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West should start helping refugees, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman says

According to Maria Zakharova, the human rights documents adopted by the West are not worth the paper they are written on

MINSK, November 13. /TASS/. The West warns about a hybrid threat instead of taking a decision and starting to help refugees at the border with Belarus, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Saturday.

"What do we see from that civilized world that is forever preaching at everyone? We see them talking about a hybrid threat, about an attack, claiming that some armed forces are being pulled in, wrapping in barbed wire and shifting responsibility to whosoever," Zakharova said in livestream on YouTube.

Zakharova said that the situation is such that "any political talk is inappropriate in principle."

"People are suffering, young children, women and pregnant women are suffering. They must be provided with help now," Zakharova said, pointing out that there is "practical support, assistance and attitudes that come from Minsk" to help the migrants.

According to her, "the human rights documents" adopted by the West are "not worth the paper they are written on."

"Where is that society that has been luring them [refugees] in and now is turning their backs on them? Practical humanitarian medical help is needed from the West, but not some lofty legal or political assistance," the diplomat said.

The Foreign Ministry spokeswoman emphasized that Western society needs to "repent to the Iraqis for more than a decade."

"They need to repent, ask for forgiveness, confessing their guilt, but not a simple mistake. They have to pay for what they committed there," Zakharova said.

The migrant crisis escalated dramatically on November 8 at the border of Belarus with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, where migrants have been flocking to since the beginning of 2021. Several thousand people have approached the Polish border from Belarusian territory and are not leaving the border area. Some of them tried to storm into Poland by getting over the barbed wire fence. About 2,000 migrants are currently in the makeshift camp. European Union nations have accused Minsk of deliberate escalation and called for sanctions. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that Western states are to shoulder the blame for the crisis as their actions make people flee from war.