Ukraine and UN arrange evacuation on occupied left bank: Russia must give access

Following the agreement between Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, and Denise Brown, the UN system coordinator in Ukraine, it was concluded that the UN will immediately form groups for providing humanitarian aid and evacuation of people from the occupied territories on the left bank of the Dnipro River, on condition that Russia will provide access and security guarantees.

Source: European Pravda with reference to the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

During the meeting Kuleba thanked the UN for sending humanitarian help to the territories affected by the blowing up of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) by the Russians. At the same time, he remarked that the scale of destruction and suffering, caused to the people and animals, requires a different level of reaction.

Following the meeting, it was concluded that the UN will urgently increase help and will send additional forces to Kherson Oblast and other affected regions of Ukraine.

In addition to this, a decision was made that the UN will immediately form groups aimed at providing humanitarian help and evacuation of people from the occupied territories on the left bank of the Dnipro River, in the cities of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. This will be done on condition that a safe route from the Ukraine-controlled territories to the occupied territories will be guaranteed.

Kuleba assured the UN that Ukraine provides all security guarantees to the UN for fulfilling the humanitarian operations in the affected area.

The sides agreed that the aforementioned units of the UN will go to the affected areas in the temporarily occupied territories from the Ukraine-controlled territories as soon as Russia provides access and security guarantees.

At the moment the UN is waiting for such guarantees from the Russian side, as well as for access to the occupied territories affected by the blowing up of the Kakhovka HPP.

Earlier on Thursday, Kuleba expressed hope that after talks with the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross, the members of these organisations will arrive to areas affected by the blowing up of the Kakhovka HPP.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, stated that he was shocked by the reaction of the UN and the Red Cross to the tragedy.

Zelenskyy stressed that despite the tragedy occurring on the night of 5 June, neither the UN nor the Red Cross "are there" although they "must be the first to save lives", since this is what they were created for.

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