EU laments Russian attack that killed 2 aid workers

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) – EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Sunday slammed the Russian attack that killed two humanitarian aid workers in Donetsk.

In a statement on X/Twitter, Borrell said two aid workers – one Spanish and one Canadian – were killed on Sunday while delivering the much-needed humanitarian assistance to the local population.

"Humanitarian workers are not a target," he stressed.

On Saturday, four members of the NGO Road to Relief left Slovyansk to assess the needs of the civilians caught in the crossfire in the town of Ivanivske, a small town six kilometers (3.7 miles) west of Bakhmut.

On their way, Russian forces attacked the vehicle, causing it to flip over and burst into flames, according to Road to Relief.

Two of the passengers, a German medical volunteer and a Swedish volunteer, survived. Although they were “badly injured” with shrapnel wounds and burns, they are recovering in a hospital.

Spanish aid worker Emma Igual, who was the co-founder and director of the Road to Relief, and Canadian volunteer Anthony "Tonko" Ihnat did not survive.

According to the organization’s website, its volunteers evacuated more than 1,200 people from the frontlines in Ukraine, 500 of whom were children. It has also been delivering around 30 tons of aid per month to villages in Donetsk. Meanwhile, its teams of medics stabilize and treat around 60 casualties per week.