Russia says Ukraine aid convoy contains no military personnel

Russia's defence secretary Sergey Shoygu has assured his US counterpart Chuck Hagel that an aid convoy heading for Ukraine contains no military personnel.

 

Western countries have expressed concern that Russia is using the convoy as a pretext for sending more soldiers to the area, but Russia denies these allegations, saying that the purpose of the convoy is to send humanitarian aid to eastern Ukrainian cities held by pro-Russian rebels.

 

A statement released by the Pentagon said "Minister Shoygu 'guaranteed' that there were no Russian military personnel involved in the humanitarian convoy, nor was the convoy to be used as a pretext to further intervene in Ukraine”.

 

"Minister Shoygu assured Secretary Hagel that Russia was meeting Ukraine's conditions,” it continued. 

 

At a meeting in Brussels, EU foreign ministers issued a statement saying: "Any unilateral military actions on the part of the Russian Federation in Ukraine under any pretext, including humanitarian, will be considered by the European Union as a blatant violation of international law."

 

During a phone call yesterday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, German chancellor Angela Merkel told him to "put an end to the flow of military goods, military advisers and armed personnel over the border".

 

The convoy is currently being held at the border while the Pentagon seeks clarification on what it is intended for.