Russia reacts to UN aid chief's Aleppo 'kill zone' remarks

Russia’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin has accused the United Nations aid chief of arrogance and bias after he told the UN Security Council that Russian and Syrian airstrikes have turned Aleppo into a "kill zone."

During a Wednesday Security Council meeting, Churkin accused Stephen O'Brien of making "arrogant” and "outrageous" remarks and failing to recognize that Russia and Syria have been observing a humanitarian pause, which has been in place for the last eight days.

“The moratorium on flights has been in place for eight days. Give us at least one proof or leave those narratives for a romance you would probably write later," he said.

"If we needed to be preached to, we would go to a church," the Russian envoy added.

On Tuesday, Russia announced plans to extend the week-long suspension of airstrikes targeting foreign-backed Takfiri terrorists in Aleppo.

Lieutenant General Sergei Rudskoi of the Russian military's General Staff said that Russian and Syrian jets had stayed 10 kilometers away from Aleppo since October 18, and that humanitarian corridors out of Aleppo remained open.

Rudskoi further expressed Moscow’s readiness to organize more ceasefires on the ground in Aleppo to allow wounded civilians to be evacuated.

SS