Press release 17.03.2022

Ukrainian Red Cross has helped over 300,000 people during the humanitarian crisis

Armed conflict in Ukraine led to a humanitarian crisis on a scale unseen in Europe in decades. Since the start of escalation, the Ukrainian Red Cross Society has been helping people all over Ukraine, responding to the specific needs of each region.

The humanitarian situation in Ukraine

The worst impacted regions are in the East, as well as Chernihiv, Sumy, and Kyiv regions. Due to the shelling of civilian targets, many people in those regions lost access to water, electricity, gas, phone and internet networks, and food. Many people stay for days in makeshift shelters and basements. Dampness coupled with cold temperatures, cause illnesses that require medical attention.

“The impact on vulnerable groups is most severe. People living with disabilities, critically ill or wounded, stay in the basements. They often lack access to food, water, and medication. They can’t get out of shelters due to continued shelling, and they don’t have a mobile connection to ask for help,” – says Maksym Dotsenko, Director General, NC Ukrainian Red Cross Society.

The impact of the armed conflict is enormous. Disruptions of gas, water, and food supplies impact the whole of Ukraine. Due to the continued shelling of civilian targets, many families are on the move, fleeing to safer locations. UNHCR reports that since 24 February, 2,808,792 people, mainly women and children, crossed the Ukrainian border. The number of internally displaced people is much higher.

The needs of people in Ukraine

First priority for the Red Cross is the first aid kits. The other priority is food, hygiene products, medicines, and basic supplies for those stranded in shelters. Separately, the Red Cross would like to stress the importance of ensuring the safety of the civilian population and observing international humanitarian law. We also work on supporting those who were able to flee to safety.

The Ukrainian Red Cross provides help all over the country

The Ukrainian Red Cross receives thousands of requests every day. We try to respond to everyone who asked for help, within the limits of our resources. “We gather data and provide support in a centralised way. We work through local Red Cross branches and through local authorities. Volunteers come to rescue: the number of our volunteers has doubled since the start of the conflict. There are 6,000 Ukrainian Red Cross volunteers today. We are grateful to all volunteers and to all our staff for their dedicated round the clock service”, – says Maksym Dotsenko.

The Red Cross volunteers and staff continue working along several workstreams, including the processing of the missing person’s requests, providing first aid, and providing psychological support. We also continue raising awareness of international humanitarian law and training people in anti-mines (2,000 people trained) and first aid (42,000 people trained).

Staff and volunteers continue delivering medicines and supplies to hospitals, humanitarian aid to shelters, household items to those who fled their homes. We help internally displaced people with temporary accommodation. We also transport the severely ill to hospitals and the less mobile from unsafe locations to shelters.

Since 24 February the Ukrainian Red Cross helped over 300,000 people.

Evacuation and the work of Emergency Response Teams

Since 24 February, some 58,200 people were helped to move to safety from areas of active hostilities, including Energodar, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kyiv and Kherson regions. “Red Cross Ukraine does not have the independent mandate to organise humanitarian corridors or evacuation of civilians. We work together with national and local governments and help to take civilians out of the shelled areas”, – says Maksym Dotsenko.

The Emergency Response Teams provided the following assistance so far:

• 13-14 March, volunteers evacuated 28 people from a home for the elderly and people with disabilities in Mykolayiv. Due to selling, the windows were damaged.  The residents were staying in freezing temperatures and had to be taken out.
• 13 March, we facilitated the evacuation of 700 people from Peremoha village to Boryspil and 500 people from Velyka Dymerka village to Brovary.
• 12 March, we facilitated the evacuation of 1,200 people from Mykulychi and Nemishayeve, 1,000 people from Bucha.
• 11 March, 1,800 people were evacuated from Bucha.
• On 9 March, 48,000 people were evacuated from Energodar, Sumy, and Kyiv regions.
• Additionally, from 24 February, some 5,000 people from various locations were taken to safety.

Emergency Response Teams work together with the State Department for Emergencies and act as first responders during fires, explosions, and destruction. Since 24 February, 200 people received assistance in such situations.  Between 14 and 15 March, the volunteers from Emergency Response units were helping Kyiv residents whose houses were shelled. In various districts, the volunteers set up tents from which they provided first aid, water, tea, snacks and first psychological aid.

Emergency Response units are also on duty at border crossing points. They set up spaces for mothers and babies and distribute water, food, and hygienic products.

Humanitarian assistance

The Ukrainian Red Cross Committee connected with partners within the international Red Cross network and received and distributed over 1,000 tonnes of humanitarian assistance. We involved national Red Cross organisations from Italy, Poland, Romania, Germany, Spain, China, Luxemburg, Bulgaria, Andorra, as well as the Red Crescent from Turkey. The items included food parcels, water, bed linen, blankets, tents, towels, medicines, first aid kits, nappies for babies and adults, soap, hygienic products, clothing, and other items.

Support the people of Ukraine

If you would like to help the Ukrainian Red Cross to support those suffering from a humanitarian crisis, you could make charitable donations via the following sources:

• IRaiser platform https://donate.redcrossredcrescent.org/ua/donate/
• Donation through our web page https://redcross.org.ua/donate/
• SMS to 88033 number with Vodafone. 1 text equals 20 UAH
• Account in foreign currencies https://tinyurl.com/2a3zhx5h

The Red Cross Society is working for the people of Ukraine for 103 years.

Today we continue our work with the new strengths. We are always there for people, we are where the need is greatest.

We are always close.