MOSCOW, March 12. /TASS/. Russia has already delivered 1,935 tonnes of humanitarian cargoes to Ukraine and carried out 237 humanitarian missions, Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, chief of Russia’s National Defense Management Center, said on Saturday.
"A total of 1,935 tonnes of humanitarian cargo has already been delivered to Ukraine and 237 humanitarian missions have been held. Among them were 22 actions in the Kiev, Zaporozhye, Kharkov and Chernigov regions in the past 24 hours, when 264 tonnes of basic necessities, medicines and food were handed out to civilians in the liberated areas," he said.
According to the general, efforts to accumulate humanitarian aid are continuing, and more than 17,000 tonnes of cargoes have been collected at storage facilities.
"Today, 31 humanitarian missions have been held in the Kiev and Chernigov regions as well as in the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, when 240 tonnes of basic necessities and food were handed out to the local population," Mizintsev said.
Russia suggested ten humanitarian corridors for March 12 from Kiev, Chernigov, Sumy, Kharkov and Mariupol, whereas Ukraine added another one towards Zhitomir, Mizintsev said.
"For purely humane purposes, as of 10 a.m. today the Russian Federation has for the eighth time provided humanitarian corridors from Kiev, Chernigov, Sumy, Kharkov and Mariupol, one humanitarian corridor to the Russian Federation, and another one through Kiev-controlled areas towards Ukraine’s western borders," he said.
According to Mizintsev, Ukraine added one more route in the direction of Zhitomir to the ten routes proposed by Russia.
"At the same time, not a single humanitarian corridor to the Russian Federation has again been confirmed by Kiev, which once again proves the current government’s indifference to their own people," the general said.
Without Ukraine’s participation, Russia has evacuated about 10,000 people from dangerous areas, including the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, in the past 24 hours, Mizintsev said.
"Without Ukraine’s participation, 9,787 people, including 1,738 children, have been evacuated from dangerous areas in various regions of Ukraine and the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics in the past 24 hours. In total, more than 231,000 people, including 51,996 children, [have been evacuated] since the beginning of the special military operation," said Mizintsev.
According to Mizintsev, 24,168 private vehicles have crossed into Russia, including 915 entering the country in the past 24 hours.
The general said that thanks to unprecedented security measures taken by the Russian Armed Forces on Saturday, it became possible to provide humanitarian corridors and evacuate 8,730 citizens traveling by buses and private cars towards Poltava.
"It should be noted that local authorities did not take any part in organizing those convoys. Desperate people were gathering in groups on their own, but realizing that it was impossible [to go] as the nationalists had blocked the way to Russia, they were forced to leave in any possible direction," Mizintsev said.
The general added that a humanitarian operation to evacuate 130 foreigners from the Kherson region is drawing to a close. They are being evacuated via Crimea to Novorossiysk.
The humanitarian situation in Ukraine is getting worse day by day, and has already become catastrophic in some areas, Mizintsev said.
"Regretfully, the humanitarian situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate rapidly, becoming catastrophic in certain cities," he said.
Armed neo-Nazi groups in Ukraine plant explosives in residential areas and destroy bridges and other vital infrastructure, claiming that Russia was responsible for that, the head of the Russian National Center for Defense Management said.
"Armed nationalist groups plant explosives in residential areas, destroy bridges, roads and other vital infrastructure," the Russian official said.
In his words, civilians have to survive without medicines, central heating and water supply due to criminal actions of the Ukrainian authorities.
"While ordinary people are on the brink of despair, the Kiev government is aware of what is happening on the ground, but continues to cynically blame Russian armed forces for that in the media," Mizintsev continued. "All those atrocities - mine-laying, explosions, firing points in residential areas, hospitals, schools, kindergartens - are taking place in full view of everyone, and witnesses will eventually reveal the truth about this tragedy to the rest of the world."