Russia sends food aid to South Asia

MOSCOW, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Russia will send about 20,000 tons of grain and other aid to victims of the South Asia tsunami disaster, Interfax news agency said Thursday.

The grain will be sent along with water purification equipment, and field hospitals to nations hit by the disaster, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia in the Kremlin.

Putin said he talked with the leaders of those countries and again expressed support to them.

"We will work with those governments to overcome the consequences as soon as possible," he said.