World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted on Thursday that he had spoken with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about Russia's participation in global health matters and the health situation in Ukraine.

"I requested safe access to Mariupol, Kherson, Southern Zaporizhzhia & other besieged areas to deliver health aid. Civilians must be protected," he tweeted.