The ICRC has denied any involvement in obstructing the delivery of Russian aid to Karabakh

Baku/10.09.23/Turan: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has denied its involvement in preventing the delivery of Russian aid to Karabakh.

The ICRC statement said:

"We refute allegations that the ICRC is hindering efforts by the Russian Red Cross to deliver assistance in the area or is furthering any political agenda whatsoever. The decision to allow humanitarian aid through or not is in the hands of the sides. Our aim is strictly humanitarian to reach those most in need of assistance in line with our fundamental principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence.

The ICRC has been in talks over the last week with the decision-makers as well as our Red Cross and Red Crescent partners about different options to get aid into the area by both the Lachin road and the Aghdam road. The organization works in full transparency, coordinates its activities with all decision-makers, and only operates with their agreement."

It should be noted that a heavy cargo truck with food for the Karabakh Armenians sent by the Russian Red Cross stopped in Barda.

At the same time, media reports have appeared that the ICRC is allegedly preventing the import of cargo into Karabakh, since allegedly, under the mandate of the Red Cross, cargo in the region can be transported by the organization from Armenia along the Lachin road.

We also note that despite yesterday’s statement by the separatists about their readiness to accept Russian cargo along the Agdam-Khankendi road, local radicals blocking the road in Askeran said that they would not let a single car through from Agdam.—06B-