MOSCOW. Nov 8 (Interfax) - Syria's humanitarian situation is worsening, especially in the areas under control of militants, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated.
"Unfortunately, the exodus of Syrian citizens from the regions of the country where extremists are "establishing a new order" is rapidly growing. People are fleeing to the areas controlled by the government one way or another," ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich told a press briefing in Moscow on Friday.
The UN reported 6.5 million displaced persons in Syria and said that 9.3 million people needed humanitarian assistance, he said.
"Clearly, a drastic solution of this problem is possible only in the case of the soonest possible end of the armed confrontation and normalization in the country. In our opinion, the general situation in Syria urgently requires more intensive efforts towards the convocation of the Geneva II conference and the fullest implementation of the Geneva Communique approved on June 30, 2012," Lukashevich said.
More than 2.4 million refugees had fled Syria for neighboring countries as of early November, the ministry spokesman said.
"With this in mind, 15 UN agencies proposed a comprehensive strategy of the response to humanitarian challenges in Syria," Lukashevich said.
In the opinion of Russia, "the extremely serious humanitarian situation in Syria requires the closest attention and most the decisive actions of the international community," he argued.
An improvement of the humanitarian situation is the responsibility of not only the Syrian government but also of armed opposition groups, he stressed.
"International agencies are facing major problems in the delivery of humanitarian aid to the districts controlled by the militants," he noted.
Russia contributed $800,000 from its annual donation to the UN agency for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) assistance to displaced persons in Syria this year alone, Lukashevich said.
Besides, $3.5 million were assigned under UNHCR programs to support the assistance rendered by Lebanese and Jordanian governments to Syrian refugees.