Putin told Russian aid for Kosovo Serbs ready to go
Moscow, 22 March: On instructions from Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian Emergencies Minister Sergey Shoygu
is flying out to Serbia-Montenegro, Putin himself told a conference in the Kremlin.
"I asked the Defence Ministry to help the Emergencies Ministry find ways to provide assistance for
refugees," Putin said as Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov briefed him on what had been done.
The Russian Defence Ministry is ready to provide humanitarian assistance for 10,000 Kosovo Serb refugees, Ivanov
said. "On your instructions, which you issued on Saturday [20 March], equipment such as tents, blankets and bed
linen - enough to accommodate up to 10,000 Kosovo Serb refugees on a temporary basis - has been put aside at the rear
services' warehouses in the past 24 hours," Ivanov said.
"As soon as Shoygu reaches agreement on sending this aid, we'll be ready to dispatch it to
Serbia-Montenegro the same day," Ivanov added.
Putin also asked Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov "whether there are any problems with organizing this work in
Serbia-Montenegro". Diplomats will give Shoygu every assistance necessary, Lavrov assured Putin.
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