Russian Embassy decries claim of Ukrainian deportations

The Russian Embassy to the US has been responding to reports of so called “filtration camps” created by Russian forces in Mariupol.

It follows claims by Mariupol’s Mayor Vadim Boychenko that thousands of residents had been taken to camps, where Russian forces seized their phones and documents, before forcibly deporting them to Russia.

But the embassy says Russia is only operating checkpoints “to avoid diversion operations” by the Ukrainian military and to allow Russian forces to “carefully inspect motor vehicles heading to safe regions.”

“The Russian military does not create any barriers to the peaceful population, but helps them stay alive, providing food and medicine,” the statement added.

BBC/Christopher Ojilere