev's lawless aggression.

Putschist prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said Ukraine can accept humanitarian aid solely from the Red Cross.

He lied claiming Kiev is "delivering first necessity items to all the liberated areas."

"We, as the Ukrainian state, have ensured and are capable of enduring supplies for our citizens," he said.

False! Kiev is going all-out in collusion with Washington to create a humanitarian disaster in Southeastern Ukraine.

On Tuesday, 280 Russian trucks left Moscow with vitally needed supplies. On Wednesday, they arrived at Ukraine's border.

Putin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said they planned to enter Ukraine at a border crossing agreed on with Kiev.

Arrangements involve the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). It requeste a detailed list of items shipped to be able to accept and distribute them to needy Ukrainians.

According to an ICRC official, Russian authorities "handed over a list of goods to the Ukrainian authorities and the International Committee of the Red Cross."

"It includes essentials, bottled water, food and power generators." It shows Moscow's good faith commitment to deliver vitally needed humanitarian aid despite Kiev's efforts to block it.

On Tuesday, Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council spokesman Andrei Lysenko said government forces would block the convoy at the border.

A week is needed to determine the need for aid to Donetsk and Lugansk, he claimed. "Only then will the delivery of aid be organized," he added.

He lied claiming Russian aid is a military operation to help beleaguered Southeastern Ukrainians.

Ukrainian deputy foreign minster Danylo Lubkivsky accused Moscow of playing a "completely cynical game."

At issue is turning truth on its head. It's blocking desperately needed aid as long as possible. It's providing more time for war without mercy.

It's maximizing pain and suffering. It's blaming Russia for Kiev's crimes. It's accusing Moscow of aggression if it crosses Ukraine's border - perhaps with or without permission.

Washington is manipulating events behind the scenes. NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen is a convenient US stooge.

He lied calling Russian military intervention "very likely." It could occur on the pretext of delivering humanitarian aid, he said.

The New York Times serves as a de facto ministry of pro-Western misinformation and propaganda. Its Ukraine coverage alone turns truth on its head.

It's been one-sided since Kiev street protests began last fall. It ignores a Washington orchestrated coup.

It refuses to admit neo-Nazis infest Ukraine's illegitimate fascist government. Truth and full disclosure are suppressed. Big Fat Lies and distortions substitute.

It regurgitates US and Kiev misinformation ad nauseam. It's shamelessly anti-Russian.

On August 14, it suggested legitimate Russian humanitarian aid may be an arms smuggling ploy. It refuses to acknowledge a US/Kiev intent to block vital aid as long as possible or altogether.

Playing politics with human lives and welfare is longstanding US policy. Kiev's putschist government is a willing co-conspirator.

Interior minister Arsen Avakov called Moscow's humanitarian aid a "provocation by a cynical aggressor." Prime minister Arseny Yatsenyuk characterized it as "boundless cynicism."

Deputy foreign minister Danylo Lubkivsky said Russia is "us(ing) the pretext of humanitarian aid and assistance, and it seems they are just running out of excuses for their aggression."

On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said arrangements to deliver aid were agreed on. They comply with Kiev's wishes in all respects.

"We have agreed on a route convenient for the Kiev authorities. We agreed that our trucks would have Ukrainian number plates during their way through Ukrainian territory," said Lavrov.

"We also agreed to take on board not only the representatives of the Red Cross and the OSCE, but also representatives of the Ukrainian authorities.”

"We have received a note with the confirmation of the Ukrainian side's readiness to receive the aid."

Kiev reneged on its pledge. Russian aid remains in limbo unless or until delivering it is possible.

Lavrov "hopes that public statements made by some Kiev authorities with the demand for new conditions will be disavowed and won't interfere with the accomplishment of the agreement reached between Russia, Ukraine and the Red Cross."

"We firmly rely on the assurances by the Ukrainian authorities. They are guaranteeing the safety of the whole convoy's movement on the territory controlled by the Ukrainian special forces."

"We expect the self-defense forces to express the same attitude toward this humanitarian action."

"I'm sure there'll be no breaches, as they are now on the territory, the residents of which require badly humanitarian assistance."

At the same time, Russia's Emergencies Ministry said Moscow, the ICRC and Kiev will jointly decide where aid will be delivered.

Kiev's National Security and Defense Council spokesman Andrey Lysenko claimed Russian aid was accompanied by a sophisticated S-300 air defense system able to down Ukrainian warplanes with great precision.

This and similar claims aim disingenuously to portray legitimate Russian humanitarian aid as aggression.

On Tuesday, deputy State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf lied. She irresponsibly called Southeastern Ukrainian crisis conditions "a direct result of Russia's intervention."

"Russia has no right to move into Ukraine unilaterally, whether under the guise of humanitarian convoys or any other pretext, without Kiev's permission," she said.

On Wednesday, she again said "nothing can happen without the express consent, permission, decisions made, by Kiev."

She ignored Washington's longstanding history of intervening lawlessly in the internal affairs of other countries.

It does so unilaterally or with rogue partners. It does it by military and/or other means. It flagrantly violates international, constitutional and US statute laws in the process.

Bombing Iraq is the latest example. So is replacing Ukraine's democratically elected government with a neo-Nazi infested fascist regime.

On August 11, CIA-controlled Washington Post editors headlined "The West must oppose Russia's 'humanitarian' invasion of Ukraine, saying:

"RUSSIA AGAIN appeared on the verge of invading Ukraine over the weekend, this time in the guise of a 'humanitarian operation.' "

"President Obama and other Western leaders sounded the alarm, warning that the prospective intervention 'is unacceptable, violates international law and will provoke additional consequences.' "

"(T)he United States and its allies must be prepared to act quickly if Russian military forces cross the frontier."

"The motive for another escalation in Russia's ongoing meddling is clear enough: not the 'humanitarian crisis' the Kremlin claims is occurring in areas held by its surrogate forces but the threat that the Ukrainian army and allied militias will win a military victory."

Fact: No evidence whatever suggests Russia intends to invade Ukraine.

Fact: Claims otherwise are bald-faced lies.

Fact: WP and other Western media scoundrels repeat them with disturbing regularity.

Fact: Russian food, water, medical supplies and other humanitarian aid is intended solely for desperate Ukrainians struggling to survive Kiev's US supported lawless aggression.

Fact: Moscow's motive in delivering it is straightforward, sincere and part of its effort to end conflict conditions peacefully and equitably.

Fact: Suggesting otherwise reflects Western/Kiev propaganda to portray genuine humanitarian efforts as aggression.

On August 13, hawkish Senator Kelly Ayotte (R. NH) lied claiming Russian forces "fire artillery on Ukrainian forces" cross border.

"Putin," he claims, "is attempting to use a so-called aid convoy to portray the Kremlin as a responsible provider of humanitarian relief."

"Putin has instigated, fueled, and perpetuated the crisis in eastern Ukraine."

"If Putin is truly concerned about the well-being of Ukrainians in Donetsk, he could end this crisis by stopping the flow of Russian fighters and weapons to Ukraine."

Similar Big Lies proliferate daily. Genuine Russian humanitarian/conflict resolution efforts are called aggression.

Media scoundrels bury truth. They substitute Big Lies and other misinformation.

At risk is an East/West confrontation potentially leading to war between two nations with over 90% of the world's nuclear arsenal and sophisticated delivery systems able to strike targets worldwide with pinpoint accuracy.

Risking something potentially this grave is madness. It remains to be seen if the unthinkable can be avoided.

A Final Comment

As of mid-August, the Southeastern Ukrainian death toll topped 2,000. Thousands have been wounded.

Hundreds of thousands are displaced. Many fled cross border to Russia for safety.

On average, over 60 people have been killed or wounded daily since Kiev forces attacked Southeastern Ukraine in April.

Since August 1, the figure is 70 daily casualties on average. According to UN human rights spokeswoman Cecile Pouilly, these numbers are "very conservative estimates."

Washington and Kiev's illegitimate fascist regime bear full responsibility.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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