Russia’s Defense Minister, Sergey Shoygo, offered the US a “guarantee” that Russia’s humanitarian convoy–feared by Ukraine to be a “Trojan horse” and currently being held at the Ukrainian border–is carrying no military personnel.
Shoygo made the guarantee to US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in a phone call Friday night, and the information was released in a Pentagon statement.
Hagel also said that Shoygo guaranteed that the convoy would not be used as a pretext for further intervention in Ukraine.
“Minister Shoygu assured Secretary Hagel that Russia was meeting Ukraine’s conditions,” the Pentagon statement said.
“He acknowledged that the goods would be delivered and distributed under the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The Russian Defense Ministry also recently dismissed Ukrainian claims that Russia had sent a convoy of military vehicles into Ukraine already, which, Kiev had announced, Ukrainian forces had attacked and partially destroyed.
“There was no Russian military column, which allegedly crossed Russian-Ukrainian border, not in the night, not during the day, it just doesn’t exist,” said Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov.
By Day Blakely Donaldson