The heavy military transport aircraft AN-124 Ruslan of the Russian Air Force brought 44 tons of humanitarian aid from Syria to Syria. Spetsreys from the airport "Chatoru" on Saturday, July 21, delivered to the airfield Khemeymim cargo to assist the civilian population.

"The aircraft of the military transport aviation of the Russian Air Force, from France to Syria, delivered medicines and medical preparations for emergency medical care, clothes, tents, medical equipment and basic necessities," the Ministry of Defense informed.

The department noted that humanitarian aid, with the assistance of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of Warring Parties (CPAP) and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent will be delivered to the areas most affected by the fighting against terrorists.

In general, the humanitarian aid is intended for civilians in the city of the Duma and other settlements of Eastern Guta.

"Also, medicines will be transferred to medical institutions under the auspices of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent," said Maxim Kasilin, head of the group on coordination of interaction with foreign organizations of the CPVC.

It is reported that escort will be carried out in accordance with the rules of the United Nations, with the support of Russia and in accordance with international humanitarian law.

  • Loading of humanitarian cargoes at the airport "Chatoru"
  • AFP
  • © Alain Jocard

In the context of the UN Security Council resolution

The Defense Ministry noted that the humanitarian cargo was sent to the Arab Republic in accordance with the decision taken May 24 in St. Petersburg during the talks between the presidents of Russia and France. Then Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron agreed on the implementation of a joint project to provide humanitarian assistance to the civilian population of Syria.

The leaders of the two states also met in Moscow on the day of the 2018 World Cup finals, and on July 21 they held telephone talks. According to the Kremlin press service, Putin and Macron discussed a number of topical international and regional problems, focusing on the settlement of the Syrian conflict.

"Special attention is paid to the humanitarian aspects of the Syrian settlement, including the implementation of a joint Russian-French initiative to provide assistance to the population in Eastern Gut," the report said.

Earlier in the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that the joint project of Moscow and Paris in the context of UN Security Council Resolution 2401 on Syria is designed to provide greater access of the civilian population to help.

"Humanitarian assistance is an absolute priority. It must be distributed on a humane, neutral, unbiased and free basis throughout Syria without exception, where international humanitarian law must be fully respected, "the Foreign Ministry stressed.

Also, the Foreign Ministry noted that under the coordination mechanism between the "Small Group" and the Astana format, France and Russia continue to make efforts to create conditions for a reliable and long-term political settlement in the Syrian Arab Republic.

  • Civilians in the village of Kafr Batna in East Guta
  • RIA News
  • © Mikhail Alaeddin

In a peaceful channel

Against this background, active work is continuing to return to peaceful life the areas of Syria, freed from illegal armed formations, which have come under the control of government forces. So, on July 19, the chief district engineer for the rehabilitation of medical institutions, Manuel Albert, told reporters that ten polyclinics have been restored in East Gut.

"We are addressing the Governor of Rif Damascus, and he is helping us, allocating help to restore polyclinics ... Before the war in the province of Reef-Damascus there were 120 polyclinics, in East Gut - 38. Now we managed to restore 10 of them", - quotes Alber RIA Novosti.

According to her, at present there are not enough pediatricians and surgeons in the medical institutions, and there is a shortage of laboratory equipment for analysis and various medical instruments.

The doctor of one of the outpatient clinics of Eastern Guta, Emtisar Al Youssef, said that on July 15 there they started free vaccination of children from measles. Because of the war, some families had not had the opportunity to vaccinate children for almost seven years.

In turn, the engineer Muhammad Muleiman told reporters that due to serious infrastructure damage to the full restoration of electricity in East Gut can take up to three months.

"About 95% of the electricity grids in East Gut are destroyed partially or completely and in need of repair. Now we are changing the damaged supports of power lines, we are installing new ones. Lines are broken in 35 districts of East Guta. Electricity there is completely absent. In each district, the person responsible for the restoration from the Ministry of Energy is appointed. He controls the progress of the restoration and is personally responsible for the timing. In three months all areas should be electrified, "the engineer said.

Muleiman added that teams of electricians work for 10-15 hours a day. We will add that in order to facilitate the reconstruction of the civil infrastructure in June, production of cable and transformers was established near Damascus.