Russia demands complete lifting of Yemen blockade, blames US-Israel for regional escalation
Geneva, August 14
Russia has called for the immediate and complete lifting of the land, air, and sea blockade on Yemen, strongly criticising the United States and Israel for instigating a "broader regional confrontation that has drawn in Houthi forces."
Addressing a UN Security Council briefing on Yemen, Russian representative Dina Gilmutdinova urged the international community to remove all restrictions on the delivery of essential food, medicine, and humanitarian aid to the country, pointing out that prolonged stagnation in the Yemeni peace process has dragged local actors into wider regional hostilities.
"We also call for the complete lifting of the maritime, air and land blockade of Yemen, as well as the removal of all restrictions on the delivery of food, medicines and other essential goods to the country," the Russian delegation stated.
Highlighting the root causes of the escalating regional crisis, Moscow noted, "We have witnessed how the prolonged stagnation of the Yemeni peace process has dragged the Houthis into the broader regional confrontation initiated by the United States and Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran."
Russia expressed deep concern over the sharp rise in military tension, characterising the current situation as Yemen's most acute military and political crisis since the expiration of the April 2022 internal truce.
Moscow criticised the Arab Coalition's response to recent uncoordinated civilian aircraft landings in Sana'a and Hodeidah, describing coalition airstrikes on Sana'a International Airport as "disproportionate."
While acknowledging that Houthi actions in the Red Sea have disrupted commercial shipping and claimed lives, Russia emphasised that freedom of navigation must be unconditionally protected, while also noting Houthi claims that their actions were a direct reaction to the longstanding blockade on northern Yemen.
"After more than six months of relative calm, tensions have also resumed in the Red Sea, with Ansar Allah attempting to disrupt the navigation of commercial and military vessels, while justifying its actions as a 'mirror response' to the longstanding blockade of Yemen's northern provinces. Regrettably, these developments have claimed human lives. We share the position that freedom of navigation must be unconditionally safeguarded and strongly condemn any actions that endanger commercial shipping," he stated.
Calling for an immediate return to political negotiations without preconditions or policies of "maximum pressure," the Russian mission stressed that any lasting settlement must take into account the legitimate interests of all key domestic forces, including the Houthis.
"We hope that the opposing sides will nevertheless demonstrate wisdom and refrain from scaling up their military activities, as continuation of the current trend could have far-reaching consequences for the entire region. We call on them to promptly return to the negotiating table and set about addressing their accumulated differences through diplomatic means," the Russian representative added.
Russia also urged international donors to address shrinking humanitarian aid budgets to avert a catastrophe in critical sectors such as healthcare and food security.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is heartbreaking. Millions are starving, and no one seems to care. Russia's call to lift the blockade is right, but let's not forget that all parties, including the Houthis, have contributed to the suffering. We need peace, not more geopolitics. 🙏
Russia blaming the US and Israel while ignoring Iran's role in arming the Houthis is classic deflection. The Houthis have attacked commercial ships, killing innocent sailors. Freedom of navigation is non-negotiable, and Russia knows that. This is just Moscow trying to score geopolitical points.
As an Indian, I see parallels with Kashmir. When we talk about blockades and humanitarian access, the world is quick to judge, but when it's Yemen or Gaza, it's a different story. Russia is right—there's no justification for starving civilians. I hope the UN actually acts this time.
Respectfully, Russia is not the moral authority here. They've committed atrocities in Ukraine and Syria. Calling out the US and Israel while ignoring their own actions is hypocritical. Yemen needs a ceasefire, but let's not pretend Russia is doing this out of humanitarian concern.
Finally, someone at the UN is speaking sense! The blockade on Yemen has been a death sentence for millions. India has always stood for humanitarian principles, and we should support this call. But we also need to push for a diplomatic solution that includes all parties, not just the big powers.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.