“There have been major attacks in Kiev that caused more fear and panic among the population, with really scared families, move with their children into subways and sheltersand this is obviously a scary moment for kids across the country,” Afshan KhanUnited Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, speaking in Geneva.
Wrong but ‘unchangeable’
Developments following fresh UN condemnation of Russia move Secretary General António Guterreswho on Thursday called for peace and allocated $20 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to meet urgent needs.
Guterres stressed that the use of force by one country against another is “a denial of the principles to which every nation has committed itself”.
“It is a mistake. It is against the Charter. That’s not acceptable. But it is not unchangeable”.
Civilian death confirmed
Two days after Russia conducted military operations inside Ukraine, the United Nations rights office, OHCHRconfirmed that more than 100 civilians were killed.
“We have received reports of at least 127 civilian casualties; this figure includes 25 people killed and 102 injured in Ukraine, due to shelling and air strikes… this is most likely an underestimate,” said Ravina Shamdasani, OHCHR spokeswoman.
Communities are also in need of relief, UN humanitarians warn.
Shortages of fuel, cash, medical supplies
“When we look at shortages, we’re talking about fuel, which has been covered a lot in the press, we’re talking about cash, because often in humanitarian situations, cash assistance will be our first aid to families, so obviously UNICEF’s Ms. Khan said.
Delivering that message and in its call to ensure humanitarian access to the most vulnerable individuals, World Health Organization (WHO) highlights concerns that the medical team faces overcrowding.
Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative to Ukraine, said: “We have not had reports from hospitals, when we look at specific injuries and medical details.
“Our focus now is on pre-prepared medical kits. We’ll be running out of them soon, so what’s important now… is how to make sure new supplies arrive and…[that] humanitarian corridors are available from neighboring countries. ”
Priority needs
UN agencies have been active in Ukraine for many years, especially since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 – a move rejected by the international community.
Immediate priorities include assessing what already vulnerable communities need in the eastern regions of Donetsk, Luhansk and other regions.
“We’re still trying to monitor how the situation compares to civilian infrastructure,” said UNICEF’s Ms. Khan.
“As you know, there have been significant infrastructural influences in the east, especially in the Donbass for a number of years, and they have been cuthence UNICEF water transport [operations]. In the current scenario, we are still trying to see which civilian infrastructure has been affected [and] where.”
Announcing the allocation of $20 million in emergency funding for the Ukraine crisis, Guterres stressed that the UN and its humanitarian partners are “committed to stay and deliver, to assist people in need.” Ukrainians in their time of need.”
© ICRC / C. Granier-Deferre
A man stands in a school damaged by continuous shelling in Oleksandrivka, near Donetsk, Ukraine. (file)
Broken life
United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) confirmed.
“There are more than 100,000 people who we estimate have lost their homes and have to move inwards [the] countries and we also know of thousands of people who have crossed international borders in the region and we have seen those things only really happen since the situation began,” said UNHCR spokeswoman Shabia Mantoo said.
“We are looking at these reports and for example yesterday we saw that about 5,000 refugees have arrived in Moldova, but other movements are being reported in Poland, Romania, Slovakia and the Russian Federation. .”
Russian protesters warned
While the United Nations Office for Human Rights (OHCHR) warned that Ukrainians were “frightened of further escalation,” agency spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani raised concerns within Russia.
“More than 1,800 people have been arrested… it is impossible to know exactly how many at this point,” Ms. Shamdasani said.
“It is not yet clear whether some of them have been released. What we understand is that among those arrested were a number of journalists, and they were arrested in more than 50 cities across Russia.”
