Ukrainian Ministry Of Foreign Affairs: Kherson City Short Of Food Stock, Babies Most Affected

Photo by Sylwia Bartyzel on Unsplash

JAKARTA - Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said Russian troops occupied the southern city of Kherson in early March. Russia is considered to be carrying out reprisals against the city dwellers.

"On March 21, they opened fire on residents who were holding a peaceful protest in Freedom Square, until finally an elderly person was injured," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote in a press release at the Ukrainian Embassy in Jakarta which was seen by the editors, Wednesday 24 March.

While the Russian army was trying to crush civilian resistance, the Kremlin was seen as trying to establish self-government in the occupied cities. The humanitarian situation is deteriorating, the ministry said.

"The city of Kherson is seriously short of food and medical supplies as a result of the Russian siege. The groups of people most at high risk are newborns, who do not receive adequate nutrition and hygiene supplies, as well as patients who are in critical condition," the release continued.

As many as one hundred international students, mainly from African countries, are currently still in Kherson.

"Despite the efforts of the Ukrainian government and international humanitarian organizations, the Russian Federation has often refused to create humanitarian corridors for evacuating civilians and supplying food," he continued.

"Daily, the city is getting closer to the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe. We urge the international community to act decisively against Russia, one of which is by imposing new severe economic sanctions to force Russia to stop the siege of Kherson city and other cities in Ukraine, in addition to it is to create a safe situation for the Ukrainian people and foreign nationals who will be evacuated."

"We also encourage foreign governments whose citizens are being held captive by the Russian armed forces in Kherson to increase political pressure on Moscow," he said.