You're reading: Nalyvaichenko says Russian humanitarian cargo destined for militants, trucks to be used as tractors and transporters (UPDATED)

Chief of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Valentyn Nalyvaichenko has said that humanitarian aid sent from Russia to Ukraine is destined for separatist fighters, whereas the trucks themselves will be used to carry weapons for militants for use against civilians.

“These trucks will be used to transport equipment and weapons. Terrorists catastrophically lack, first and foremost, transport infrastructure after the successful actions of our military. These tractors are to be used for this purpose,” he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Aug. 22.

Nalyvaichenko also noted that the vehicles were less than a third loaded and that buckwheat and other cereals would be sent to militants.

“We will inform the Red Cross about which militants will actually get the cereals and water, and why. We say that groups of terrorists Kozitsin, Bezler and others are waiting for these goods in order to fill up their basements and warehouses with these cereals and other food,” he said.

“What we have witnessed in the last few days is a carefully planned and dangerously risky provocation against Ukraine, with the impudent and cynical use of the well-respected international organization of the Red Cross – a provocation with the so-called humanitarian convoy,” the security chief said.

He added that over 30 trucks have “illegally started off” into Ukraine.