Russia does not grant UN access to temporarily occupied territories of Kherson region

Russia has not granted the United Nations access to the territories it temporarily occupies to help victims of flooding caused by the explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station.

This was announced by UN Under-Secretary-General Martin Griffiths, the Associated Press reports.

Griffiths said an “extraordinary” 700,000 people are in need of drinking water as a result of the Kakhovka HPP explosion.

The UN was able to provide assistance to 30,000 people in the flooded areas controlled by Ukraine.

On June 7, Martin Griffiths met with Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya to ask Russia to allow UN teams to cross the frontline to help affected Ukrainians in these regions.

"We are providing them with details, helping Moscow to make a positive decision on this issue. I hope that will happen," Griffiths said.

As a reminder, on June 8, Ukraine and the UN agreed to form teams to provide humanitarian aid and evacuate people in the Left Bank.

The UN is to form these teams in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. They will go to the affected areas in the temporarily occupied territories as soon as Russia provides access and security guarantees.

Photo: Mary Altaffer / AP