Luhansk Mayor Serhiy Kravchenko has sent a formal letter to the acting chairperson of the Luhansk Regional State Administration, Iryna Veryhina, asking for assistance in the opening of a humanitarian corridor, the Luhansk City Council said.
“In particular, the document states that the regional state
administration must conduct necessary measures to organize negotiations
between the two sides of the armed conflict over the opening of a
humanitarian corridor, with such negotiations involving a third party,
for example, OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe)
representatives, as a guarantor of the implementation of such a human
initiative,” the spokesperson said.
Last night, the Luhansk City Council and a local crisis center
received a large number of requests to open a humanitarian corridor, the
spokesperson said.
“Provided there is no risk to the lives and health of Luhansk
residents, and with the support for the opening of the said humanitarian
corridor from both sides of the armed conflict, the Luhansk City
Council and its executive bodies will be able to conduct the necessary
measures regarding the functioning of such a corridor, including
informing Luhansk residents, working hours, relevant identification
signs, transport services for residents and other issues,” Kravchenko
said.
On July 28, 2014, there were reports about the opening of a
humanitarian corridor from Luhansk to Schastia via Metalist, the
spokesperson recalled.
“However, there was no information about support for this
humanitarian corridor from the two sides of the armed conflict. In that
case, if Luhansk residents try to make use of the humanitarian corridor,
there will be a real threat to people’s lives and health,” the city
council.
On Tuesday, the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) said
that militants had blocked a railroad in Luhansk and are refusing to
organize a corridor for civilians.
