War-Hit Ukraine Receives New Batch of Humanitarian Aid from Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan sent another batch of humanitarian aid to Ukraine on Tuesday to assist the war-torn country.

The aid package, weighing 50 tons, contains long-lasting canned foods, cereals, dry and baby foods, as well as medicaments, daily household items, and clothing, according to media reports.

The humanitarian assistance is destined for the people residing in the Cherkasy city of Ukraine, a twin town of Azerbaijan’s Sumgait city. The aid will first arrive in Poland’s capital Warsaw before being transferred to Cherkasy.

Ukraine’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Vladimir Kanevsky, observed the shipment in person at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku.

“Since the start of war up to now, the Azerbaijani side has sent 1,500 tons of humanitarian aid worth $20 million to Ukraine,” he told journalists, thanking the government and people of Azerbaijan.

Earlier this year, Azerbaijan delivered food, medical supplies and equipment, clothing, and personal care products worth nearly $11 million and weighing over 380 tons to Ukraine. 

In addition, the Azerbaijani government instructed the state-owned oil company SOCAR to supply the ambulances and vehicles of the State Emergency Service with fuel free of charge in its gasoline stations in Ukraine.

Russian forces launched a major assault on Ukraine on February 24. The invasion by land, air, and the sea began after a pre-dawn TV address where Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded that Ukraine’s military lay down its arms. 

The offensive was launched in several northern, eastern and southern directions as Russia tried to cripple the defense lines of the Ukrainian army quickly. However, the strong resistance of Ukraine’s military and civilians across the country foiled the blitzkrieg attempts of the Russian army.

The war currently rages in dozens of Ukrainian cities and towns, particularly in the country’s east. Over the past weekend, Russia captured the city of Lysychansk, taking full control over the entire eastern Luhansk region. Ukrainian forces confirmed their withdrawal from Lysychansk on July 3. The advancement of the Russian troops over the recent days has gained momentum following the capture of the town of Syevyerodonetsk nearby Luhansk. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry claimed that after Luhansk, Russia’s main target was the adjacent Donetsk region.

In the meantime, Russia has pulled its forces back from Snake Island in the Black Sea after facing severe resistance from Ukraine’s defense forces, who used drones to attack the Russian positions and equipment dispatched on the island.

According to the latest report of the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissionaire (OHCHR), from the start of the Russian invasion on February 24 to July 3, 11,152 civilian casualties have been recorded in Ukraine, including 4,889 killed and 6,263 injured. A total of 41 and 190 children have been killed and wounded during the hostilities, respectively.