Vereshchuk calls on international organisations to help in Donbass: Speak up on what is in your way

Tuesday, March 1, 2022, 22:53

Iryna Vereshchuk, Minister for the Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, called on international humanitarian organisations to increase aid to the civilian population in Donbas as ongoing efforts are insufficient.

Source: Vereshchuk's address on  YouTube channel of Presidential Office

Vereshchuk, Ad verbatim: "The enemy has chosen the path of terror against the civilian population.

Here I mean, first of all, in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions: the towns of Volnovakha, Severodonetsk, and others are under totally devastating enemy’s assaults. Those are locations of a true humanitarian catastrophe.

The invaders do not provide humanitarian corridors.

As the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, I must admit that we expected more real support and assistance from international humanitarian organisations, especially from the International Committee of the Red Cross, the United Nations and the OSCE.

That is why I appeal to the above-mentioned international humanitarian organisations. I understand that you are concerned about the safety of your staff. But at the same time, your internationally recognized neutral status gives you more security than our national Ukrainian entities can get.

This internationally recognized neutral status gives you the opportunity to carry out the humanitarian work you have been established to do. Not all humanitarian work can be done remotely in Lviv.

If you are unable to fulfil your international humanitarian mandate in Donetsk, Luhansk and other regions due to the danger posed to you by the Russian army, you must state this clearly, officially and unequivocally. Tell the world who prevents you from fulfilling your humanitarian mandate.".

Details: The Minister asked to pass humanitarian help by motor vehicles if international organisations fail to do their job on their own.

Vereshchuk noted that electricity and heat supply were damaged in the settlements of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and most residential buildings were destroyed.

People are forced to stay in shelters. Living needs of women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities are not adequately met. Vereshchuk called on international organisations to make every effort to provide humanitarian corridors and relocate children, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups from the area where active hostilities are taking place.

In addition, Vereshchuk asked the ICRC to plan and get ready to organise humanitarian corridors in Kyiv and the greater Kyiv region in the event of Russian invaders managing to surround and seize the city.