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A6 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 15 March 2022
Red Cross chief: Ukraine war ‘nothing short of a nightmare’

By JON GAMBRELL direct military intervention
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- from the West.
ates (AP) — The ongoing The Geneva-based Red
Russian war on Ukraine has Cross, which aids those af-
become “nothing short of fected by war and tries to
a nightmare” for those liv- educate combatants of
ing in besieged cities, a top the rules of armed conflict,
Red Cross official said Mon- has 600 staffers in Ukraine
day, calling for safe pas- and plans to send in around
sage out for civilians and 100 more. Some Red Cross
humanitarian aid to be vehicles have been dam-
allowed through the front aged by shrapnel or hit by
lines. fire, though its staffers don’t
Robert Mardini, the direc- believe it has been directly
tor-general of the Interna- targeted, Mardini said.
tional Committee of the However, he acknowl-
Red Cross, also called the edged the dire situation
war “catastrophic” for civil- faced by medical facilities
ians affected by the fight- in the country. There have
ing as people run out of been at least 31 attacks
drinking water, food, medi- on medical facilities and
cal supplies and fuel for ambulances in the war, kill-
heating particularly in the ing at least 12 people and
surrounded Ukrainian city wounding 34 others, ac-
of Mariupol. Medical facili- cording to the World Health
ties also continue to be tar- Organization.
geted in attacks. “This is a tragedy of armed
And while the Red Cross conflict happening in
continues to speak with International Committee of the Red Cross Director-General Robert Mardini talks about the densely populated ar-
humanitarian situation in Ukraine during an interview with The Associated Press, in Dubai, United
Russian and Ukrainian lead- Arab Emirates, Monday, March 14, 2022. eas and where explosive
ers, Mardini said there’s so Associated Press weapons with large radius
far been no established are used,” Mardini said.
routes for people to safely sociated Press while on a safe evacuation of civil- forces have attacked cit- “And we’ve seen neigh-
leave Mariupol and some visit to Dubai in the United ians, is an absolute must.” ies, military bases and even borhoods that have been
other areas facing intense Arab Emirates. “History is Russia began its war on the biggest nuclear power damaged, flattened, and
warfare. watching what is happen- Ukraine on Feb. 24 after plant in Europe while ap- some hospitals have (been
“People are in desperate ing in Mariupol and other amassing troops on its bor- parently trying to dislodge shelled), which, of course,
need to to take shelter, cities and civilians must be ders as part of what Mos- Kyiv’s democratic govern- is unacceptable because
and this is why the situation protected. So whether (it’s) cow initially described as a ment, which has seen an hospitals are protected by
cannot, cannot continue a cease-fire, or a combi- series of training exercises. outpouring of military aid international humanitarian
like this,” he told The As- nation of a cease-fire and In the time since, Russian and support though not law.”q

Dutch, Australians launch case against Moscow over MH17

AMSTERDAM (AP) — The military base and then re- to the devastating conflict sible. Russians and a Ukrainian
Dutch and Australian gov- turned to the base. Mos- in its announcement. “The deaths of 298 civilians, for their alleged roles in the
ernments have launched a cow denies involvement. Foreign Affairs Minister including 196 Dutch citi- downing of MH17 contin-
legal case against Russia at The Dutch government said Wopke Hoekstra stressed zens, cannot remain with- ues. Verdicts are expected
the International Civil Avia- the timing of the case isn’t that the Dutch government out consequences,” he late this year. Prosecutors
tion Organization seeking connected to Russia’s inva- would continue to do all it said. “The current events in have sought life sentences
to hold Moscow account- sion of Ukraine, but alluded can to hold Russia respon- Ukraine underscore the cru- for the suspects. Three of
able for its alleged role in cial importance of that.” the suspects have boycot-
the downing of Malaysia The Australian govern- ted the trial, one is repre-
Airlines Flight MH17. ment said in a statement sented by a Dutch legal
The case announced Mon- that “Russia’s unprovoked team, which insists he is in-
day in The Hague and and unjustified invasion of nocent.
Canberra is the latest bid to Ukraine and the escala- The new ICAO case follows
hold Russia legally responsi- tion of its aggression un- Russia’s decision to walk
ble for the missile strike that derscores the need to con- away in October 2020 from
brought down the passen- tinue our enduring efforts to negotiations with the Neth-
ger jet over eastern Ukraine hold Russia to account for erlands and Australia over
on July 17, 2014, killing all its blatant violation of inter- state responsibility for the
298 people on board. national law and the U.N. flight’s downing.
An international investiga- Charter, including threats Dutch Infrastructure Minis-
tion concluded that the to Ukraine’s sovereignty ter Mark Harbers said the
Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lum- and airspace.” latest legal action is aimed
pur flight was shot down Among the victims were 38 at securing international
from territory held by sepa- residents of Australia. recognition “that Russia is
ratist rebels using a Buk mis- Judges and lawyers view the reconstructed wreckage of The latest legal action responsible for the MH17
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, at the Gilze-Rijen military Airbase,
sile system that was driven southern Netherlands, on May 26, 2021. comes as the Dutch mur- disaster. Next of kin have a
into Ukraine from a Russian Associated Press der trial in absentia of three right to that.”q