Airstrikes and ongoing conflict in Ukraine are leaving civilians – including thousands of children – without homes, power, water and basic services, as humanitarians warn the approaching winter is heightening the risks for communities along the frontlines. Dozens of civilian casualties were reported over the weekend and into Monday, with children among the injured, according to UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.
The hardest-hit areas include Dnipro, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Kyiv, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia. “Meanwhile, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that evacuations of civilians continue from frontline communities in the Donetsk region,” Mr. Dujarric told journalists in New York on Monday.
Between 24 and 26 October, more than 900 people were evacuated, he added, noting also that the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund has released $13 million since May to support local and national NGOs in the Kharkiv region, aiding nearly 76,000 residents. Roughly half of those reached are women and girls. Assistance has included cash transfers, shelter, health services, water, sanitation, hygiene support and measures to prevent gender-based violence.
Winterisation – providing lifesaving aid to vulnerable populations to protect them from cold weather and harsh conditions – is a major concern, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warns.
Kenan Madi, Chief of Field Operations UNICEF Ukraine, told UN News that families along the frontlines urgently need heating, warm clothing and other essential supplies. “The attacks on infrastructure are impacting basic services – from hospitals to water utilities to district heating – making everyday life extremely difficult for children,” he said.
Source: The UN
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