Russia denies involvement in Aleppo attack that wounded boy

The Russian defense ministry has denied responsibility for an attack on a neighborhood in the Syrian city of Aleppo which wounded a young boy whose rescue was filmed and shared widely on social media.The image of the 5-year old stunned boy, sitting in an ambulance caked with dust and with blood on his face, captured the horror that has beset the war-torn city.The Russian defense ministry said in a statement Friday it never targets populated areas and that rebels themselves hit urban areas in order to derail humanitarian efforts there.The ministry also said the footage of the boy’s rescue showed windows in the house next door intact, indicating that the boy’s house was not targeted by an airstrike but was hit with a mine that rebels use.

Trucks with food, water and medicine are ready to move immediately and ambulances to evacuate urgent medical cases are on standby.

Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Earlier, western diplomats gave a cautious welcome to the announcement that Russia would support a 48-hour ceasefire in Aleppo, a move the United Nations envoy said would allow aid to reach besieged areas soon, as long as all sides respected the truce.

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