From providing emergency care and evacuation assistance to repairing bombed energy plants, UN aid workers are carrying out their tasks despite reduced resources, an expanding front line and direct attacks on their colleagues.
The widespread use of drones and hover bombs in Ukraine’s war means that much of the country is directly exposed to Russian strikes, further complicating the work of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which is preparing for the famous harsh Ukrainian winter.
UN News spoke with Andrea de Domenico, OCHA Country Head in Ukraine, about the challenges he and his colleagues face and how they cope with their work under fire.
Andrea de Domenico: Our resources are dwindling, so we must make difficult choices. We have identified some specific priorities, such as frontline response, evacuation assistance and humanitarian aid to displaced people.
This year we are focusing primarily on people living on the frontline, most of whom are vulnerable older people with limited mobility who need support.
Additionally, we need to respond to attacks on energy infrastructure, which poses a significant challenge. Last week, for example, 60 percent of gas production was damaged. If you remove water and electricity, surviving the winter will be very, very difficult.
With support from the center in Chișinău, Moldova, an elderly Ukrainian learns new ways to cope with the challenges of displacement.
UN News: How much do you need to help those in need, and how much have you received?
Specifically for winter, we requested $277 million and about 50 percent of that has been mobilized. There is therefore still a long way to go to achieve the overall goal.
Unfortunately, if we don’t reach this figure, it means that people will not be able to spend the winter in their homes and will have to be evacuated.
UN News: Last week, a UN convoy was bombed. How does your team cope with the psychological pressure of working in such conditions?
The vast majority of frontline humanitarian aid is provided by local authorities and local partners, and we must recognize the fantastic work they do day in and day out.
They have been repeatedly exposed to these types of attacks. This year alone we have recorded over 100 incidents.
There have been attacks in which we have been collateral damage, but this is the first direct attack on a United Nations humanitarian convoy. Of course it’s shocking.
After this happened, I told the team that this was one of the risks we had to face. Our UN security colleagues worked excellently with us and were very effective in protecting the lives of those involved in this mission.
It takes a lot of determination, courage and motivation to keep doing it, but that’s what being involved in humanitarian operations in a war zone is all about.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
