MOSCOW
Russia's two ministries reported on Friday the delivery of humanitarian aid to earthquake-stricken Afghanistan.
In a statement, the Emergency Situations Ministry said that, by an order of President Vladimir Putin, the first batch of aid had arrived in Afghanistan.
"By order of the head of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, Alexander Kurenkov, an IL-76 aircraft took off from Zhukovsky Airport near Moscow. There are 20 tons of food on board for the population affected by the devastating earthquake," the ministry said.
In a separate statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed a special flight had successfully arrived in Afghanistan, carrying 20 tons of humanitarian supplies, including wheat flour, vegetable oil, and canned food.
"The aid is intended for victims of the powerful earthquake that recently struck the provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar, and Laghman in eastern Afghanistan," the ministry stated, adding that work on providing humanitarian assistance "to the friendly Afghan people" will continue.
Russia's aid delivery comes in response to a series of strong earthquakes that recently struck eastern Afghanistan, causing many casualties and extensive damage. The most catastrophic event, a 6 magnitude quake on Aug. 31, killed more than 2,200 people and injured around 4,000.
Subsequent tremors on Sept. 1 and Sept. 4 exacerbated the situation, increasing the casualty count and hampering rescue operations in remote and mountainous areas.
Despite international relief efforts, the numbers of deaths and injuries continue to rise, highlighting the critical need for sustained and long-term support to rebuild the affected regions.