Russia to send humanitarian aid to Syria

Source : Xinhua

MOSCOW, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Russia is preparing to send two planes with humanitarian aid to Syria, the Emergency Situations Ministry said Monday.

The planes will carry 44 tons of aid to Syria, the ministry said, and will return with any Russian citizens who wished to leave the conflict-ravaged country.

Russia last month sent two planes to return 77 of its nationals living in Syria.

The Foreign Ministry denied the operation was an evacuation, noting it was arranged at the requests of those taken back, most of whom were women and children.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the situation in Syria required no "emergency actions" from Moscow following the January operation.