Russia sent the US aid, which it called "humanitarian", and now demands money for it

Russia has billed the United States almost $ 660 thousand for humanitarian assistance to combat coronavirus. American experts admitted that part of the cargo was of no use. Writes about this with the BBC.

Photo: Shutterstock

“The State Department received a final invoice from the Russian government in the amount of $659,” the US Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said.

The Russians sent humanitarian cargo to the United States on the An-124 Ruslan transport aircraft in early April by agreement of the presidents. We were talking about medical equipment, including ventilators and personal protective equipment.

The Kremlin called this step “humanitarian assistance,” and United States President Donald Trump regarded it as “a very nice gesture on the part of President Putin.”

Russian state-run media, in particular Vesti, called the deliveries “humanitarian aid,” without indicating that the United States paid for it. The same phrase was also used by the press secretary of Russian President Vladimir Putin Dmitry Peskov:

“From the Russian side, amid a difficult epidemiological situation, America was offered assistance in the form of medical equipment and protective equipment. Trump gratefully accepted this humanitarian assistance, ”said Peskov.

Subsequently, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that half of the US aid to the United States will have to pay.

In general, according to FEMA, the Russian Federation supplied the United States with 4 thousand industrial M-95 gas masks that completely cover the face, 15 thousand respirators, 80 thousand antiseptic bags, 400 thousand various items of medical clothing, including protective coveralls.

On the subject: 'American tragedy': how the Russian media distort information about the fight against coronavirus in the United States

In addition, there were 30 thousand gloves in the cargo, not only surgical ones, but also rubber ones, which are usually used in the kitchen.

In a comment, FEMA reporters were not able to clarify whether they managed to use this equipment in hospitals.

“As far as I know, there have been problems with the ventilators because they are designed for 220 volts, but in the US they use 110 volts,” said an agency representative.

He also confirmed that the M-95 industrial gas masks sent by the Russian side “meet military requirements for protection against chemical and biological threats,” but are not used in medical institutions.

Not a Kremlin favor, but a service to the Kremlin

Some members of the American public regarded US humanitarian aid as another “propaganda trap” by the Kremlin.

On Twitter, former commander of US forces in Europe, General Ben Hodges, said that the delivered cargo was “not a gift from the Kremlin, but a gift to the Kremlin.”

It turned out that at least two Russian structures that took part in the delivery of the goods were on the US sanctions list.

The Russian private equity fund has been on the list of US sectoral sanctions since July 2014 due to events in Ukraine.

Also under sanctions is the Radioelectronic Technologies (KRET) concern, one of whose divisions produces Aventa-M ventilators sent to the United States.

As ForumDaily wrote earlier:

• Russia sent to USA healthcare facilities to fight coronavirus.
• US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said medicines and medical equipment that were delivered to New York on Wednesday by a Russian transport plane were “purchased” the United States authorities in Russia

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