Today is the 5th day of war. What makes Caritas
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine 2,040 civilians have been wounded, including 45 children. 352 people have been killed, including 16 children. The UNHCR reports 100,000 IDPs in Ukraine, with 10,000 Ukrainians at the checkpoints at the western borders trying to reach safe territories. Thousands of them won’t be able to get back to their homes for they’ve been destroyed by war. Over the last few days of the military escalation, our Mission has provided support for more than 2,000 IDPs, mostly women and children.
Zakarpattia Oblast
‘Caritas St Augustine, Caritas-Spes Zakarpattia’ found 26 locations for settlements (youth hostels, recreation centres, campsites etc). At present, they can house 2,412 mothers with kids.
In the village of Solotvyno, near the border with Romania 375 people were given tea and sandwiches.
In Vynogradovo, the youth hostels housed 121 people, supplied with all necessary stuff: blankets, hygiene items, clothes, foods. There’s still one dilemma: some IDPs are in need of food for diabetics, which is extremely difficult to get.
Lutsk
At the checkpoint of Yagodyn-Dorohusk, at the border with Poland, there’s a 10km car queue. The volunteers of ‘Caritas-Spes Lutsk, St Peter and Paul Parish’ gave out warm meals (dumplings, porridges and cereals, biscuits etc) to 110 people.
42 children were housed in the Integration Centre in Volyn Oblast by ‘Caritas-Spes Lutsk’ from the orphanage in Kovel. The Mission fully provides accommodation and food for children. The Volyn Regional Territorial Medical Association for the Protection of Motherhood and Childhood (Volyn Regional Children’s Hospital) is preparing for various developments and equipping the shelters for pregnant women, birth mothers, children undergoing treatment and their mothers.
The Mission provided accommodation and gave 2 bags (40kg) of laundry detergent powder. Today, special food packages for 20 children suffering a rare disease ‘phenylketonuria’ were delivered in Lutsk.
Zhytomyr
‘Caritas-Spes Zhymomyr’ is preparing for receiving humanitarian aid cargoes and patronising single elderly people, providing them with food and medicine. 40 IDPs and wards from rural areas have also received foods because the shops in small villages have closed down.
Lviv
‘Caritas-Spes Lviv’ organised meals for people who are waiting at the border with Poland in Rava-Ruska and Shehyni. Our centres are also giving refuge to IDPs in Lviv and nearby towns, like Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi and Ternopil. As of today, there is room for around 350 people but this number is constantly changing. These shelters usually serve as temporary safe places on the way to the border. Over 350 warm meals were given out yesterday only.
Odesa
‘Caritas-Spes Odesa’ is currently equipping 3 shelters. Sleeping pads, water, canned food etc were purchased today.
Ukraine is holding out!
