International Red Cross suspends operations in Ukraine
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has suspended its work in Ukraine. The decision follows missile strikes by Russia across the country, which the Kremlin said, were in response to terrorist actions by Kiev.
“For security reasons, our teams have paused operations today,” an ICRC spokesperson told Reuters in an emailed statement. The spokesperson did not provide any estimates on when its activities might resume.
Earlier on Monday, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said it had also halted its humanitarian work in the country until it was safe to resume.
The suspension of activities by the aid groups comes in the aftermath of missile strikes on multiple locations across Ukraine, including the capital Kiev, launched by Russia early on Monday.
The assault damaged 11 key infrastructure sites across the country, according to Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmigal. At least ten people were killed and more than 60 injured in the attack, the Ukrainian national police said.
The strikes came in retaliation for Kiev’s “terrorist” activities and attempts to target Russia’s critical civilian infrastructure, Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed. Over the past months, Ukraine has targeted high-voltage power lines connecting a Russian nuclear power plant to the electricity grid, attempted to sabotage an export gas pipeline, and ultimately, staged the blast that damaged the Crimea Bridge, the president said, warning that Moscow will no longer tolerate such “terrorist” tactics from Kiev.
