Russia calls US strikes on Yemen Ras Isa oil terminal 'unjustified and unacceptable'

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, condemned recent US strikes on Yemen’s Ras Isa oil terminal, calling them “unjustified and unacceptable”, citing reports that the attacks killed over 80 people and injured around 230, Anadolu Agency reports.

Responding to a question from an Anadolu correspondent during a press conference in Moscow, Zakharova said Russia’s stance remains unchanged since the US launched a large-scale military operation against the Yemeni Ansarallah movement in March, a campaign Moscow firmly disapproves of.

She noted that Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, had conveyed Moscow’s position directly to US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, in a recent phone conversation.

“The Russian side strongly advocates for an immediate cessation of violence and urges all involved parties to show restraint and refrain from actions that could lead to further escalation or the widening of the conflict zone,” Zakharova said.

Moscow, she added, believes that the path to lasting stability in the region and a resolution of the protracted Yemeni crisis lies in negotiations aimed at compromise solutions that take into account the legitimate interests of all major Yemeni political factions, including the Ansarallah movement.

Commenting specifically on the US strikes against the Ras Isa oil terminal on the night of 18 April, Zakharova said: “According to the latest data, these actions resulted in over 80 deaths and around 230 injuries. We consider such actions unjustified and unacceptable.”

She also referenced a statement made by UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, on 19 April, in which he expressed deep concern over the US air strikes, noting their devastating impact on civilians.

Guterres reported that five humanitarian workers were among the injured, the port infrastructure sustained severe damage, and there is a risk of marine pollution due to a potential oil spill.

“Russia, in coordination with our regional partners, primarily Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Iran, will continue its active efforts to stabilise the situation in and around Yemen as swiftly as possible,” Zakharova said.

READ: 3 wounded in fresh US air strikes in Yemen