UN Agency Accuses Russia of Blocking Flood Relief Efforts

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Facts

  • The UN's humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, Denise Brown, accused Russia of blocking relief efforts to flood-hit parts of Kherson in a statement late on Sunday.1
  • Following the collapse of the Nova Kakhovka dam earlier this month, Brown said that the UN had been engaging with both the governments of Russia and Ukraine on supporting the victims of the flooding, but added that, "The government of the Russian Federation has so far declined our request to access the areas under its temporary military control."1
  • She added: "The UN will continue to engage to seek the necessary access. We urge the Russian authorities to act in accordance with their obligations under international humanitarian law. Aid cannot be denied to people who need it."1
  • Meanwhile, speaking to reporters on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov sought to dispel the notion that Russia was blocking aid, suggesting instead that Russia could not ensure the safety of UN staff in an active front of the war. "The area is regularly shelled," Peskov said. "There are regular provocations there, civilian facilities are shelled, people are shelled, people are killed, so things are complicated. It’s very hard to ensure their security."2
  • Elsewhere, separate investigations from the New York Times and the Associated Press, both published over the past week, alleged that Russia was responsible for the initial destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam on June 6. The Times report, published on Friday, cited engineers and explosive experts who alleged that the available evidence pointed to Russia using explosive charges within the dam's structure to bring it down.3
  • Meanwhile, the AP report, relying on "exclusive drone photos," alleged that "Russia had the means, motive and opportunity to bring down" the Nova Kakhovka dam potentially with an explosive-laden car. Both Russia and Ukraine have denied responsibility and have blamed each other for the dam's collapse.4

Sources: 1ReliefWeb, 2TASS, 3US News & World Report, and 4Associated Press.

Narratives

  • Pro-Ukraine narrative, as provided by Kyiv Post. As now proven by the UN, Russia is continuing to block humanitarian aid to parts of Kherson where severe flooding has hit. Many people who need life-saving assistance will not receive it due to Russia's continued disregard for civilians in Ukraine.
  • Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by TASS. Sending UN relief workers to an active front of the war is extremely complicated. How is Russia meant to ensure humanitarians' safety when the areas they would be visiting are under constant artillery fire and shelling? This is nothing to do with blocking aid.

Predictions