Russia says wants to send second aid convoy to east Ukraine

A Russian border guard opens a gate in front of a truck from a convoy that delivered humanitarian aid for Ukraine on its return to Russia at border crossing point "Donetsk" in Russia's Rostov Region August 23, 2014. REUTERS/Alexander Demianchuk reuters_tickers

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia wants to send a second humanitarian aid convoy to eastern Ukraine in the near future, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday after Kiev and the West criticised Moscow for sending the first cargo without official permission.

“The humanitarian situation is not improving but deteriorating,” Lavrov told a news conference. “We want to reach an agreement on all conditions for delivering a second convoy by the same route… in the coming days.”

Lavrov also said damage to civilian infrastructure in east Ukraine, where Kiev is fighting a pro-Russian rebellion, cannot all be put down to errors or chance.

(Reporting by Katya Golubkova, writing by Gabriela Baczynska, editing by Jason Bush)