Russia and China recently vetoed a UN Security Council decision regarding the transfer of humanitarian aid to Syria via Turkey and Iraq. According to Russian doctrine, there is to be no assistance granted to a region in which Russia is actively in combat.
The region in question is northern and eastern Syria where Russia is still in combat. In Idlib province in northern Syria, Russian fighting alongside the Syrian Army is still underway against Turkish-backed rebels, while in eastern Syria, ISIS presence still imposes a threat to the Russian forces as well as others; thus, Russia has vetoed humanitarian aid. Nevertheless, It must be noted that due to the latest heavy clashes in Idlib, 250,000 civilians have become displaced, and are in desperate need for humanitarian aid; something that the Russians are utterly disregarding.
The imposition of the veto is also due to Russia’s desire to dominate Syria’s reconstruction process exclusively. In Russia’s view, even the transfer of humanitarian aid is part of this rehabilitation process and therefore Russia is interested in controlling the timing and the source of aid.
