MOSCOW, August 23. /TASS/. The first 48-hour-long humanitarian pause in Aleppo will be announced when the UN Secretary General’s special envoy, Staffan de Mistura, says the cargoes are ready for delivery to city residents, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov told the media on Tuesday.

"By coordination with the Syrian authorities the first 48-hour humanitarian pause in combat operations in Aleppo will be announced when there is a special message from the special envoy of the UN Secretary-General, Staffan de Mistura, to the effect the humanitarian cargoes are ready for delivery to Aleppo," Antonov said.

On August 24 officials from Russia’s center for reconciliation in Syria will hold a meeting with the head of the local UN office.

"The meeting is to coordinate the dates and routes for the delivery of UN humanitarian cargoes to Aleppo residents," Antonov said.

"The Russian Defense Ministry and the Syrian authorities are prepared to assist in the delivery of humanitarian cargoes from different organizations and individuals to Aleppo and its distribution through the deployed humanitarian centers," he said.

Russia ready to assist with delivery

According to Antonov, the Russian Defense Ministry, together with the Syrian authorities, is ready to assist with the delivery and distribution of humanitarian aid in Aleppo.

"The Russian Defense Ministry, in cooperation with the Syrian authorities, is ready to provide assistance in delivering humanitarian aid from various organizations and citizens to Aleppo and distributing it through the humanitarian corridors that have been set up," he said.

Antonov recalled that Russia’s military supported de Mistura’s idea of 48-hour pauses in Aleppo. Also, he said the Russian Defense Ministry and the Syrian authorities were pushing ahead with the humanitarian operation, launched in the city on July 28. Humanitarian aid was being delivered to Aleppo. Humanitarian corridors were open for civilians and militants prepared to lay down arms. Cooperation with the office of the UN Secretary-General’s special envoy for Syria had been established.

Earlier, the Defense Ministry said it was ready to declare the first 48-hour humanitarian pause in Aleppo this week. Before that Russia suggested pausing combat operations for three hours a day to let humanitarian convoys into the city.